What the NHL will and won't allow for jersey ads; what to expect for those purchased by fans

While it will be another season before the NHL officially allows its teams to have advertisements in jerseys, we're already getting a sense of what will and won't be allowed to be placed in the a 3-inch-by-3.5-inch rectangle. Teams are now allowed to begin negotiations with potential sponsors, but there are certain ones they'll have to stay away from.

According to a report by ESPN, tobacco products, cannabis and alcohol are all off limits. Tobacco and cannabis make sense as these products are usually very restricted when it comes to advertising any way. However, NHL broadcasts are generally filled with beer and other alcohol ads during commercials, along the boards of arenas and elsewhere.

One thing that will be allowed with the jersey ads that was not with the helmet ads from last year is sportsbooks. There are some rules that will need to be followed:

-The sportsbook ads will be sold only on home uniforms. "We don't want that jersey going to away markets where it's not legal," said Keith Wachtel, the NHL's chief business officer and senior executive vice president.

-They can be sold only if single-game sports betting is legal in the team's state/province.

-Only one sports betting company is allowed to sponsor a team. You can't have William Hill on the jersey and DraftKings on the helmet, for example.

As for whether players can decline to wear ads for certain companies, Wachtel insisted that has already been discussed with the Players' Association.

"We've had that discussion with the players' association," Wachtel said. "There are prohibited categories. We're not concerned. They're the ultimate professionals. And we're not the first league to do this, and certainly won't be the last one to do this."

Also, for those worried that any new jerseys they purchase will come with an ad starting in the 2022-23 season, Wachtel said that won't be the case.

"There are going to be certain places where you can buy it with the logo, so you can wear what the players are wearing. But for the person that doesn't want the logo on the jersey, they will be able to get one," Wachtel said.

As for anyone worried that hockey sweaters will eventually be covered in ads such as the ones common in European leagues, Wachtel said there will be nothing like that in the foreseeable future. He said teams told the league having more than one ad would diminish the worth associated with selling the ad space. It's also worth noting that this is expected to bring in big money for the NHL. Teams can have a home and away sponsor and, while an official price hasn't been released, ESPN quoted executives as saying it could bring in anywhere from $6 million to $10 million per season.

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