NFL Awards Nike uniform & sideline apparel rights

[Cujo]

Another positive coming out of the new Nike deal, as far as the NFL is concerned, this eyesore will be history:

[mightynine]

I'm just happy with the thought of Twins Franchise NFL hats again. Size XXL please!

[guest23]

Remember that in college, uniform designs are also changed quite frequently to help recruiting. NFL teams aren't recruiting anyone. Plus the league office and Mr. Goodell are more protective of teams' brands and the league's image than the Pac-10 comissioner is of Oregon.

College football and the NFL are incredibly different dynamics.

yes and no...remember the nfl is a business and nike is rather effective at what they do so I wouldn't be too surprised if they used sales data from EPL apparel sales to make a good business case to make ever so slight tweaks to the jerseys to freshen them up yet stay consistent with the teams' overall identities...I agree that the nfl understands that its brands are much more iconic and valuable than most colleges which is why they don't allow alternate helmets (excluding throwbacks which I bet they frown on as well but allow it)...one angle I could definitely see nike getting the nfl to bite on is updating alternates much more frequently like the change jerseys in soccer...since alts are not traditional by nature they can easily be swapped without causing too much outrage.

my guess is that we are going to see nike make an attempt at this and you will start to see more blocky & geometric designs as the new jersey patterns take on more of a minimal approach...I can't see many of the messes that reebok made (vikings/falcons/cardinals)lasting too long as those uniforms are littered with excessive piping, jersey panels and seams which looks to be on the way out...if things keep evolving at this rate...the only part of the uniform that will even have enough real estate for design will be the helmets but then again the air vents are too big for some of the decals now.

[canzman]

Is there any chance of Nike doing away with this once they take over?:

I'm sure nike wants it gone since that came on with the rbk deal but I'm sure nike would push for their own co-branded mark so if they can convince the league to drop it you may trading for an equal evil along the lines of "nfl combat" or some iteration of that garbage.

That is a league owned trademark, I don't see it going away.

This is correct the NFL created and wanted the NFL Equipment patch. It was not a Reebok creation this will more than likely stay.

[Thad]

I'm just happy with the thought of Twins Franchise NFL hats again. Size XXL please!

A-freakin'-men. I guess Reebok didn't realize that people have head sizes bigger than 7 1/2. My 7 3/4 noggin could never fit into one of those "one size fits all" hats. I am basically regulated to the Twins Franchise hats when I don't buy New Era.

I think a redesign for the Panthers in something more Nike might actually be a great improvement. Same goes for the Bills.

[canzman]

The only thing I see changing is a "swoosh" will replace the Reebok logo.

Proc is correct, the uniform design is determined by the team and then approved by the league. The specs are then given to the licensor to manufacture. The Licensore does not design the uniforms at all. Best example I can give to illustrate this is Denver nothing changed with their uniforms once Reebok took over except the swoosh was replaced with the Reebok logo and the Equipment Shield replaced the plain NFL Shield, but that was the NFL's call to add the equipment shield and not Reeboks.

Sideline apparel however Nike will have free reign over.

[TFoA]

Nike doing the uniforms again? New Era doing hats? The Bills will (hopefully) be fixed?

Thank you, tiny, 8 lb 12 oz lying-in-a-manger infant baby Jesus.

[ltjets21]

Nike doesn't make good replica jerseys though.

[Cujo]

Is there any chance of Nike doing away with this once they take over?:

I'm sure nike wants it gone since that came on with the rbk deal but I'm sure nike would push for their own co-branded mark so if they can convince the league to drop it you may trading for an equal evil along the lines of "nfl combat" or some iteration of that garbage.

That is a league owned trademark, I don't see it going away.

This is correct the NFL created and wanted the NFL Equipment patch. It was not a Reebok creation this will more than likely stay.

The only reason I asked was because the logo came into play the same time Reebok took over.

I really hope Nike has a say in doing away with this, and that they also bring the NFL logo (solo) back for league apparel. We already know that if it has 'The Shield', it's league 'equipment'. Other leagues don't do equip logos. It's absolutely pointless.

[guest23]

Is there any chance of Nike doing away with this once they take over?:

I'm sure nike wants it gone since that came on with the rbk deal but I'm sure nike would push for their own co-branded mark so if they can convince the league to drop it you may trading for an equal evil along the lines of "nfl combat" or some iteration of that garbage.

That is a league owned trademark, I don't see it going away.

This is correct the NFL created and wanted the NFL Equipment patch. It was not a Reebok creation this will more than likely stay.

The only reason I asked was because the logo came into play the same time Reebok took over.

