That new logo patch on the Boston Celtics jerseys is the familiar logo of GE — General Electric. 2017-18 marks the first NBA season that opens the uniforms up to outside branding by sponsors — in the form of a 2.5 inch-by-2.5 inch spot on the left shoulder of the NBA uniform jerseys. For the Celtics, GE is an inspired choice and perfect partner for a number of reasons. GE is an established American icon with strong working class roots — while also being a global brand with a rich history of success and innovation. That describes the Boston Celtics, too — with its 17 NBA championships. And both franchises, GE and the Celtics, are working to resurrect their glory days with big recent moves. The Celtics brought in perennial All-Star Kyrie Irving and former Jazz star Gordon Hayward. GE’s big recent moves include naming a new CEO, John Flannery, and moving its corporate headquarters to — you guessed it — Boston, from its longtime home in Connecticut. Flannery represents GE the way Celtics fans represent their teams, with a lot of respect for what’s come before. He started working for GE in 1987, not long after after college.
But while the GE logo on the Celtics uniforms may look familiar, it really represents a new company in the process of transition — again much like the Celtics. GE has shed much of the financial services businesses it held under famous CEO Jack Welch, under whom GE grew from a $25 billion manufacturing conglomerate to a $100 billion corporate behemoth. Today, focusing on a return to its manufacturing and technology roots, the new GE is a lot like the Celtics in another way too — both GE and Celtics coach Brad Stevens are innovators in using big data to fuel decisions, strategies and future plans. (Celtics on the big data aspect: “As our exclusive Data & Analytics Partner, @generalelectric will be woven into the fabric of the Boston #Celtics“) It’s a great match — at least for those fans who think it’s okay to put a logo on the legendary Celtics jerseys. Not everybody likes the idea, but times change. (Neither Cousy, Russell, Hondo, Bird, Jones, McHale, Pierce or Cowens will be suiting up this year, for instance.) You can find new Celtics gear — and old Larry Bird shirts too — at the Celtics jerseys section at the NBA store. However you feel about it, there are 3 big reasons why the GE logo is on the Celtics jerseys:
- They’re both based in Boston now
- They’re both classic, successful American brands
- They’re both using big data to innovate in the 21st century
We’re in London for #NBALondon in January. Presale is live on 10/18 & general sale on 10/20.
Register for presale: https://t.co/Wm2Bj4xTnP pic.twitter.com/vVVrKqJoYi
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 14, 2017
