Starting next year, the Boston Celtics uniform will include a GE (General Electric) sponsorship patch on the shoulder. It is a first for the historic NBA franchise.

The league approved a three-year pilot program to allow teams to market a two-and-a-half-inch sponsor patch beginning in the 2017-2018 season.

The Celtics and GE are calling the new deal a multi-faceted partnership that includes the company helping the team with data and analytics plus collaboration on community initiatives.

GE is moving its global headquarters to Boston.

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