2024 NFL Changes

[MCM0313]

3 hours ago, WBeltz said:

Man, Teal is gonna come back isn't he?

Any day now!

[dont care]

4 hours ago, PlayGloria said:

 

It does make me wonder if there is some kind of legitimacy to this. I mean, this dude is putting in hours of time and doing an interview. That's a lot of time spent just for a hoax. I would understand if there was some kind of way to monetize the hoax, but I just don't see how someone would go to these lengths just to fool people. But, people do some weird stuff. Especially on the interwebs. 

 

People like him attention is worth more than money. They live such a sad lonely existence that any attention whether good or bad fuels the dopamine receptors of their brain

[rfraser85]

19 hours ago, Sec19Row53 said:

I'm scanning the 2018 NFL Changes thread looking for anything on these lines. There's nothing, but it was said that Color Rush was no longer a thing. 

 

Given that, those people who were remembering the Dolphins and Niners white unis being called Color Rush are likely mis-remembering, if not thinking of Madden.

 

The Niners might have been intended to be a Color Rush to replace the black uniforms, but after the program was ended they were considered throwbacks. The Titans columbia blue jerseys were called Color Rush even though they came after the program's end, and I would put the Niners in the same group.

 

But I'm pretty sure the Dolphins whites were never Color Rush. According to GUD, the aqua socks were worn with that jersey when they debuted in 2019.

[SSmith48]

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set? It's happening with the Jets and Lions where they introduced generally mixed or unpopular uniforms, only to scrap them relatively early on in their lifespan in favor of more fan-favorite looks (i.e. Jets' modern "collegiate" look to the "Sack Exchange" throwback uniforms). The last couple of redesigns from the Cardinals and Commanders seem like they may be set up for the same fate. There have been rumors swirling around the Titans too, although its for sure not gonna happen this year.

 

The reason why I say this is because if the description of the Broncos uniforms that we have seen is legit, I can imagine some fans just liking it anyway, as is always the case with something new and fresh, but there will be a lot of visible discontent. In general, the white-heavy look seems gimmicky and overdone, especially with the obnoxious "icey fresh" jargon we have seen with the color in football in  recent years. The Broncos did a fan survey at the beginning of this process, and I can tell you without even looking at the results that they were in no way reflective of what they have (allegedly) decided to go with, just knowing as a Broncos fan myself. Seems like its a ripe opportunity to get fans to cash in on the early hype with a trendy new set, have them grow old of it quickly, and then bring back a throwback look full time to rake in even more money. It's easier to convince fans to get new jerseys if they are actually a new product, and not just carried over to a new brand or template.

 

I don't want to rush to conclusions just because we haven't seen what the Broncos new uniforms will look like, but given recent design trends and how they've been received, it just seems like Nike and the NFL have found a way to get fans to spend more on jerseys through planned obsolescence. And again, this may all just be all crazy talk, but there has to be an explanation for all the new designs that we already know will be outdated and tired within a few years.

[Chromatic]

2 hours ago, SSmith48 said:

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set? It's happening with the Jets and Lions where they introduced generally mixed or unpopular uniforms, only to scrap them relatively early on in their lifespan in favor of more fan-favorite looks (i.e. Jets' modern "collegiate" look to the "Sack Exchange" throwback uniforms). The last couple of redesigns from the Cardinals and Commanders seem like they may be set up for the same fate. There have been rumors swirling around the Titans too, although its for sure not gonna happen this year.

The "New Coke" model. 

[bbush24]

7 hours ago, SSmith48 said:

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set?

 

I wouldn't be surprised at all. It's become extremely clear across all major pro sports that the #1 priority when it comes to branding and uniforms is short term profit.

[HOOVER]

7 hours ago, SSmith48 said:

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set? It's happening with the Jets and Lions where they introduced generally mixed or unpopular uniforms, only to scrap them relatively early on in their lifespan in favor of more fan-favorite looks (i.e. Jets' modern "collegiate" look to the "Sack Exchange" throwback uniforms). The last couple of redesigns from the Cardinals and Commanders seem like they may be set up for the same fate. There have been rumors swirling around the Titans too, although its for sure not gonna happen this year.

