:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67392531/Biofreeze_20Blazers_203_20Jerseys_20Patch_20Locker.0.jpg)
One of the biggest questions facing the NBA as the 2020-21 season ramps up will be how to compensate for the loss of revenue during a shortened 2019-20 season with several months lost to COVID-19. The issue is not trivial. The league’s salary cap and luxury tax numbers are linked to Basketball Related Income. Less money coming in will theoretically lead to less money available to pay players.
It’s likely that players and owners will come to an agreement to avoid skewing the system, modifying the percentage of, or payout from, BRI available to players. No amount of deck shuffling will change the overall picture, though. Somebody is going to lose money.
In this climate, the NBA and its franchises will be interested in maximizing income. Today Shams Charania of The Athletic tweeted that they’ve taken an initial step: allowing another sponsorship marker on practice jerseys.
The NBA has approved all teams to place an additional sponsorship asset on practice jerseys for use during team practices and shootarounds, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 11, 2020
The NBA has allowed patches on uniforms since 2017. It’s success during the initial three-year run has caused considerable speculation that the program will be expanded. This may be the first step in that process.