Biggest Upgrades in Sports history

[Milkman14]

Well we have "biggest downgrades" which basically turned into "any downgrade"  but what about biggest upgrade?  What change in uniform was an absolute breath of fresh air?  The current Vikings unis definitely are an upgrade but was there an upgrade that was so widely hailed by the uniform community that it is a clear "Biggest upgrade in sports history"?

[YYCB]

 

 

[kolob]

Am I doing this right?

 

 

TO 

 

 

 

TO

 

[chcarlson23]

to

 

[Scratcher]

I have the feeling that most of the biggest upgrades will be "returns to former identity" or "rolling back the downgrade"

[Guest Wizza]

Creamsicles are retro cool these days but the switch to pewter and red was seen as a upgrade if I'm correct.

 

 

 

[Guest Wizza]

You could say the upgrade was pretty gaudy  but at least the Bengals finally had a look they could call their own. 

 

[hendocfc]

Not American sports,but... I mean :censored:in come on: 

 

From... 

 

 

to...

 

[Brave-Bird 08]

 

[McGlinchey23]

 

 

 

[MJWalker45]

9 minutes ago, Brave-Bird 08 said:

 

The former was an upgrade from the blender outfits they had before it, but going back to wine and gold was an even bigger improvement.

[phutmasterflex]

The original set wasn't bad

 

But when they went this route, it was great!

[OnWis97]

This would probably have more disagreement opportunity than the "downgrade" thread, where there is more low-hanging fruit.  I already see one I don't agree with (Creamsicle Bucs to modern classic Bucs) and others that I don't think are close to "biggest,"

 

• NHL:
  • Turn Back: Islanders return, Sabres return, Penguins back to skating bird (a rare campy logo I like)
  • New Look (well,not really a new look; just an upgraded uniform): Blue's dumping red in favor of two shades of blue (late 1990s to Reebok Edge debacle)
• NBA
  • Turn Back: Pistons regaining their senses
  • New Look: Grizzlies color change to current
• NFL:
  • Turn Back: Not a lot of great candidates...maybe the Lions (going back to just blue and silver)
  • New Look: The original tiger stripe Bengals; no-brainer
• MLB:
  • Turn Back: Blue Jays.  No-brainer.  Followed by the Astros.
  • New Look: Angels move from Disney to current.  Follwed by A's move from non-traditional 1980s to roughly current look (1987 or so) and (also Twins, Orioles and White Sox of that era)

[sky1324]

Easy:

to

[buffalo50]

First one that comes to mind -- I mean, c'mmon folks... these mismatched abominations; 

 

 

 

And the hat? Hang on I'm gonna be sick...

 

Thankfully, back to... 

 

[SFGiants58]

Going way back for this one, with the A’s 1960-63 updates.

 

 

The A’s went from a generic look to a super-austere set (which has a bit of charm to it, even if it’s a little Yankee-like - which fit with their “unofficial farm team” status), before going crazy with navy/red and finally settling into a color scheme that they could call there own in baseball. I only wish more teams had followed Charlie O.’s example in the 1960s and embraced new color schemes.

[neo_prankster]

The NY Jets from this...

To this...

And back...

[CS85]

• 1997 Tampa Bay Bucs (farewell winking pirate, hello cannonball buccos, salvaged franchise dignity)
• 1998 Seton Hall Pirates (finally got a design budget)
• 2000 New England Patriots (graduated from hokey 90s poop cartoon into businesslike navy)
• 2008 Tampa Bay Rays (90s gradient miscarriage traded up for a lovely, self-respecting look)
• 2009 Philadelphia Flyers (hated the black, emo Flyers, & they did the right thing by remembering color exists)
• 2010 Edmonton Oilers (going back to the basics after years of navy 00's sadness)
• 2011 Buffalo Bills (grey-navy abomination to timeless football-proud franchise)
• 2012 Toronto Blue Jays (return to form after years of being miscast in pewter for reasons known only to Lucifer)
• 2012 Los Angeles Kings (remembering their identity after some purple whoopsy years)
• 2013 Creighton Blue Jays (massive upgrade)
• 2013 Oregon State Beavers (one of my favorite logos in college sports)
• 2013 Dallas Stars (the black no-logo stars were worst looking team in all of hockey)
• 2013 Houston Astros (abandoned brick & brooding days for heritage-led, vivid orange & no frills; perfect)
• 2013 Minnesota Vikings (overdone modernity abortion becomes one of NFL's best overnight)
• 2016 Florida Panthers (aching for an upgrade for years and they pulled it off very nicely)
• 2018 Jacksonville Jaguars (it's by default going to be such a huge upgrade over the dual-tone helmet disgraces that it must be featured)

 

[C-Squared]

Time might have distorted it, but the 97 Bucs set was the GOAT sports uni upgrade.

 

I feel like most Bucs creamsicle fans can't take off their kitsch goggles long enough to properly contextualize the Bucco Bruce identity as a poor standalone modern branding tool. As a quirky throwback, its fine. As a legitimate identity for a professional football team comprised of grown men, its a no. The players absolutely hated that fay, winking pirate.

 

Their long history of losing that happened to vanish the same year as Bruce was just a delightful bonus.

[Morgan33]

This one came immediately to mind.  In a ranking of team aesthetics how high would the Bruins have fared in 2007?  Top 15, maybe?  Not the case after the Edge re-design when they became, arguably, the best looking team in the league.