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NHL giving teams option to sell jerseys to fans with ads on them

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One of the biggest questions entering the NHL’s Jersey Ad Era was if retail jerseys — the sweaters that you and I buy — would have ads on them.

After this week, that answer became clearer an eagle-eyed University of Minnesota student noticed that the Wild’s Adidas authentic jerseys had TRIA patches on them.

The viral tweet got ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski on the case, prompting comments from the NHL and Fanatics – the league’s official retailer.

Every Adidas authentic sweater sold at the Wild’s team store, The Hockey Lodge, will have the TRIA ad both online and brick and mortar.

The Wild posted this on their online website where it sells its Adidas authentic jerseys.

The note reads:

On all adidas jerseys, there will be a TRIA patch. The 3 x 3.5 patch is attached to the front right shoulder of the jersey

According to Wyshynski, this ad policy by the Wild is “by request only”, suggesting each NHL team will have the choice of how their retail jerseys are presented.

With the Capitals, that could prove to be a tricky decision with Caesars Sportsbook being the sponsor on their home jerseys. Having not only an ad on a jersey but one that promotes gambling may be a bridge too far for some Capitals fans looking to buy new merch, especially with a price point over $200.

Last season, helmet ads were widely accepted and didn’t bother NHL supporters, giving the league and its teams a new revenue source. But jersey ads on retail sweaters will be a trickier activation to navigate.

More details will likely come out soon as the season gets closer.