 

The reason why I say this is because if the description of the Broncos uniforms that we have seen is legit, I can imagine some fans just liking it anyway, as is always the case with something new and fresh, but there will be a lot of visible discontent. In general, the white-heavy look seems gimmicky and overdone, especially with the obnoxious "icey fresh" jargon we have seen with the color in football in  recent years. The Broncos did a fan survey at the beginning of this process, and I can tell you without even looking at the results that they were in no way reflective of what they have (allegedly) decided to go with, just knowing as a Broncos fan myself. Seems like its a ripe opportunity to get fans to cash in on the early hype with a trendy new set, have them grow old of it quickly, and then bring back a throwback look full time to rake in even more money. It's easier to convince fans to get new jerseys if they are actually a new product, and not just carried over to a new brand or template.

 

I don't want to rush to conclusions just because we haven't seen what the Broncos new uniforms will look like, but given recent design trends and how they've been received, it just seems like Nike and the NFL have found a way to get fans to spend more on jerseys through planned obsolescence. And again, this may all just be all crazy talk, but there has to be an explanation for all the new designs that we already know will be outdated and tired within a few years.

It’s called Planned Obsolescense and you’re probably right.  

[PurpleHayes]

I dunno, the NY Yankees don't change their jerseys every five years to drum up sales, and they seem to be doing quite fine.

 

The problem with conspiracy theories is that it assumes the people behind them can predict human behavior with 100% accuracy, which we know is impossible. If the planned obsolescence strategy is indeed true then fans would sniff that out and probably not buy the new, crappy jerseys at all and instead wait 5 years for a better one to come along, which would impact Nike's short-term sales. This doesn't seem like a truly viable business strategy, especially in the US where long-term planning seems to be extinct.

 

Does Nike plan on changing the Steelers, Packers, Raiders, and Cowboys unis every 5 years when they sell just fine by themselves? It's OK if they make 'fashion jerseys' just for fans in different styles, but that doesn't mean the team has to wear garbage on the field.

[HOOVER]

11 minutes ago, PurpleHayes said:

I dunno, the NY Yankees don't change their jerseys every five years to drum up sales, and they seem to be doing quite fine.

 

The problem with conspiracy theories is that it assumes the people behind them can predict human behavior with 100% accuracy, which we know is impossible. If the planned obsolescence strategy is indeed true then fans would sniff that out and probably not buy the new, crappy jerseys at all and instead wait 5 years for a better one to come along, which would impact Nike's short-term sales. This doesn't seem like a truly viable business strategy, especially in the US where long-term planning seems to be extinct.

 

Does Nike plan on changing the Steelers, Packers, Raiders, and Cowboys unis every 5 years when they sell just fine by themselves? It's OK if they make 'fashion jerseys' just for fans in different styles, but that doesn't mean the team has to wear garbage on the field.

The Yankees literally just changed their jerseys.  In fact, the all of MLB is now using a “new & improved” uniform from Nike (that some players have vocally rejected).  This new style means a whole new line of replicas.  

It’s a longstanding model Nike uses.  It’s a product cycle.

 

In the NFL, Nike has gone through 3 templates in 10 years.  While the basic “Game” jersey replica hasn’t changed, the “Limited” and highest end replicas have.  Not to mention, the teams that care about their iconic looks (Chiefs, Steelers, Raiders, Packers, Cowboys) have all resisted change, but all of those, except the Chiefs, have embraced alternates and/or throwbacks.  
 

Cha-ching.

[ManillaToad]

7 minutes ago, PurpleHayes said:

If the planned obsolescence strategy is indeed true then fans would sniff that out and probably not buy the new, crappy jerseys at all and instead wait 5 years for a better one to come along

 

You put too much trust in the average consumer

[HOOVER]

Just now, ManillaToad said:

 

You put too much trust in the average consumer

And severely underestimates how much businesses know how customers will behave…and how they take advantage of it.

[henburg]

8 hours ago, SSmith48 said:

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set? It's happening with the Jets and Lions where they introduced generally mixed or unpopular uniforms, only to scrap them relatively early on in their lifespan in favor of more fan-favorite looks (i.e. Jets' modern "collegiate" look to the "Sack Exchange" throwback uniforms). The last couple of redesigns from the Cardinals and Commanders seem like they may be set up for the same fate. There have been rumors swirling around the Titans too, although its for sure not gonna happen this year.

