When a jersey patch deal isn’t just a jersey patch deal

This deal differed substantially from other patch deals, which have gone for as much as eight figures per season. In the past, companies both big and small paid the freight to get the recognition that comes with every TV close-up of a Nets player at the free throw line, his jersey adorned with a corporate logo. There was Motorola, the big cellphone manufacturer, and All-In-One, a New York-based medical billing and IT company owned by a Nets season ticket holder. They also contracted with WeBull, an online brokerage, and Get Your Guide, a tourism company … in other words an eclectic group.

The Alibaba patch is simple, the company's name spelled out in the company typeface on the left breast of the jersey opposite the Nike swoosh, part of a separate apparel deal. Alibaba says it will use the patch to support the team's 60th anniversary celebration, according to the press release. The celebration will be a year-long campaign honoring iconic players, defining moments and milestones across the franchise's history.

But the patch deal between the two Tsai entities isn't the only eye-opener in the deal. The Alibaba jersey patch is only one part of a much bigger and intriguing sports technology deal, as a follow-up press release to the tweet revealed .