NHL jersey ads 'coming' says league exec

Ads could soon appear on NHL teams' jerseys.

NHL chief operating officer John Collins said in an interview posted Thursday by Sports Business Daily that jersey sponsorship is "coming and happening," though he didn't give any details or a timeframe for when the move may occur.

NHL spokesman Frank Brown said jersey ads are not a priority for the league right now.

"This is not by any means a front-burner topic," Brown wrote in an email to CBC News Network. "The matter is not under formal consideration at the moment."

The practice is already common with European professional hockey teams, though none of the four major North American pro leagues currently allow sponsorship on their jerseys during the regular season, if you don't count the logos of the companies that make the apparel.

NFL teams are allowed to place advertising patches on their practice shirts, and the NBA is also considering allowing ads on its jerseys in the regular season, with commissioner Adam Silver calling it "inevitable" within the next five years as the league looks to increase its revenues.

Collins also confirmed in the interview with Sports Business Daily that the NHL is testing technology that would allow broadcasters to digitally replace the ads on the boards at arenas with signage tailored to their audience.