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The NBA Board of Governors approved a new look for uniforms, starting with the 2013-14 regular season, opening the door for ads to be placed on jerseys.  The league is downplaying the decision, which could generate as much as $100 million in revenue, saying that they only permit small advertising patches on the uniforms.  Yeah, right – once you open the door for one patch, then you open the door for the possibility of turning an NBA jersey into a gaudy NASCAR replica.

And all we can say is, ‘Thank you, European soccer.

Not sure about you, but I don’t want to see our aging Celtics running up and down the court with a Viagra pack sewn onto the lower front of a Celtics jersey.  Or any member of the Pheonix Suns running for the border with Taco Bell emblazoned on their chest.  Or Big Baby sporting the McDonald’s arches.

But it’s gonna happen – you know it is, because there’s simply too much money to be made with the ads.  Corporate sponsors are lusting after the possibility of aligning themselves with some of the greatest properties in sport, including the Lakers, Knicks, Bulls and our very own Celtics.

And I hear all the talk about how this won’t be overblown, but I’m sure those NASCAR cars started out with one ad, too.  Just like the Birdman started out with one tat.  Why stop with just one?  The NBA wants the additional revenue stream the ads will provide, and suddenly we’ll look back at footage of ad-free basketball as a bygone era that will never return.

Again, thank you European soccer.  As much as I’ve tried to like you, this is going to be put a major crimp in our relationship.  The first time I see Rondo pushing the ball up the court and pushing an antidiuretic on me at the same time, I done.  Out.

Celtic-Nation.Com has remained an ad-free zone since the day it opened its doors.

Let’s just hope that our Boston Celtics players don’t become pimps for a bunch of corporate sponsors who care nothing about our team, and who are only into another kind of green.

The color of money.