(wibc.com photo: Ray Steele)

They aren't the first team to do so, but the Indiana Fever will soon become one of the few major pro sports teams in the U.S. with a sponsor's logo on the front of their jerseys.

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Starting with the 2013 season, the Fever will partner with Finish Line in a multi-year deal that will place the Finish Line logo on the front of the team's jerseys, those worn by players as well as merchandise sold in the team store. The athletic retailer based in Indianapolis will also be heavily featured during Fever games, such as in-game promotions, TV and radio broadcasts and signage at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Fever general manager Kelly Krauskopf says deals like this are not necessary to keep franchises in place, pointing out that the Fever have now been around for 13 years. But Krauskopf says the fronts of sports team jerseys are one of the most sought after locations for marketings, and the Fever will join five other WNBA teams in having sponsors names on uniforms. The Finish Line logo will also adorn officially licensed merchandise sold to the public, such as replica jerseys.

The women's players may soon be joined by their male counterparts, as the NBA has tentatively okayed a deal to sell ad space on jerseys as early as next season. There are reports the deal could be hold because NBA owners haven't agreed on how they will share the revenue.

Neither Finish Line nor the Fever would disclose specific terms of the contract, though the announcement was timed to get as much publicity as possible - the Fever host the Minnesota Lynx in game three of the WNBA Finals tonight.

@WIBC_RaySteele