Within the past month the NBA officially removed a long time ban on courtside advertising by spirit brand companies. The Miami Heat was the first NBA team to make the removal of this ban advantageous for their biggest sponsors, supposedly by allowing Bacardi to assume the ability to advertise court side in the upcoming 2009-2010 season.Teams which already have sponsorship deals with spirit brand companies may have signed previous contract agreements that were contingent upon the removal of court side advertising for an increase contract sum. It is estimated that these type of contracts have clauses that will increase the amount that NBA teams recieve from their spirit brand sponsors by 10%. Is it possible that the Boston Celtics court will look something similar to what is pictured below for this upcoming season? Besides the bottle neck changing the figure of the 3-point line, it really could become a possibility over the next few years.

The league had a remarkable year in regards to viewership of the NBA finals which surpasses the record setting viewership numbers of the previous year’s final between the Celtics and Lakers; so you can guarentee sponsors will be after NBA teams this upcoming season. With the economic crisis it would make sense that NBA teams accept such sponsorships while the offer is on the table. You do have to wonder about the NBA’s social responsibility iniative which carries the slogan, “The NBA where caring happens.” After all court side advertisements which encourage  you to drink seem to run in the opposite direction and who knows what will go down at the palace in Detroit if fans are throwing back shots before the game. Indeed the NBA and everything it has to offer this upcoming season should be amazing, so amazing.

Filed under: Dino Gomez, General | Tagged: Absolute, Detroit Pistons, Liquor, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, NBA, Palace |