Question regarding NCAA rules for changing jerseys

[mediocreguy]

I heard a report saying that the University of Pittsburgh will be switching to Nike as of July 1, which makes sense now that Steve Pederson is back as the AD. Since he's left though, we've gone through 3 iterations of football uniforms in a short time. I know that in basketball, teams usually get new or tweaked unis nearly every year (I'm trying to block out the fact that Pitt will go SOD next year, or whatever their latest thing is now). Are there rules in the NCAA (football or basketball), as in the NFL, that changes need to be put in X number of years in advance? Are there regulated periods that uniforms need to stay the same as well?

Secretly I hope for the return of script Pitt, but I fully expect more torch-cut nonsense and getting rid of "PITT" again. Oh, and 52 alternate helmets.

Thanks guys!

[Max Power]

Are there rules in the NCAA (football or basketball), as in the NFL, that changes need to be put in X number of years in advance? Are there regulated periods that uniforms need to stay the same as well?

I'm not aware of any rules regulating how often a team can change uniforms or providing advance notice of a uniform change. I would be surprised if there are any such rules.

Wait, Pitt is going to go back to being Pittsburgh? Geez, they were Pitt for decades, then they didn't want anything to do with that nickname because they wanted to be known as Pittsburgh, then they went back to Pitt a few years later, and now they're going to be Pittsburgh again? How about pick an institutional name and stick with it? I feel sorry for their marketing people.

[mediocreguy]

Are there rules in the NCAA (football or basketball), as in the NFL, that changes need to be put in X number of years in advance? Are there regulated periods that uniforms need to stay the same as well?

I'm not aware of any rules regulating how often a team can change uniforms or providing advance notice of a uniform change. I would be surprised if there are any such rules.

Wait, Pitt is going to go back to being Pittsburgh? Geez, they were Pitt for decades, then they didn't want anything to do with that nickname because they wanted to be known as Pittsburgh, then they went back to Pitt a few years later, and now they're going to be Pittsburgh again? How about pick an institutional name and stick with it? I feel sorry for their marketing people.

Oh no, I don't think they are, I'm just referencing the fact that last time Nike was brought in to the school we dropped "Pitt". Once Pederson left for Nebraska the new AD brought "Pitt" back (and dumped Nike for Adidas). Now that Pederson is back, we're all rolling our eyes here again. He already dumped the (admittedly ugly) 'seal' Panther head for the old torch-cut one last year.

Changing it to Pittsburgh was just foolish. I work for the University, and everyone calls it Pitt, even if it's just to differentiate it from the rest of the city. Even those who aren't referencing sports call it Pitt. Besides, do you really think people are going to think of the Panthers when they hear "Pittsburgh Football"?

I wouldn't be surprised if we get Nikified, however.

[Max Power]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. Like you said, people know them as "Pitt" so they should be happy with that.

[dfwabel]

The NCAA has no such uniform policy for either sport. This year, the University of Memphis' Athletic Dept. changed during the basketball season from adidas to a department wide Nike contract and thus the RTL uniforms. Also, remember at the BCS level of football, the NCAA just makes the rules of the sport and does not have a greater role (such as a championship) so outside of what the basics of the uniform and safety elements in it's rules, they have nothing to do with any modifications or changes>

EDIT: There is no "NCAA properties" like the major sports have. Most colleges work with the CLC (Collegiate Licensing Corporation) to distribute all merchandise and recvieve a small percentage of gross price which retailers pay. I heard that is generally 8%. I recall hearing that percentage recently, concerning the number of Hansbrough jerseys sold in the past four seasons.

BTW, Nike is the CLC's #1 licensee of apparel, EA Sports in non-apparel, and the NCAA even works with them for their championships.

[Luigi74]

Hopefully someone at Nike will convince Pederson to go back to the old colors and script Pitt, hell I'll even take the block Pitt with the old colors.

The switch from Pitt to Pittsburgh pissed off a lot of donors and they were the reason Pitt was brought back.