A key decision looms for the Lakers as they approach a very critical offseason. Amid various other changes to the team (front office included), they just announced an upcoming vacancy for the rights to their jersey sponsorship patch. The team announced the news in a statement on Wednesday:
“The Los Angeles Lakers are opening up global sponsorship rights for their premium jersey patch partnership for the 2026-27 NBA season and beyond,” wrote the Lakers. “The move represents the next chapter for the storied franchise’s evolution.”
The Lakers initially partnered with the e-commerce app, Wish, for the 2017-18 season. Eventually, they settled on a five-year, $100 million sponsorship deal with Bibigo, a global lifestyle brand focused on modernizing Korean cuisine. We don’t yet know which brands are competing for the open sponsorship rights, but any agreement is going to be highly lucrative, given the Lakers’ status as the most prestigious team in the league.
“The Lakers are one of the most recognizable brands in the world, synonymous with greatness, championships, style, and legacy,” said Los Angeles Lakers Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Jill Snodgrass. “There’s no question the value of the Lakers starts on the court in the heart of Los Angeles and uniquely extends across culture and entertainment to reach people everywhere. The elite identity of the Purple and Gold blends legendary history with dynamic newness, creating moments and experiences that are remembered forever.”
With Bibigo’s spot reserve for the rest of this season, the Lakers can play on without thinking about this further. This summer, however, the front office will have to decide on a new jersey sponsor, and the choice may matter more than you think.
Fans want a brand that not only gives back to the community but also a brand that captures their culture and identity. The Lakers will have much more to consider, of course, but it didn’t stop the people from giving their own input. One fan, for example, said he wants a company that screams “LA energy.”
“I want a brand that screams L.A. energy, maybe Beats by Dre or Netflix,” the user wrote.
Unlike Wish or Bibigo, most fans are thinking of something a little bit more iconic, to match the Lakers’ status as an iconic basketball team.
“Red Bull makes sense, AMD because why not,” one fan suggested.
Some speculated that the new Lakers regime could lean toward a Janapesse company, given their ties to the area.
“Surprised they didn’t pick a Japanese brand since the owners are the same as the Dodgers,” one post read.
Of course, plenty of people don’t actually care who is on the patch as long as the Lakers revert to their original color scheme over the more faded style we see today.
“Before we do any of that… can we go back to Purple and actual Gold, not yellow, please?” one fan asked.
Naturally, there are a good number of folks who just want the patches gone. It wasn’t too long ago that the jerseys didn’t have them, and not everybody appreciates how they look.
“None. Let’s stop with that nonsense,” one fan argued. “Don’t tell me the NBA can’t live with that money? It makes the jerseys look awful, and patches to honor former players are way worse than they used to be.”
Only time will tell which brand emerges with the prize here, but the important thing for the Lakers is not about what sponsorships they sign. Rather, as the team heads into the post-LeBron era, it’s about how they reshape and restructure the roster around Luka Doncic.
If they can give him the support he needs, all the rest will fall into place. Whichever brand ends up on the patch, it will look a whole lot better if the Lakers are wearing it deep into the playoffs. With this new regime, led by Lon Rosen and Mark Walter, progress is a certainty, but it will only come after some major internal (and external) changes.