I really hope Nike has a say in doing away with this, and that they also bring the NFL logo (solo) back for league apparel. We already know that if it has 'The Shield', it's league 'equipment'. Other leagues don't do equip logos. It's absolutely pointless.

yes throughout the years the league has come up with their own trademarked series of apparel so the idea of nfl equipment is nothing new...the question I have was the equipment concept a mutually agreed upon collaboration and planned by both rbk/nfl to kick off the new deal?...despite the mark being owned by the nfl I suspect rbk had a hand in it...will it stay?...I think it's a 50/50 chance...if nike can present a better concept/marketing program that has $ attached to it the league will go for it without a doubt.

[andrewharrington]

Here's a photo from LSU's latest game. Again, the stripes are better than Reebok's Colt attempts, but still not as good as they should be.

BUT... that's an old jersey cut. Everybody's standard shoulder loop jersey looked exactly like that 2 years ago. None of Nike's or adidas' new cuts have that much area on the shoulder.

[andrewharrington]

I can't see many of the messes that reebok made (vikings/falcons/cardinals)lasting too long as those uniforms are littered with excessive piping, jersey panels and seams which looks to be on the way out...

Piping, panels and seams galore? You mean, just like the Pro Combat stuff that Nike has rolled out the past 2 seasons?

Anyway, yes, Nike fights hard to push progressive design, but the NFL fights hard, too. If Reebok couldn't get them to budge on the idea of a Pro Combat-esque alternate program, I don't think they're going to budge, unless all that extra money does a lot of talking, which is totally possible.

[andrewharrington]

if nike can present a better concept/marketing program that has $ attached to it the league will go for it without a doubt.

Well, because of the bidding war, they have to make $5-$10 million more per year selling only jerseys and sideline apparel than Reebok currently does selling everything, so anything's possible.

[andrewharrington]

The only thing I see changing is a "swoosh" will replace the Reebok logo.

Proc is correct, the uniform design is determined by the team and then approved by the league. The specs are then given to the licensor to manufacture. The Licensore does not design the uniforms at all. Best example I can give to illustrate this is Denver nothing changed with their uniforms once Reebok took over except the swoosh was replaced with the Reebok logo and the Equipment Shield replaced the plain NFL Shield, but that was the NFL's call to add the equipment shield and not Reeboks.

Sideline apparel however Nike will have free reign over.

Finally, someone who understands the process. Actually, sometimes the team/league will solicit designs from the licensee, but not always. Like you said, the design is driven by the team and league most of the time.

[Ben Schwartz]

Omg so excited for New Era fitteds! My head isn't even big and Reebok one sizers never fit me. Gonna get sick Broncos fitteds, which New Era is going to go crazy with. They have revolutionized the hat - and as you can see with the MLB they have created iconic looks, patterns, and style trends. Looking forward to seeing what the NFL hats start lookin like!

Plus I LOVVVEEE the Broncos jerseys why hate on Nike for those beauties?

[PittsburghSucks]

I'm just happy with the thought of Twins Franchise NFL hats again. Size XXL please!

+1

[guest23]

The only thing I see changing is a "swoosh" will replace the Reebok logo.

Proc is correct, the uniform design is determined by the team and then approved by the league. The specs are then given to the licensor to manufacture. The Licensore does not design the uniforms at all. Best example I can give to illustrate this is Denver nothing changed with their uniforms once Reebok took over except the swoosh was replaced with the Reebok logo and the Equipment Shield replaced the plain NFL Shield, but that was the NFL's call to add the equipment shield and not Reeboks.

Sideline apparel however Nike will have free reign over.

Finally, someone who understands the process. Actually, sometimes the team/league will solicit designs from the licensee, but not always. Like you said, the design is driven by the team and league most of the time.

to expand on that thought the licensee then pitches concepts and samples based on their internal designs which would fit within the licensee's product offering.

[NEW.ERA]

The first time I saw the tight Reebok Austin Collie cut was on a few of the Packer players.

Ryan Grant and Nick Barnett I believe, Can't find any pictures though.

[BlueSky]

Here's a photo from LSU's latest game. Again, the stripes are better than Reebok's Colt attempts, but still not as good as they should be.

For some reason all I can think of when I see Les Miles is a clock ticking down...

[slapshot]

It's still weird to see all the love for Nike. If Nike did not introduce the ProCombat line for the NCAA, I don't know that Reebok would have tried to one-up them with the new NFL cut. Reebok's new cut is ok as long as there are no embellishments. The Colts and Giants uniforms are fairly simple, except for the "shoulder" loops. I don't think there would even be a huge different with teams that just have sleeve stripes, like Pittsburgh or Green Bay.

I still fear the day that everyone starts looking like Oregon. The quote about Nike promising to put their innovative stamp on every team worries me. It's the National Football League, not the Nike Football League.

Of course, if jerseys still had sleeves, none of this would be an issue.