Walk into any number of rinks for an Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League tilt this fall and you’ll think you stepped right into the Czech Extraliga. The UMHSEL, which provides a place for Minnesota high schoolers to play at a high level before and after the Minnesota high school season, has announced all of its uniforms will be adorned with advertisements.

We’re not just talking advertising patches, we’re talking skating pop-up ads.

Via UMHSEL

Well…. um…. uh…. gee whiz.

Please welcome to the ice YOUR TCF Bank Wildcats, brought to you by TCF Bank in association with Bauer!

So, first question, why?

“We’ve been discussing (this) for a few years because in order for us to generate more substantial sponsorship revenue we need to develop inventory that was going to be attractive to corporate Minnesota,” said Elite League Marketing Specialist Robert Fallen.

The UMHSEL is a non-profit entity, but hey you need money to run non-profits, too. I’d never fault an organization for trying to generate funds necessary to operate. That said, those poor kids.

These would even make the boys over in the ole Extraliga blush, and there isn’t a square inch of jersey that isn’t adorned with some sponsor logo over there.

Just in case you don’t have a favorite region to root for, perhaps you can choose your favorite team via which business you like the best. Here’s the breakdown:

Team Great Plains: Luther Automotive
Team North: Muscle Milk
Team Northeast: Mpls.St. Paul Magazine
Team Northwest: Velocity Hockey Center
Team Southeast: TCF Bank
Team Southwest: Starkey

If you were wondering what Starkey was, like me, it’s a company that specializes in hearing aids. I Googled it. I guess that’s some pretty effective advertising after all.

Just remember kids, the name on the back isn’t nearly as important as the one on the front. DRINK MUSCLE MILK!

(h/t @evegoe, @Sean_Leahy)