 

The reason why I say this is because if the description of the Broncos uniforms that we have seen is legit, I can imagine some fans just liking it anyway, as is always the case with something new and fresh, but there will be a lot of visible discontent. In general, the white-heavy look seems gimmicky and overdone, especially with the obnoxious "icey fresh" jargon we have seen with the color in football in  recent years. The Broncos did a fan survey at the beginning of this process, and I can tell you without even looking at the results that they were in no way reflective of what they have (allegedly) decided to go with, just knowing as a Broncos fan myself. Seems like its a ripe opportunity to get fans to cash in on the early hype with a trendy new set, have them grow old of it quickly, and then bring back a throwback look full time to rake in even more money. It's easier to convince fans to get new jerseys if they are actually a new product, and not just carried over to a new brand or template.

 

I don't want to rush to conclusions just because we haven't seen what the Broncos new uniforms will look like, but given recent design trends and how they've been received, it just seems like Nike and the NFL have found a way to get fans to spend more on jerseys through planned obsolescence. And again, this may all just be all crazy talk, but there has to be an explanation for all the new designs that we already know will be outdated and tired within a few years.

 

I think you're correct to an extent, although I wouldn't be so sure that it's quite as malicious or even planned as you say. I don't necessarily see Nike as designing planned obsolescence in their football uniforms, but most teams requesting new looks are ones that wish to mark new eras in their franchise and tap into a younger, more trendy image that they likely lack currently. The nature of trends of course is that what was once fresh and futuristic quickly becomes stale, so a sort of cycle is created as the fanbase quickly tires of the once trendy look and yearns for something more nostalgic. It's a phenomenon that's acutally pretty natural in lots of areas of design I think.

[PurpleHayes]

18 minutes ago, HOOVER said:

The Yankees literally just changed their jerseys.  In fact, the all of MLB is now using a “new & improved” uniform from Nike (that some players have vocally rejected).  This new style means a whole new line of replicas.  

It’s a longstanding model Nike uses.  It’s a product cycle.

 

In the NFL, Nike has gone through 3 templates in 10 years.  While the basic “Game” jersey replica hasn’t changed, the “Limited” and highest end replicas have.  Not to mention, the teams that care about their iconic looks (Chiefs, Steelers, Raiders, Packers, Cowboys) have all resisted change, but all of those, except the Chiefs, have embraced alternates and/or throwbacks.  
 

Cha-ching.

 

I was thinking more in terms of the actual design of the jersey, not the template or fabric changes. To me, the Steelers jersey has been the same since 1997, although I know there have been league-wide template changes since then.

 

I just don't think Nike would knowingly put out a crappy product (see '2014 Buccaneers') with the certainty that people won't like it and will pine for a new design in 5 years. I do think Nike has dubious taste when it comes to what makes a good jersey and believes their sense of style is superior...the fact that they even green-lit the 2014 Buccs in the first place is a case in point.

[Jezus_Ghoti]

8 hours ago, SSmith48 said:

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set?

I don't think it's an intentional strategy. I just think it's as simple as everyone at Nike knowing that it's more profitable to keep stuff fresh and that there are really no negative consequences for producing a bad uniform other than some fans complaining. So I think "timelessness" is just not something any Nike designer thinks about when designing. They are free to take wild stabs because even if they end up being complete garbage like BROWNS on the pants or the Jaguars' two-toned helmet or the Buccaneers' alarm clock numbers, the worst thing that happens is they change the design in 5 years and fans celebrate the change. 

[Lights Out]

9 hours ago, SSmith48 said:

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set? It's happening with the Jets and Lions where they introduced generally mixed or unpopular uniforms, only to scrap them relatively early on in their lifespan in favor of more fan-favorite looks (i.e. Jets' modern "collegiate" look to the "Sack Exchange" throwback uniforms). The last couple of redesigns from the Cardinals and Commanders seem like they may be set up for the same fate. There have been rumors swirling around the Titans too, although its for sure not gonna happen this year.

 

I don't know why people refuse to blame the teams themselves when they don't like a uniform. The teams are the clients. Nike works for them and has to deliver what they want. The Commanders' uniforms suck because Dan Snyder's wife designed them herself. They would suck exactly the same if Adidas or Reebok or Under Armour was the supplier instead.

