Reddit user u/orobsky shared on the Oilers subreddit that the team appears to be charging fans extra to get a Play Alberta advertisement included on the jersey.

This appears to be from Ice District Authentics, the officially licensed store for the Oilers, located adjacent to Rogers Place. The jersey in question is indeed listed at $319.99 on the official website, though the option to get the advertisement patch is not available online, so this appears to be an in-store exclusive.

It is understandable why some Oilers fans will feel outraged by being charged $10 extra to get an advertisement patch included on a jersey, especially when the jersey is already high in price. While the jersey itself is considered to be the middle-tier of NHL jerseys by Fanatics (a step above the cheapest model and a grade below the authentic sweater), it still seems a bit excessive for fans to have to spend extra money on something that a good chunk of Oilers fans would likely not want to have on there.

There certainly will be some Oilers fans who want their jersey to look exactly like what the players wear on the ice and will be fine with paying the extra charge. However, glancing at the comments section of the Reddit post shows that most of the Edmonton faithful are likely not too thrilled with this new change.

This brings back to the forefront the neverending debate of the use of advertisement on NHL gears, which has picked up plenty of steam in recent years given it wasn’t that long ago where there were no ads on jerseys or helmets. Advertisements have long been a part of the sport of hockey, with their presence being more noticeable over the years as the boards got filled with sticker ads and later digital ads. The idea of equipment getting it as well is most apparent in soccer where the company being advertised is bigger than the logo of the club, but it is also prevalent with hockey teams in Europe.

As much as fans would want to rid the sports they love of advertisements, they will be sticking around forever because it helps ensure leagues like the NHL continue to generate revenue. With that said, it doesn’t take away from the frustration Oilers fans feel that they will have to spend $10 extra if they want to get the same PlayAlberta ad that Connor McDavid wears every single game.