NBA Changes 2020/21

[-Akronite-]

1 hour ago, SLAM said:

 

I like this

 

The alts look cool, but it'd be much better on both legs IMO.

[dont care]

1 hour ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

Yeah, me too. It should be the new Jazz identity, along with the red one they unnecessarily had to ditch and a white one they haven't made yet.

 

The agony and ecstacy of the City program. Some awesome looks that are ultimately disposable.

To go to yet another color scheme, no thanks.

[Digby]

1 hour ago, -Akronite- said:

 

The alts look cool, but it'd be much better on both legs IMO.

 

Generally I don't like asymmetry on sports uniforms, but in this case I think it works -- both legs might make them look a bit too much like boardshorts.

 

On the color scheme thing, I've liked the fauxback era of Utah Jazz (both the initial more true scheme and the updated version) but those teams also haven't amounted to much. Particularly if the Mitchell/Gobert tandem continues to keep them relevant I guess I'm open to a full rebrand. The Jazz has been at its best in Utah when not taking inspo from disparate parts of Utah's landscape, I guess.

[pelicanfan]

Aside from the historical blowout, at least the clippers black unis look pretty solid on the black court. Still feel like all the white is a bit too much but it's still solid

[FinsUp1214]

3 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

Yeah, me too. It should be the new Jazz identity, along with the red one they unnecessarily had to ditch and a white one they haven't made yet.

 

The agony and ecstacy of the City program. Some awesome looks that are ultimately disposable.

No, it shouldn’t be thier new identity. That would be thier fifth color scheme in team history, not to mention thier fourth in the last 20 years alone. I’d rather my team not convulute thier brand any further than they already have.
 

If they were to make any changes, I’d rather them go back to one of the purple schemes and stick with it like the Padres rightfully did with brown. But another new scheme altogether? No way.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

4 minutes ago, FinsUp1214 said:

No, it shouldn’t be thier new identity. That would be thier fifth color scheme in team history, not to mention thier fourth in the last 20 years alone. I’d rather my team not convulute thier brand any further than they already have.
 

If they were to make any changes, I’d rather them go back to one of the purple schemes and stick with it like the Padres rightfully did with brown. But another new scheme altogether? No way.

 

The Jazz have had three basic identities:

 

Variations of this:

 

The Finals uniforms:

 

And the D-Will version of those Finals uniforms:

 

Of the several years of Jazz history (40 in Utah?), this is the only uniform to ever make any sort of aesthetic and cultural impact beyond Salt Lake City:

 

And based on my limited scans of the Utah Jazz home crowd, it's a hit in Salt Lake City, and the broader state.

 

So while Utah may have bounced around a bit, I think that bouncing around is overstated when you look at the context of their actual uniforms. And it bothers me that they stumbled into a hit that they they'll eventually have to ditch.

 

[dont care]

7 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

The Jazz have had three basic identities:

 

Variations of this:

 

The Finals uniforms:

 

And the D-Will version of those Finals uniforms:

 

Of the several years of Jazz history (40 in Utah?), this is the only uniform to ever make any sort of aesthetic and cultural impact beyond Salt Lake City:

 

And based on my limited scans of the Utah Jazz home crowd, it's a hit in Salt Lake City, and the broader state.

 

So while Utah may have bounced around a bit, I think that bouncing around is overstated when you look at the context of their actual uniforms. And it bothers me that they stumbled into a hit that they they'll eventually have to ditch.

 

The vice uniforms are a hit in Miami, doesn’t mean they should go to that uniform full time. Also you forgot to put their first uniform set and color scheme of purple yellow and green. So yes they shouldn’t go to another vastly different color scheme that isn’t even unique.

[FinsUp1214]

9 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

The Jazz have had three basic identities:

 

(Clipped for space)

So while Utah may have bounced around a bit, I think that bouncing around is overstated when you look at the context of their actual uniforms. And it bothers me that they stumbled into a hit that they they'll eventually have to ditch.

 

1) Boiling the total identities down to three basic ones isn’t very accurate. The first one you included technically includes variations, yes, but each are distinct. The purple note set is pretty distinctive from the modern set. Yes, the logos are the same in form, but the color schemes - no matter how much the team tries to sell it as some kind of twist on a classic - present a much different feel. A brighter scheme of purple/gold/Kelly green is another tone entirely from navy/gold/forest green. It’s also worth noting that the green 80’s uniform was the primary road uniform for a few years, so there was a sort of sub-identity that existed where the Jazz were just as much a green team as a purple one. So really, you could argue there’s more distinction between those variations than you’re giving it credit for.

 

2) Having attended Jazz games often, I don’t think I’ve overstated the brand confusion at all. The jersey colors I routinely see at games in the last three years are: purple, red rock gradient (including red + orange +gold), navy, gold, green, black, powder blue, and white. Nearly every color of the rainbow covering 46 years. Home crowds look like a spilled bag of Skittles. If that’s not brand confusion, I don’t know what is.

 

Of course I don’t speak for other Jazz fans on that and can only speak for myself. But, as a fan, it’s my opinion that thier brand is a huge problem and I’m not a fan of it at all. I’ve also covered before how the redrock gradient only represents the southern third of the state (opposite from SLC/Northern Utah) and doesn’t make sense for an SLC-based team to run with full time.

[njdevs7]

28 minutes ago, dont care said:

The vice uniforms are a hit in Miami, doesn’t mean they should go to that uniform full time. Also you forgot to put their first uniform set and color scheme of purple yellow and green. So yes they shouldn’t go to another vastly different color scheme that isn’t even unique.

