# Why more sponsorship in English football than NFL? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 17, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745 "2011-04-17T19:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745/21 "2011-04-18T13:12:22Z")
> [@fc1114](#): > > In the NFL, it would be hard for the teams to have a jersey sponsor. It could conflict with the player’s personal endorsement/sponsorship. What if Indy decides to have a Toshiba jersey logo but Peyton has a personal deal with Sony? Then Peyton doesn’t wear his Sony logo. Jim McMahon found this out back in the mid-80’s when he was paid to wear an Adidas headband during games and Pete Rozelle said “Hell to the no!” Rozelle won, and the rule hasn’t been challenged since. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745/22 "2011-04-18T14:33:00Z")
More recently, Brian Urlacher got fined for wearing a hat from his personally-endorsed sports drink, Vitamin Water, at a post-game news conference. The league’s official sports drink is, uh, something else. Heck, one player got fined for wearing a hat with a Christian cross on it instead of league-approved apparel. Mike Nolan had to wait until Reebok made a suit before he could wear one at a game. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745/23 "2011-04-18T21:42:07Z")
> [@fc1114](#): > > In the NFL, it would be hard for the teams to have a jersey sponsor. It could conflict with the player’s personal endorsement/sponsorship. What if Indy decides to have a Toshiba jersey logo but Peyton has a personal deal with Sony? A few years ago Honda got upset because the motocross race series was sponsored by Toyota so the Honda bikes had to have a Toyota logo on them. Also you might recall in 1992 Michael Jordan and other Nike guys were forced to wear Reebok jerseys in the Olympics. For a team picture they put a US flag over the Reebok logo. ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745/24 "2011-04-19T06:22:50Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > And the “World Series” was originally named for its sponsor, the World. [I don’t think so.](http://www.snopes.com/business/names/worldseries.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745/25 "2011-04-19T14:29:33Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > English stadiums don’t tend to be named after companies, either. And the “World Series” was originally named for its sponsor, the World. Reebok Stadium, (former) JJB Stadium, Emirates Stadium, Britannia Stadium, KC Stadium, Walkers Stadium, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745/26 "2011-04-19T15:08:17Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > A few years ago Honda got upset because the motocross race series was sponsored by Toyota so the Honda bikes had to have a Toyota logo on them. > > Also you might recall in 1992 Michael Jordan and other Nike guys were forced to wear Reebok jerseys in the Olympics. For a team picture they put a US flag over the Reebok logo. Another example: Riddell is the official helmet supplier to the NFL. However, many players wear helmets from other companies. According to Riddell’s contract with the NFL, those players’ helmets can’t display any of the manufacturers’ names or logos. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-more-sponsorship-in-english-football-than-nfl/578745.md?page=1)