The upcoming Blazers season just got a lot…cooler.
No, they haven't traded for Jimmy Butler. Today, the organization announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with Illinois-based sports medicine manufacturer Performance Health, which is noteworthy for one major reason in particular: Starting with the 2018-19 season, team jerseys will be affixed with a patch promoting the company's Biofreeze brand.
The Athletic's Shams Charania also reported that guard Damian Lillard has signed an endorsement deal with the brand.
The announcement was delivered following a hilariously disproportionate day-long tease that ended with Blaze the Trail Cat thawing a new jersey out from a block of ice in the middle of Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Secret’s out! Introducing our partnership with @Biofreeze. pic.twitter.com/Lf5BwPw03k
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) September 19, 2018
According to the company, it is a pain reliever that uses menthol to soothe muscle and joint aches. So it's basically Icy Hot, minus the hot part and Shaq commercials.
It might not be as zeitgeist-y as Bumble, but something about a pain reliever sponsoring a franchise famous for being plagued with injuries just feels right.
Related: Three NBA Jersey Collectors Show Off Their Rarest Finds.