Ever since Nike took over production of the NBA's jerseys in 2017, one of the biggest changes has been the introduction of jersey patches. These are small advertisements typically positioned right around the left collarbone on the upper part of the front of the jersey. Fans have certainly had split opinions on this feature since its inception, but up until recently, Minnesota Timberwolves fans were big supporters of it.
That is because from 2021 up until recently, the Timberwolves sported the patch of cybersecurity app 'Aura,' and it was always a hit with the fanbase. Not only did Aura's patch coincide with some of the best modern memories of Minnesota basketball, but it also represented a unique quirk in the way that it bore the same name of the term used in popular culture.
Last month, we found out that the Timberwolves were dropping Aura as the jersey sponsor, leading to the dissatisfaction of many fans. There was still hope, though, that whatever the replacement turned out to be would be just as much of a hit.
Timberwolves fans panned the new jersey patch sponsor
On Monday morning, an announcement was published on the NBA's official website that Minnesota would be adopting Sezzle as the new jersey patch sponsor for the upcoming season. The company is a financial technology company that has its headquarters in Minneapolis. But despite the local connection, fans on social media were not happy to see the announcement.
The Timberwolves posted an update on the jersey patch sponsor to their account on X, and nearly all the replies to the team's official account were expressing dismay at the decision. "We need Aura back ASAP," wrote @TheRealBingz. "We lost Aura LITERALLY," said @NVPressed.
In fact, combing through the 60+ replies to the post, it is hard to find a single comment that is in support of the decision. It is even more clear now just how big of a fan favorite the Aura patch was.
Of course, jersey patches do not ultimately play a part in a team winning games, but the fanbase obviously feels like an opportunity was missed here.