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10 Memphis businesses we’d love to see become jersey sponsors for the Memphis Grizzlies next season

By Jacob Ellerbee

The Bass Pro Shop Pyramid is seen behind the closed access to I-40 West from Downtown Memphis, Tenn. as the Hernando de Soto Bridge remains closed for repairs on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Memphis GrizzliesBridge 11
The Bass Pro Shop Pyramid is seen behind the closed access to I-40 West from Downtown Memphis, Tenn. as the Hernando de Soto Bridge remains closed for repairs on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Memphis GrizzliesBridge 11 /
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Memphis Grizzlies
Could the Rendezvous be a Memphis Grizzlies jersey ad patch sponsor? (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal via USA TODAY NETWORK) /

Who are the best jersey ad patch sponsor candidates for the Memphis Grizzlies?

From 2018 through 2021, the Memphis Grizzlies proudly boasted a FedEx logo on their jerseys, the result of an initial wave of advertising opportunities that came to teams across the NBA once the NBA permitted franchises to begin selling a 2.5 inch by 2.5 inch piece of real estate on their respective jerseys.

As part of the terms mandated by the NBA, sponsors and teams can reach up to a three-year agreement in being featured on a team’s jersey.

It appears that three-year agreement between FedEx and the Memphis Grizzlies expired at the end of the 2020-21 season and a new agreement was not reached, leaving the Grizzlies as one of only two teams in the entire NBA without a jersey ad patch sponsor last season.

Their crisp, ad-free jerseys looked great, but left me wondering what in the world happened. Were there really no companies beating down the door to get millions of eyeballs on their logo and across the chest of one of the most electrifying players in the league?

Perhaps the easiest explanation is the main barrier to entry, which is cost. The initial cost is reportedly hefty, coming in somewhere between $5 million and $20 million, according to a report from Forbes.

With the Grizzlies coming off the second-best record in the NBA last season and a nice run in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, perhaps a Memphis-based business will see the incredible value brought by Ja Morant and company and claim a piece of Grizzlies jersey real estate.

So, I came up with 10 business that probably have the budget to pay the reported fee, are nationally known, and would make sense (nothing controversial, no alcohol, tobacco, or adult themes).

Let’s dive in and explore some of the best options for the next Memphis Grizzlies jersey ad patch sponsor.

International Paper

Headquartered in Memphis, they are one of the preeminent suppliers of pulp and paper products. They are a Fortune 500 company and certainly have the deep pockets to shell out the fee it takes to become the sponsor.

They have a nice, crisp logo that resembles a tree/arrow amalgamation pointing up. It’d fit nicely in the required space on the jersey.

AutoZone

Another Fortune 500 company that placed it’s headquarters in Memphis, AutoZone would be a great get for the Grizzlies as their sponsor. They have really high name recognition and an easily identifiable logo.

AutoZone is already in the naming rights business with other professional teams in Memphis— 901 FC and Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. Both teams play at AutoZone Park, just a couple of blocks away from the Forum where the Memphis Grizzlies play.

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