Uniform Rules you would Add or Enforce in Sports

[simtek34]

Here are some thoughts that I've had.

 

In the NFL, I would add a Uniform rule that states that the Socks and Pants must never be the exact same color on a uniform. I know teams these days love to (for some god-forsaken reason) wear the same color Jersey and Pants, which sucks. It's even worse with the Same sock colors, which creates a full monochrome look, which is horrible. 

These matchups would look a lot better if 

• The Vikings were wearing White Pants or White Socks
• The Saints wore Gold Pants
• Panthers wore Silver Pants
• Seahawks wore Grey or White Pants, and Green or White Socks
• Texans wore Red Socks or White Pants
• Ravens wore White Pants or Purple Socks
• Jaguars wore Any other Pants or Socks

(Ignore the Browns. I used that because I was trying to find a good shot of Mono-Panthers in action.)

 

Also, in MLB, I would enforce that every players Socks/Stirrups must be visible. It can get distracting when half the team ha their pants going below their shoes when others have their Stirrups or Socks fully visible as it should be.

[Clintau24]

Hosiery is the easy choice today. I can't think of an "addition" rule like this, but more so "subtraction" rules. I would love to see uniforms across the board be taken more seriously and not used as billboards. And I mean removing the ever present cancer awareness ribbons, military appreciation uniforms, ad patches, etc. Brands have evolved to taking entire control over their brand, except when it comes to the uniforms. Random addition of colors or patterns or all white/black Players Weekend uniforms for the hell of it - there's zero consistency from the uniform to the non-uniform brand enforcement.

[oldschoolvikings]

This one is easy for the NFL.  If it were up to me, every team would have to declare a primary uniform combination (pants/jersey/socks) that must be worn together for at least six home games. And that primary uniform combination must have a contrast of colors between the jersey and the pants (excepting all-white), and between the pants and the socks (no exceptions). Primary road uniforms would follow the same basic rules.  Also, all game pants must have stripes or a stripe-like graphic that fills no less than two-thirds of the space between hip and knee.

[Kevin W.]

In the NCAA, all helmets, jerseys and pants must be in school colors, and schools aren't allowed to add new school colors just so that they can have an excuse to wear BFBS or GFGS uniforms. That means Oregon gets three helmets, three jerseys and three pants. Maryland gets four of each. Penn State gets two of each but definitely wouldn't use all of them. That's it. Any exceptions can be worn no more than twice per year, including in any bowls or the CFP, and must be approved by both the school's conference and their opponent.

 

Teams don't need 50,000,000 combinations per year. Even if a school plays in their conference championship game and the CFP for two years straight, three jerseys, helmets and pants gives them almost enough possible combinations to wear a unique combination for every single game through those two years.

 

In baseball, no more stirrups. They look dumb and they're superfluous now. Just wear normal socks.

[SFGiants58]

What @oldschoolvikings and @Kevin W. said, with the addition of enforcing the one helmet rule in NCAA.

[Wade Heidt]

For the NHL, some people like the team wearing white at home.  Some like colour uniforms at home.

 

Why not do like they do in junior hockey?

 

Let's have the NHL teams wear dark jerseys at home prior to All-Star break, then white jerseys at home for second half of season and playoffs.

[Wade Heidt]

If a uniform truly sucks in the NFL, let's find a way to not have to wait 5 years before it can be changed.

[neo_prankster]

If jersey sponsors are the new norm in the NBA....

 

I would put Jerry West back on the front of the jersey, above the jersey manufacturer logo.

 

Rather than on the back above the nameplate (below).

[M4One]

NHL jerseys must be tucked in.

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

I am pleased to see the sock rules, the ban on using the uniform as a billboard, and the abolition of monochrome football uniforms mentioned in the first couple of posts. I'll second those, and I will add:

 

all sports

 

• No manufacturer's mark on the uniform

 

• No ads (obviously)

 

 

baseball

 

• Coloured jerseys may be worn only on the road (exemption: A's).

 

• No coloured jerseys may be worn in the postseason (exemption: A's).

 

• No postseason patches on caps.

 

• Managers must be in full uniform.

 

 

football

 

• Facemasks must be grey.

 

• No text allowed on the front of the jersey.

 

• Officials must wear stirrups.

 

 

soccer

 

• No league-wide number font.

 

 

softball

 

• Caps (not visors) must be worn on the field.

 

 

hockey, basketball, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, any other team sport that is ever invented

 

• Home team must wear white (exemption: Lakers).

[burgundy]

55 minutes ago, M4One said:

NHL jerseys must be tucked in.

 

 

[M4One]

1 hour ago, burgundy said:

 

 

 

What you mean.  Isn't that why the jerseys have a curved hem?  So they can be tucked in?  Isn't that why some teams have dainty little hem stripes.  Isn't that why the Maple Leafs, an original 6 team that should know better, got rid of the hem stripes for the edge makeover, so the jersey could be tucked in?  The hockey gods wouldn't have given us the Reebok Edge Uniform System, if they had not intended for jerseys to be tucked in.  And, not like how Wayne Gretzky did, looking all cool with only one side.  But, the whole jersey like Urkel.

 

Eleven years later, I still don't get the reasoning for the curved hem.

 

 

[UnclearInitial]

NBA

- Outlaw white being worn on the road.  I don’t mind color vs color but  when I see a team wearing white I’ll generally assume they’re at home. 

- The regular home and away uniforms must be worn at least 30 times each. 

- You can only wear 1 color and 1 white(yellow for the Lakers) uniform in the playoffs

 

NFL

- More consistent sock length

- No more than 2 items out of helmet, jersey, pants, socks can be a same or similar color  as the corresponding item of your opponent

 

Soccer

-Use the UEFA regulations for sponsors (allow manufacturers mark, one commercial on the front, one charity on the back) throughout.

