#1 ·
I was scrolling through some news earlier and it got me thinking about how aggressive corporate branding has become in spaces that used to feel almost sacred. It feels like everywhere you look lately—especially in sports and collegiate life—there’s a new logo plastered over something that used to be purely about tradition or school spirit.
I remember watching games growing up where the jerseys were clean, just the school colors and maybe a simple crest. Now, it feels like every single inch of fabric is a potential billboard. Don't get me wrong, I get the money aspect. Schools and teams need the cash to keep up with the arms race of modern athletics, and it’s a massive business. But at what point does the "brand" of the institution get swallowed up by the brands of the sponsors?
It starts to feel a bit hollow when you realize the identity of a team is being shared with a financial service or a tech company. Does it cheapen the legacy, or is this just the inevitable evolution of how we fund the things we love?
Do you guys think we've crossed a line, or is this just the new normal we all have to accept?
I remember watching games growing up where the jerseys were clean, just the school colors and maybe a simple crest. Now, it feels like every single inch of fabric is a potential billboard. Don't get me wrong, I get the money aspect. Schools and teams need the cash to keep up with the arms race of modern athletics, and it’s a massive business. But at what point does the "brand" of the institution get swallowed up by the brands of the sponsors?
It starts to feel a bit hollow when you realize the identity of a team is being shared with a financial service or a tech company. Does it cheapen the legacy, or is this just the inevitable evolution of how we fund the things we love?
Do you guys think we've crossed a line, or is this just the new normal we all have to accept?