Money doesn't grow on trees, but soon, you may not be able to say the same thing about basketball jerseys.

As has been reported recently, the National Basketball Association is getting closer to selling advertising space on game jerseys. Owners, desperately looking to boost revenues, are expected to consider the idea when they meet April 12 in New York for the first time since ending the lockout.

But what could really surprise fans is just how much money teams could pull in by making the change.

Bloomberg reports, via the Sports Business Journal, that although agendas for those meetings haven't been set, "sponsor logos on NBA uniforms is a subject of ongoing conversation."
Commissioner David Stern bellyached during the work stoppage that his organization has been losing more than $300 million each year, with 73 percent of teams losing money (22 of 30).

The NBA has already tested out advertising on uniforms in the little watched WNBA and D-League.

So how much value does sports laundry have?

European soccer's legendary Manchester United earn over $30 million a year from uniform revenue, according to Bloomberg.

Ad space on the chest of the iconic purple and gold Lakers jersey is worth $4.1 million dollars in annual TV exposure, while the Minnesota Timberwolves jersey space is worth only $300,000 if you believe the results of a study done last year by Horizon Media.

As the saying goes, things are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them.

I don't watch nor do I care for pro basketball so advertising means nothing to me.

yea, basketball is not for everyone... but it will open the doors for it to happen to all sports

Your probably right

Dang I always get a jersey and the player leaves the team and it is just a wasted investment.

i wonder if the new jerseys (that they sell) will have the advertising on them? so when someone buys a jersey, it will be free advertising for them...

I have a FC Barcelona Jersey and it has Unicef on the front. Looks pretty cool actually.

i was thinking the soccer jerseys were still tasteful..

I dunno mine was made in a Thailand sweatshop. I feel bad for buying one but hey no one makes soccer jerseys from Europe in America.