The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers: Keep Noel, Lose StubHub, Add Rooks

By Dan Falcone

Dec 3, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shorts with logo against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The 76ers defeated the Timberwolves 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shorts with logo against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The 76ers defeated the Timberwolves 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers should keep their eyes on what matters, boating a Sean Rooks patch on their jerseys, not a StubHub ad.

The Philadelphia 76ers uniforms for 2017-2018 will feature a StubHub advertisement and that is not fine. There are other ways to acquire revenue besides from making a mockery of the jersey. To have what looks like a piece of masking tape on the jersey is off putting. It also sends the message that professional sports are more and more privatized and corporate. Will it really translate into minimizing the cost for the average fan?

Tim Cato writes:

"“The NFL will be following the NBA’s lead before the end of the decade, I’m sure of it. The moral of this story: advertisements are coming for us all.”"

Perhaps true, but we don’t have to like it. The seller is the Sixers, the buyer is StubHub, and the product is the fan base. Will the profits generated by the jersey do anything to improve the material conditions for people and communities who support the Philadelphia 76ers and the city? Of course not.

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The Sixers could easily have a solution (“SR”) on their jerseys next year, in honor of the late Sean Rooks. Rooks was the Assistant for Player Development. He was known to be a great role model, coach and mentor to the NBA veterans around him. Even though he was not returning with the Sixers next season, and his next gig was likely with the New York Knicks, it’s the right thing to do.

Incidentally, removing the ads would be hard to do since each of the 30 NBA teams are more or less compelling their respective stockholders to join market forces with jerseys including ads. Still, a Rooks memorial patch could be added, especially next season, before the ads kick in.

Rooks played on seven NBA teams and started for the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. He was a journeyman center that made fundamental plays on both ends of the court. He later became a well-respected coach. He served as a model player for someone like Nerlens Noel. The outpouring after his death was astounding across the league by players young and old.

https://twitter.com/NerlensNoel3/status/740621996032196608

Now, as late as today, there is talk of trading Nerlens Noel to the Toronto Raptors or the Denver Nuggets, yet another team that wants his unique skill-set.

Keep the jersey plain. Keep the jersey basic. Don’t believe in gimmicks and go for the big splash. Did StubHub really write a check to the Sixers that they couldn’t refuse? No, it wasn’t much money for a major market city sports franchise.

Related Story: Sixers Announce Jersey Patch

Along those same lines, keep Nerlens Noel in the city. Resist the temptation of the cash or trade incentives that bring notoriety to the management at the press conference. Noel came at a time shortly thereafter the Sixers uniforms went back to their classic lettering and color ensemble. His game and unique abilities as a center are also a classic ensemble, especially for a revolutionizing team and coach.

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It would be nice to see Noel racing down the floor alongside Ben Simmons with “SR” on their jerseys instead of StubHub. It’s not just a metaphoric statement about what really matters, you get the better player staying put to boot.