An awkward collision of micro and macro sponsorships in sports was on display Sunday at the USA Curling Nationals.

Dean Gemmel’s team helped pay for its trip from the East Coast to the weeklong competition in Kalamazoo, Mich., by selling sponsorships.

Companies and groups paid for patches that were displayed on team members’ jackets (kinda like you’d see in NASCAR).

USA Curling, however, doesn’t work with the same sponsors. And it has specific rules about displaying sponsor names and logos – whether or not they’re national sponsors. (You’re limited in the number of sponsors and where their logos can be displayed – ankle, lower back, one side of chest, for example.)

The result: jackets dotted in duct tape. (The Twitter hashtag – #tapegate – didn’t exactly take off, but it was funny.)

It’s a weird part of competing as an adult. Traveling around the country or world to compete gets expensive. (A friend who has been a national champion several times over said each team member can expect to spend more than $35,000 in a six-month season!)

But it’s awkward to ask people for financial help, especially when you are an adult and have a job.

Some teams hold fundraisers – casino nights or silent auctions. Other just suck it up.

And some teams ask businesses to donate uniforms or gear or help foot the bill for airfares, hotel rooms and rental cars.

Too bad some of those companies risk getting taped over during their precious moments in the spotlight.

Hey, Go Pro, do you want to sponsor a Colorado curling team!?

Ashley Baranyk, Archive Specialist at the Greeley History Museum, shows one of the Meeker Letters Friday morning while in the museums archives. The museum staff has worked to ensure that the letters are preserved and remain in good condition.

Team Gemmel at the 2015 US Curling National Championships, repping their sponsors!

Yikes! Too many sponsors. Curlers are encouraged to get sponsorships – but you can’t sport that many logos!

When you’re curling in a national event, you can only display a handful of sponsors – and the size and placement of logos is strictly regulated. Good thing for duct tape!