Look: Bulls ink jersey patch partnership with Motorola originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Bulls’ iconic uniforms are getting a new spin this season.
Tuesday morning, the team announced a multiyear agreement to make Motorola Mobility its official jersey-patch sponsor.
“The Bulls and Motorola both have a strong connection to our shared hometown of Chicago, which played a role in establishing the foundation for our relationship,” Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “We have worked together in the past, and it is exciting to see us take this significant step into a new, expanded partnership that will have local, national and global reach.”
Motorola, which is headquartered in the Merchandise Mart, is the Bulls’ first Chicago-based jersey patch partner – a common selling point for patch partnerships around the league (i.e. the Cavaliers and Cleveland-Cliff Inc., the Orlando Magic and Disney, and so on).
In addition to Motorola's “batwing” logo being sewn onto the left chest of all editions of Bulls jerseys, the partnership will feature various marketing elements, community initiatives, digital assets and in-arena signage, according to a release.
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Zenni Optical had been the Bulls’ jersey patch sponsor since NBA teams first introduced the initiative in 2018.
Motorola adds the Bulls to a portfolio of NBA jersey patch deals that includes active partnerships with the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers. They are also the San Diego Padres’ patch partner and have partnered with the Brooklyn Nets in the past.
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“Chicago is the place we’ve called home for many years and the Bulls have been an organization we’ve respected and cheered on throughout that time,” Motorola President, North America Rudi Kalil said in a statement. “Motorola and the Bulls not only share an immense amount of hometown pride, but also a passion for bringing people together through unique consumer experiences. We’re thrilled to bring our two brands together and further infuse our company and versatile product portfolio with the vibrant energy of the city and Chicago Bulls and NBA fans around the world.”
Here is how the patch will look on the Bulls’ jerseys:
The Bulls’ new-look jerseys will debut on Oct. 4, when the team hosts the New Orleans Pelicans for its first 2022 preseason game. Motorola will also be the presenting sponsor of the Bulls’ City Edition uniforms, which debut Nov. 18 against the Orlando Magic.