Despite the NBA postseason being in its 13th month, basketball fans are still hungry to see their favorite teams. And now they can feed that hunger, literally, as the NBA has licensed the use of team logos on everything from pizzas to toast.

With the recession causing a crimp in $150 official jersey sales, the NBA is looking for more creative ways to squeeze revenue from its licenses. So they’ve sold off rights to put officially licensed NBA logos and images on just about any item possible.

Says the NBA’s head of global merchandising, “As key licensing categories have matured, it’s an ongoing goal of the NBA to expand the brand into places that may attract new customers.” So why branded pizzas? “A lot of people watching NBA games on TV tend to eat,” he explains.

USA Today rounded up these details on the edible products:
•Pizza. The logos, to be available next season for all 30 teams, are made of sugar, starch and food coloring. They’ll add about $5 to the pizza price.

•Toaster logos. Priced at $34.99, NBA Pro Toast Toasters are specially made to “burn” golden brown team logos onto bread as it toasts.

The company that makes the toasters says they also plan on releasing team logo panini sandwich presses.

NBA cooks up edible logos to make mark on pizza and toast [USA Today]

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