The Flyers’ new uniforms include the first sponsorship patch in franchise history. It’s a blue IBX logo on the right shoulder:

via Comcast/Flyers

Putrid.

Here’s the relevant blurb from the press release:

As part of the new uniform unveil, the team also announced its first-ever official home jersey patch partner, Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross. Through the multi-year deal, Independence Blue Cross, a leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania, becomes the Official Health Insurance Partner of the Philadelphia Flyers.

…

The partnership will place an Independence Blue Cross logo on the right chest of all Flyers home sweaters as well as the third alternate jersey and will be showcased through team platforms and television broadcasts. Independence will also become a presenting sponsor for a social media series on Flyers channels focused on nutrition and healthy eating. Through the deal, the organization will offer special single game discounts to Independence Blue Cross members that will be announced at a later date.

At least IBX is local. Same with Bimbo for the Union (the North American HQ is in Horsham). The progressive Sixers went with Crypto.com, which is some Singapore-based, Bitcoin bullshit, so they land dead last in the Philly jersey sponsor rankings.

It means the Eagles and Phillies are our only hope for sponsor-less uniforms, though the latest on the Phils was that they planned to join the fray sometime soon. There were reports back in March that room was made on the 2023 uniform sleeves to fit a future partner’s logo:

There are some bad ones in MLB. The Reds are advertising a grocery store and the Mets debuted those terrible Phillies-colored Presbyterian Hospital patches.

Right now the NFL is the only major American sports league that disallows sponsor patches on the jersey. That’s how it should be. The only things that should appear on a jersey are the team logo, player name, player number, and then on occasion a special commemorative patch, like when you play in the Super Bowl or you’re honoring a Hall of Famer who passed.

Why? Because we’re turning players into walking billboards. This is a hockey team, not a blank canvas to add health insurance advertising. Is nothing sacred anymore? When you buy a team sweater for $150 or whatever the hell they are now, do you want a janky-ass IBX logo on there, colored blue? No, of course not. We’ve already plastered the rink with advertising and the digital stuff is super-imposed on the ice and the boards. It’s “too much horseshit,” as Peter Laviolette once said.

The NFL and the Eagles need to hold the line on this nonsense. Pro football definitely does not need more money, so just do us a favor and say no to this. Imagine if your Donovan McNabb jersey from 2004 had a huge Campbell’s Chunky soup logo on the right shoulder. That would be preposterous. Enough already. Serenity now!