Thursday, July 29, 2010

Camel's Nose, Meet Tent (Part Two)

Packers guard Daryn Colledge models the new practice jersey patch during training camp practice at Ray Nitschke Field on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010.

A little over a year after announcing that they would seek a jersey sponsor for practice uniforms, the Packers have announced that a deal has been reached with Green Bay-based health care provider Bellin Health.

As reported yesterday in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Packers to wear advertising patch
Team follows trend of other NFL organizations


By Don Walker
Posted: July 28, 2010

Beginning with the first practice at 2 p.m. Saturday, members of the Green Bay Packers will wear an advertising patch on their practice jerseys.

That is a first for the franchise, and follows a trend of other National Football League teams that have signed deals with major sponsors that involve the addition of an advertising patch on practice jerseys.

The Packers' advertising partner is Bellin Health, a major health provider in northeast Wisconsin. The patch will be worn on the player's left side near the shoulder.

Bellin Health and the Packers have been partners for several years. The introduction of the patch on the practice jersey - allowed under NFL rules - is part of a multi-year agreement with Bellin Health.

The patches will not be worn in preseason games or the regular season.

...

Craig Benzel, the Packers' director of marketing and corporate sales, said the team wanted to select a sponsor that was community-minded.

"It was important for us to align with a partner we have worked closely with in the past," Benzel said. "It was important that they are so community minded."

The patch itself, he said, is tasteful. "We think the size is perfect," Benzel said.
A local sponsor makes sense, since the practice jerseys don't see much press outside of the immediate area.

UPDATE: Now we've seen it (above). Not sure I'd call it "tasteful" myself, but so long as it remains confined to Nitschke Field I'm okay with it.

2 comments:

The Thrill said...

One other thing I've noticed on those jerseys...

...the white triangle where the NFL Equipment shield goes is BLANK.

Guess you don't earn your NFL shield (and sleeve stripes) until gameday, rookies.

Chance Michaels said...

I hadn't noticed that. Good catch!