In April, the NBA approved the sale of jersey sponsorships as part of a three-year pilot program beginning with the 2017-18 season.  The League believes the program will be a financial boon, with expected revenue projected at $100-$150 million a year. According to ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell, teams will keep half of the revenue generated by their individual sponsorship sales, with half of that going into a revenue-sharing pool.  The other half will be split with the players.  Ads involving gambling, politics or alcohol are prohibited, as are sponsorships with competitors of key League partners, including broadcast partners ESPN, ABC and Turner; Spalding (the official ball); and Tissot (official timekeeper). The Philadelphia 76ers became the first team to land a jersey sponsor, agreeing to a three-year, $15 million deal with StubHub. Immediately after the deal was announced, critics assailed the sponsorship program, claiming, among other things, that the ads cheapen the NBA brand and otherwise signify impending doom.  The critics are misguided. First of all, the ads measure just 2.5 x 2.5 inches, and will be placed on the jersey’s left shoulder. So the sponsorship patches will not dominate the uniform.  Players will not be plastered with huge ads, á la […]