Tampa Bay Rays Fauxback

[Lights Out]

The Devil Rays gradient set from 1998-2000 is among my favorite identities in sports. I was very disappointed when they replaced it with that ugly green and black mess in 2001. I wanted to find a way to pay homage to that identity while not diluting their successful new identity as the Rays. I decided to make a fauxback vest, using the gradient from the old identity as a uniform color. I also noticed that the Rays don't use their city name on any of their uniforms, so I figured I would use it here. Finally, I decided to work in the devil ray logo as the uniform is an homage to the days when it was their primary.

This would replace the dark blue alternate, which I absolutely hate, as it suffers from the same visibility problems and drabness as the Braves' blue alts, which I also hate. The cap features a matching gradient.

Comments?

[Hoops McCann]

mmm... real ugly, but that's just a matter of taste. By the way, is that another example of an upside-down ray?

Actually, it looks kinda like Hypercolor.

[Lights Out]

LOL! A Hypercolor uniform that cycles through team colors would be pretty ill, IMO. Who wouldn't want to see the Rays on Chameleon Night at the Trop?

[ltjets21]

a little too much

[floydnimrod]

Love the uniform, but hate the script. It would look better if 'Tampa Bay' was on one line, but then the Ray would be out of place, but I like the Ray on the jersey as well. So I don't really have an idea there.

[DeadFish]

Love the uniform, but hate the script. It would look better if 'Tampa Bay' was on one line, but then the Ray would be out of place, but I like the Ray on the jersey as well. So I don't really have an idea there.

Perhaps if the Ray was moved to where uniform numbers on the front of a jersey would normally go?

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

[Lights Out]

Is it really that ugly? I love their old gradient.

And I'm seriously considering using that Hypercolor idea for another concept.

[The_Admiral]

How much consideration do you give to how these sorts of uniforms would look on humans, or how they'd be produced for them?

[CAB]

Okay I opened this thread expecting it to be just terrible...but I have to say. I actually don't mind this too much. I'm all for original ideas, and the gradient isn't too extreme. I'd give this about a 45% chance to look good in real life. As far as gradients go, this is one that I could get used to seeing, oh, maybe once a year? Still, another outside-the-box concept from you, that's what I like to see here.

[Canadian_Idiot]

reminds me of the hat Marty McFly has to wear in BTTF Part II:

[bohob]

I like the originality, but I see this as more of a fashion jersey. To improve it, however, I would edit the script to see the a straight line (or arch, just not stacked), and place the ray on the sleeve right side up and with the yellow and blue highlights as the gradiation. That would polish it a little more.

[Quillz]

Why is the manta ray upside down? It looks awkward.

[Yanks/Sox SUCK]

Manta Ray? are you f****n serious? Its a devil ray hence the teams name: the Tampa Bay Devil Rays

[infrared41]

Okay I opened this thread expecting it to be just terrible...

So did I and I wasn't disappointed. It's an original idea to be sure but, and I say this with all due respect to your work, it is just not working for me at any level.

[illwauk]

All I know is, if they ever actually wore these I'd be bringing mushrooms to the ballpark...

[BrianVlietDesign]

To be honest, this is pretty sweet. I love gradients and the Devil Rays were one of those clubs that did it best. But, as bohob said, I could only see this as a uniform used for fashion. Although, it would make a nifty third uniform set. I remember seeing a lime green Devil Rays jersey sometime in 1998 and I was flippin' amazed by it. Keep in mind, though, I was only like 9? I will say, though, I still like it today. I wish I could find one.

[bowld]

Okay I opened this thread expecting it to be just terrible...

So did I and I wasn't disappointed. It's an original idea to be sure but, and I say this with all due respect to your work, it is just not working for me at any level.

Couldn't have set it better myself. Maybe you can make one thread for all your Fauxback designs rather than filling the board with a new topic each day.

[lenardo]

im not a fan of the jersey but i really like the hat for some reason. being a raysfan that devil ray reminds me of some bad years

[Lights Out]

Well, I can't say I didn't expect this concept to be so polarizing. All my ideas are, anyway. I'll have an update up by tonight.

How much consideration do you give to how these sorts of uniforms would look on humans, or how they'd be produced for them?

Wow. I guess the prevailing opinion here is that nothing except plain white and grey uniforms with block letter scripts looks nice on humans. As for production, the Rays were able to have a gradient script for many years. It's not that much of a stretch to create a gradient uniform.

So did I and I wasn't disappointed. It's an original idea to be sure but, and I say this with all due respect to your work, it is just not working for me at any level.

I can respect that.

Couldn't have set it better myself. Maybe you can make one thread for all your Fauxback designs rather than filling the board with a new topic each day.

Considering I have been bouncing around from baseball to football concepts, it wouldn't work as just one thread. Plus, I'd rather have feedback on one concept at a time rather than on twenty concepts in the same thread.

im not a fan of the jersey but i really like the hat for some reason. being a raysfan that devil ray reminds me of some bad years

True, it is reminiscent of bad times, but the gradient identity was so unique that I wanted to somehow pay homage to it. It was also their strongest identity, IMO.