- If wearing a striped, hooped or halved shirt, you can’t have a plain back. Stripes should appear at least on the bottom.

- Long compression sleeves under a short sleeved shirt are banned. Bring back Long sleeved shirts.

 

[Bobster]

Universally

- Camouflage uniforms eliminated

- Event uniforms and colors eliminated (enough with the pink already!)

- Base uniforms (home & road) must be worn 75% of the time and in all postseason games

- Base uniforms can be changed after three seasons

- No jewelry

- No BFBS or GFGS

- Teams must have legible numbers which are a contrasting color to the uniform for good visibility

 

MLB

- Pants must end no lower than mid-calf
- Players must wear matching stirrup socks
- Shoes, batting gloves and undershirts must be team colors

- Batter can only wear "armor" on lower leg or to protect an existing injury

- Home teams wear white, road teams wear gray uniform or colored jersey

- Patches must be embroidered

- No patches on caps

 

NBA

- Home team wears white or light-colored (gold, powder blue, etc.), road team wears dark-colored uniforms (exception - throwback uniforms)

- Shoes must be in team colors

- teams limited to four sets - home (one), road (two) and throwback or city

 

NFL

- Teams can have additional colored helmets for throwback uniforms

- Pants and socks must be contrasting colors- Color rush uniforms eliminated

- No team or city name in text on uniform

 

[8BW14]

I’ll play. I suppose this would apply to baseball, basketball, soccer and football. I have two rules That I would enforce more. I would say all shoes must be predominantly the same color. I don’t care what color or brand but everybody’s shoes need to be the same color. The same goes for socks. Same color and striping pattern. The idea is to be uniform after all and the relaxation of rules regarding shoes and socks grinds my gears.

[disman00911]

Great topic.  I agree with about 90% of the suggestions.

 

MLB:
- Stirrups/socks must be shown on ALL players and they must match (no players wearing different socks)

- No baggy uniforms
- No alternate uniforms for the NLCS/ALCS and World Series. (Sad that game 7 between Cubs/Indians in 2016 had both teams in alternate jerseys instead of the standard uniforms)
- Scrap the specialty uniforms (players weekend, 4th of July/Memorial Day, mothers/fathers day, etc)  Just add a simple patch on the sleeve.

 

NFL:
- pants color and sock color must be different (i.e. the Saints look like they are wearing black leotards in their all-black look)
- Lift the one-helmet rule ONLY for throwback uniforms (i.e. the Bucs' creamicles, the Pat Patriot uniforms, Broncos orange crush, etc)
- Teams has the option to change/tweak their uniforms after three seasons.
- No text in front of the jersey
- No more color rush uniforms

NBA:
The whole statement/city/association sets are so confusing!  No wonder I no longer follow this league like I did when I was younger.   Go back to simple times:  

- White at home (or light colors such as the Lakers gold), darker colors on the road.
- No more specialty jerseys that feature colors the team currently doesn't even wear (throwbacks exempted)
- No alternate jerseys worn during the playoffs, especially the NBA Finals!  (those BFBS Cavs uniforms are an embarrassment!)

 

An alternate would be is to do what the NHL did and have the times wear their colors/alternates at home and white (or light colors) on the road.  Speaking of which...

 

NHL: Not sure what I would change, though i was more used to seeing teams wear white at home and their colors on the road when I was younger.

 

For all North American sports leagues:

- NO ADS on Jerseys!

[neo_prankster]

I'm sure it would be nice to see some of the rules enforced, but let's face it, the world is changing too rapidly to implement any of them.

[OnWis97]

ALL Sports:

1. NO CORPORATE ADS.  This is the most important one and it's not even close.
2. NO MANUFACTURER ADS OR ANY MARKS NOT RELATED TO THE TEAM OR OTHER LEAGUE/TEAM MEMORIALS, ANNIVERSARIES, ETC.
3. No alternates in postseason
4. Alts can only be worn in a max of 10% of a team's games
5. Teams have only one color scheme/identity (i.e., no Brewers throwback worn every week, etc)
6. Colleges stick with school colors

 

Sport-specific:

• MLB: At least one team must be wearing a white or gray alt in each game (I suppose home team gets first choice)
• MLB: Continue to celebrate Jackie Robinson every year by wearing a patch.  Seeing every player wearing the same number with no name on back isn't working.
• MLB: Helmets should be a hard version of the hats.  Don't add a hat if you won't add the helmet.
• MLB (well, all sports, but MLB's the worst): No special uniforms for holidays, military, player's weekend, etc.
• NFL/NCAA: One helmet (includes logo and choice of facemask color) with the exception of a throwback (once a year max)
• NBA: Go back to designated home (white, except Lakers) and road jerseys (dark).  One alt in team colors.

[NoE38_Concepts]

I don't think that all teams should have to have a white jersey. Obviously I'm not gonna ban them outright, but I don't see the need for every team to have a jersey of the same colour.

[stumpygremlin]

Here's what I'd do.

• All uniforms have to be in team/school colors
• For football, lift one-helmet rule
• For the NFL, make the bottoms of socks be in team colors, not white
• For pro sports leagues, each team must have a unique font
• Color vs. color where possible, with white being a 3rd or 4th option if suitable contrast can't be had
• No sponsors on the uniforms
• Baseball pants must end mid-calf, with socks being visible below that

Commenting on others'

• Hockey sweaters should be untucked
• I don't care about monochrome look in football
• I also don't mind text on the fronts of football uniforms. Even Cleveland's.