Mile High City Jersey Controversy

Photo by Clutch Points

With the NBA Finals happening, the Denver Nuggets currently hold a lead of 3-1 against the Miami Heat.

In game one of the Finals, played in the Denver Nuggets' home court, they wore their Mile High City jerseys and ended the game with a victory. In game three, located in Miami this time, they also wore their Mile High City jerseys. Here’s what I have to say about this:

For a team like the Denver Nuggets, which was founded in 1967 and is a smaller franchise within the National Basketball Association (NBA), this is a huge deal. The Denver Nuggets have never won a championship, yet here they are in the 2023 Finals taking the lead. With the NBA Finals bringing in an average of over 10 million viewers, this is the most visibility that the Denver Nuggets will ever achieve, and they're wearing a jersey without their names!

As much as people would like to argue that the Mile High Jersey is their “best” jersey, it is not their traditional jersey. If we would like to debate from a marketing standpoint, then it’s fair to say that this is a great way to market more income for the franchise as viewers and fans will start purchasing a new jersey. However, is that more important than being able to look back on this huge moment in history and not even see their team name on it?

Mile High City is not popular enough to be worn when it comes to the NBA Finals. People globally, and even nationally, aren’t aware of the Mile High City.

During the seasons, sure, go ahead and wear your alternate jerseys, but when it comes to the playoffs and finals, there needs to be a line drawn there. Teams should be required to wear their designated home and away jerseys, broadcasting to the world the cities and teams they represent, rather than a silly moniker with different colors.