That's different IMO because the Heat already have a clear established identity, along with winning and championships. The Jazz have had multiple identities and it doesn't feel like any of them have quite stuck.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

1. The Heat absolutely should flip to Vice. They already said they're not going to, but it's a wasted opportunity.

 

2. That people wear so many team colors to Jazz games speak to the fact that people like differing looks. I would bet the red set is probably the cool one and best-selling right now, and I feel good about that vet.

 

3. The Jazz have worn blue, green and purple with the classic set, right? They also did so generally without any distinction for the bulk of their existence. Kobe scored 60 on them, so there's that!  Even still, while I appreciate the distinction from a Jazz fan, it's still basically the same idea. That yellow alt too.

 

I get that there's brand equity with the classic look, but what is that equity worth? They've never won anything in that set, they've chases alts as much as any other team over the years, and people get Jazz boners for basically anything not the classic set.

 

It's time to move on. And with the new owner, maybe they will.

[FinsUp1214]

The redrock has indeed been very popular, but both classic editions were quite popular too. The mountain set was especially popular, as that tapped into a whole lot of nostalgia from my age group and I saw it worn around often. So I don’t think it’s so much a clear embrace of redrock and rejection of other identities outright so much as it is Jazz fans gobbling up new stuff when it’s released, as they often tend to do. If I had to gage popularity based on what I see, purple stuff isn’t all that far behind the redrock, really (but is clearly more popular than navy stuff).

 

As far as brand equity goes, sure the Jazz don’t have any rings that elevate one set over another, but it’s not like the Jazz have been a terrible, laughingstock franchise for thier whole history either. The purple identities, despite early bumps in the road, ended up pretty successful. They were a consistent playoff team from the late 80’s into the early 2000’s, with deep runs throughout the 90’s, fielded four Hall of Famers (five if you count Sloan), and made two Finals trips. For a team who is the only big-4 draw in the market, there’s a lot of history that is appreciated and revered by Jazz fans, despite the lack of rings.
 

It should be noted too that they haven’t won anything in the redrock set either, so on-court play hasn’t given any advantage to that set, either  
 

 

[O.C.D]

32 minutes ago, FinsUp1214 said:

The redrock has indeed been very popular, but both classic editions were quite popular too. The mountain set was especially popular, as that tapped into a whole lot of nostalgia from my age group and I saw it worn around often. So I don’t think it’s so much a clear embrace of redrock and rejection of other identities outright so much as it is Jazz fans gobbling up new stuff when it’s released, as they often tend to do. If I had to gage popularity based on what I see, purple stuff isn’t all that far behind the redrock, really (but is clearly more popular than navy stuff).

 

As far as brand equity goes, sure the Jazz don’t have any rings that elevate one set over another, but it’s not like the Jazz have been a terrible, laughingstock franchise for thier whole history either. The purple identities, despite early bumps in the road, ended up pretty successful. They were a consistent playoff team from the late 80’s into the early 2000’s, with deep runs throughout the 90’s, fielded four Hall of Famers (five if you count Sloan), and made two Finals trips. For a team who is the only big-4 draw in the market, there’s a lot of history that is appreciated and revered by Jazz fans, despite the lack of rings.
 

It should be noted too that they haven’t won anything in the redrock set either, so on-court play hasn’t given any advantage to that set, either  
 

 

I've never understood why the Jazz decided to switch and incorporate navy blue during the D-Wil era. That color scheme was out of character. Seemed to be inspired by them wanting to look like other franchises. Since then they've tried to hold on to navy and it has always seemed forced. From what you're saying it seems to be the least popular color among local fans as well.

 

I'd love to know who in the organization is responsible for the insistence on navy

[DG_ThenNowForever]

55 minutes ago, FinsUp1214 said:

It should be noted too that they haven’t won anything in the redrock set either, so on-court play hasn’t given any advantage to that set, either  

 

 

 

That's true. They haven't; and they still haven't touched the success of 97 and 98. But they do have one of the best defensive players in the league locked up, and they do have one of the best young players in the league. Now's as good as time as any to chart a new course with the new guys.

[Haz_Matt]

8 hours ago, -Akronite- said:

 

The alts look cool, but it'd be much better on both legs IMO.

The color on one leg only is a nod to the Stockton/Malone mountain jerseys which also only had designs on one leg

[OaklandIsBack]

Utah should 100% embrace the red rocks and focus their identity on “Utah” over “Jazz.” They’re the states only major pro team and, even though they’ve never looked terrible, this is the best look the Jazz have had. 
 

[SFGiants58]

How about a new name, so that the Pelicans may bring the Jazz name back to New Orleans...

 

[Delicate Genius]

 

This is a gorgeous uniform. Shame about what the Celtics were wearing.

[mgfoxx]

12 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

How about a new name, so that the Pelicans may bring the Jazz name back to New Orleans...

 

FFS. Anyways, put me in the minority of Jazz fans who enjoys the multiple color schemes. I logically understand how some view it as diluting the brand, but I love the Jazz rainbow. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I like Sabonis' new 2014 Pau Gasol hair.

 

The Celtics shirts are fine in a vacuum, but their old black alts are probably all the Celtics ever needed.

[BJ Sands]

44 minutes ago, OaklandIsBack said:

Utah should 100% embrace the red rocks and focus their identity on “Utah” over “Jazz.” They’re the states only major pro team and, even though they’ve never looked terrible, this is the best look the Jazz have had. 
 

If the Jazz go full Utah they may as well change their name to Canyons or Red Rocks. And I’d be OK with it. 

 

BUT NOT SO THE JAZZ NAME CAN RETURN TO NEW ORLEANS!!!!!!