Rangers unveil first jersey advertisement in team history in partnership with Mark Messier

The New York Rangers have announced a "partnership" with GAME7, a multi-platform sports and entertainment brand co-founded by Rangers legend Mark Messier. The announcement is being hailed as a landmark multi-year partnership that included naming the company as the team’s first-ever jersey patch partner.

Here's a first look at the threads with the new patch:

I've gotta say... these look fine. As far as jersey ads go, this is one of the better ones out there.

But... I just hate jersey ads.

Call these agreements "partnerships" all you want, but it's clear to everyone that NHL teams are simply selling out and giving up ad space on their uniforms. These aren't partnerships, they're ads and they're no different than a bumped sticker slapped on a Lamborghini. I just hate it.

“Our search for a partner that would be so deeply ingrained in both the Rangers and Madison Square Garden led us directly to GAME 7, which we believe is an absolutely perfect fit,” said Jamaal Lesane, Chief Operating Officer, MSG Sports. “We have a deep-seated relationship with GAME 7 co-founder and Rangers legend Mark Messier, which makes this such a genuine, natural alignment. Mark and his team at GAME 7 have created something special and as our organization embarks on our centennial season, we look forward to continued collaboration for years to come.”

blah blah blah...

Just say that Mess and GAME7 gave you a bunch of money and so now you have to display their logo. That's what happened, right? Does anybody believe this "partnership" nonsense?