 

Reverting back to a throwback uniform is just the current fad. And look at who's doing it. The Jets are definitely only switching to throwbacks so Woody can pander to fans while fielding the most embarrassing product in the NFL.

[PurpleHayes]

1 hour ago, Jezus_Ghoti said:

They are free to take wild stabs because even if they end up being complete garbage like BROWNS on the pants or the Jaguars' two-toned helmet or the Buccaneers' alarm clock numbers, the worst thing that happens is they change the design in 5 years and fans celebrate the change. 

 

That's what bugs me...so many of their recent designs have been hot garbage, and are so bad that there's ZERO chance they will ever be seen on the field as a throwback in the future. That, to me, is a complete design fail when there's no nostalgia for a uniform at all.

[PurpleHayes]

52 minutes ago, Lights Out said:

I don't know why people refuse to blame the teams themselves when they don't like a uniform. The teams are the clients. Nike works for them and has to deliver what they want. The Commanders' uniforms suck because Dan Snyder's wife designed them herself. They would suck exactly the same if Adidas or Reebok or Under Armour was the supplier instead.

 

 

That's true, but I have a feeling that teams just defer to Nike..."you guys are the experts, looks good to me." I wonder if there's ever been a time since Nike took over that a team flat out refused to wear a uniform they designed...it almost seems that teams don't have a choice.

[projectjohn]

42 minutes ago, PurpleHayes said:

 

That's true, but I have a feeling that teams just defer to Nike..."you guys are the experts, looks good to me." I wonder if there's ever been a time since Nike took over that a team flat out refused to wear a uniform they designed...it almost seems that teams don't have a choice.

In the NBA, Zach Lowe had an article a few years back about the Heat refusing Nike's City Edition concept, and instead designing the well-received Vice jerseys in-house.

[shaydre1019]

10 hours ago, SSmith48 said:

I'm gonna go off on a tangent here that will make me seem like a conspiracy theorist, but what if the NFL/Nike's prerogative is to design bad/mediocre uniforms on purpose so that they can turn around, pull them 5 years later, and milk more money from fans with a new, more popular set? It's happening with the Jets and Lions where they introduced generally mixed or unpopular uniforms, only to scrap them relatively early on in their lifespan in favor of more fan-favorite looks (i.e. Jets' modern "collegiate" look to the "Sack Exchange" throwback uniforms). The last couple of redesigns from the Cardinals and Commanders seem like they may be set up for the same fate. There have been rumors swirling around the Titans too, although its for sure not gonna happen this year.

 

The reason why I say this is because if the description of the Broncos uniforms that we have seen is legit, I can imagine some fans just liking it anyway, as is always the case with something new and fresh, but there will be a lot of visible discontent. In general, the white-heavy look seems gimmicky and overdone, especially with the obnoxious "icey fresh" jargon we have seen with the color in football in  recent years. The Broncos did a fan survey at the beginning of this process, and I can tell you without even looking at the results that they were in no way reflective of what they have (allegedly) decided to go with, just knowing as a Broncos fan myself. Seems like its a ripe opportunity to get fans to cash in on the early hype with a trendy new set, have them grow old of it quickly, and then bring back a throwback look full time to rake in even more money. It's easier to convince fans to get new jerseys if they are actually a new product, and not just carried over to a new brand or template.

 

I don't want to rush to conclusions just because we haven't seen what the Broncos new uniforms will look like, but given recent design trends and how they've been received, it just seems like Nike and the NFL have found a way to get fans to spend more on jerseys through planned obsolescence. And again, this may all just be all crazy talk, but there has to be an explanation for all the new designs that we already know will be outdated and tired within a few years.

I don't think they purposely design bad new uniforms to be obsolete in 5 years...BUT I have had this theory that they make existing uniforms look a little wonky in hopes that the teams will want a redesign.

Ex: the Saints color rush uniforms look much tighter than their primary uniforms. Their primaries always look a little bit "off".

[shaydre1019]

2 minutes ago, projectjohn said:

In the NBA, Zach Lowe had an article a few years back about the Heat refusing Nike's City Edition concept, and instead designing the well-received Vice jerseys in-house.

NBA has normally given teams and option for an in house design or a nike led design for city uniforms.