Nike NFL uniforms "sneak peak"

[JohnnySeoul]

You promise, Johnny?

The Panthers monochrome, the Steelers 1933 throwback, Nike's flywire, or the NFL Equipment patch?

[andrewharrington]

Per one of my contacts with Adidas, Ripon was informed that Nike will not be using them to manufacture NFL on-field jerseys next season, as was ACO. Nike will be using the same supplier that is responsible for their college line. Several teams are trying to block this move. Every team has already received proposed jerseys from Nike, none of them done by Ripon.

That's pretty sad. I hope Nike's on-field supplier is at least based in the United States. It would be a major shame if the workers at Ripon got laid off because Nike is sourcing overseas.

[JohnnySeoul]

Per one of my contacts with Adidas, Ripon was informed that Nike will not be using them to manufacture NFL on-field jerseys next season, as was ACO. Nike will be using the same supplier that is responsible for their college line. Several teams are trying to block this move. Every team has already received proposed jerseys from Nike, none of them done by Ripon.

That's pretty sad. I hope Nike's on-field supplier is at least based in the United States. It would be a major shame if the workers at Ripon got laid off because Nike is sourcing overseas.

Their authentic, premier and replica jerseys will be from overseas. This will be interesting if their on-field uni's will end up being overseas too.

[Gothamite]

You promise, Johnny?

The Panthers monochrome, the Steelers 1933 throwback, Nike's flywire, or the NFL Equipment patch?

I'll settle for knowing that the really silly and pointless "Equipment" patch is going away.

And even better, that it won't be replaced with anything but the NFL logo.

[JohnnySeoul]

You promise, Johnny?

The Panthers monochrome, the Steelers 1933 throwback, Nike's flywire, or the NFL Equipment patch?

I'll settle for knowing that the really silly and pointless "Equipment" patch is going away.

And even better, that it won't be replaced with anything but the NFL logo.

I was told the Nike NFL patch looked more like an arrowhead. But watch, the NFL will want that damn "Equipment" patch on the final product. Here's to praying for the "arrowhead". So no, no 100% promise on this one.

[Gothamite]

I really wonder what the NFL sees as the benefit of that stupid patch.

Mark of authenticity? Counterfeiters can fake that as easily as they could the league logo on its own.

It used to be that they reserved the league patch for authentics, to distinguish from replicas and encourage people to buy the higher-priced jerseys. Not any more.

And it minimizes the league logo, makes it harder to read.

So what's the benefit for the NFL?

[BBTV]

I really wonder what the NFL sees as the benefit of that stupid patch.

Mark of authenticity? Counterfeiters can fake that as easily as they could the league logo on its own.

It used to be that they reserved the league patch for authentics, to distinguish from replicas and encourage people to buy the higher-priced jerseys. Not any more.

And it minimizes the league logo, makes it harder to read.

So what's the benefit for the NFL?

If I can just speculate (just my opinion here, nothing more)...

The benefit isn't really for the jerseys themselves, but for other products. The NFL shield alone is everywhere. To the point where it doesn't really mean anything - it can just be used on any licensed product, from football cards to crappy player t-shirts etc. The "Equipment" logo sort of ties the "on-field" (style, not necessarily quality) gear together. You have wristbands, jerseys, shirts that the players might actually train in, etc. with that logo. It brands the products that it's on as "official" (or at least 'well, a real player could wear this or something that looks just like it but is better quality").

I think it benefits the licensee more than the league, which is probably why Reebok came up with it in the first place. It gives some of their products a little more "authenticity" over stuff that another licensee might make. It's like there's the "equipment" series (for which they can charge a premium) and "everything else".

[shaydre1019]

Just throwing this out there.

I think the panthers should so something similar to Pitt. Well at least pants wise, a thick stripe with a thin stripe on both sides.

Wouldn't be surprised to see jersey stripes omitted completely, seeing how cluttered they are now with the stripes, reebok logos, and panther logos all thrown in there way too closely, just looks bad, IMO

[hockey week]

as much as I hate manufacturers' logos, I wish they'd figure out a better placement for them, even if it's more obvious. If they're getting rid of the NFL Equipment shield, how about putting the swoosh there and not bothering with the sleeves, which are already way too cluttered? Idk if that's the solution, and I hope they don't figure on "why don't we put them both places?" but something really should be done now that this change is going on.

Also, I'm REALLY looking forward to a 1933 Steelers throwback. I've been looking at the ones people have been making on their own on ebay (is it really a fake if it's the only way to get one?), but I'd really rather buy a real one. I hope that rumor is true.

[shaydre1019]

as much as I hate manufacturers' logos, I wish they'd figure out a better placement for them, even if it's more obvious. If they're getting rid of the NFL Equipment shield, how about putting the swoosh there and not bothering with the sleeves, which are already way too cluttered? Idk if that's the solution, and I hope they don't figure on "why don't we put them both places?" but something really should be done now that this change is going on.

Also, I'm REALLY looking forward to a 1933 Steelers throwback. I've been looking at the ones people have been making on their own on ebay (is it really a fake if it's the only way to get one?), but I'd really rather buy a real one. I hope that rumor is true.

Yeah I think the logos could use a better placement. The only problem with a collar logo is that it would probably be hard for it not to get lost on teams with striped collars. Chest? Underneath the collar on the back? Maybe Nike surprises everyone and just doesn't out one, maybe uses flywire or something as their signature. Luckily their logos not as big as the reebox

[hockey week]

as much as I hate manufacturers' logos, I wish they'd figure out a better placement for them, even if it's more obvious. If they're getting rid of the NFL Equipment shield, how about putting the swoosh there and not bothering with the sleeves, which are already way too cluttered? Idk if that's the solution, and I hope they don't figure on "why don't we put them both places?" but something really should be done now that this change is going on.

Also, I'm REALLY looking forward to a 1933 Steelers throwback. I've been looking at the ones people have been making on their own on ebay (is it really a fake if it's the only way to get one?), but I'd really rather buy a real one. I hope that rumor is true.

Yeah I think the logos could use a better placement. The only problem with a collar logo is that it would probably be hard for it not to get lost on teams with striped collars. Chest? Underneath the collar on the back? Maybe Nike surprises everyone and just doesn't out one, maybe uses flywire or something as their signature. Luckily their logos not as big as the reebox

I think the last thing that Nike would ever do is produce something that doesn't have a prominently-placed swoosh. Seriously, aren't they the ones that started logo creep? If they weren't the first, they definitely made it the cool thing to do.

I was thinking something like this, which is an admittedly quick and crude mock-up

I tacked on the NFL logo because I know they love to do the same. I also picked the pats because they're the only team with a striped collar AND a wordmark above the numbers, otherwise, Green Bay would have been the best for their striped collar. But I think you get the idea.

[aawagner011]

Uni Watch references a possible color change for Seattle today. Possible a darker navy blue, white, and gray (to reflect the cloudy NW skies- bogus, I know). Anybody else feel like Seattle's problem isn't in the colors, but more so the use of them? I think they've got a great and unique color scheme, but go the route of steel blue overload. Balance the steel blue, navy, bright green, and white out a bit more and I think it could look great.

[nuordr]

Uni Watch references a possible color change for Seattle today. Possible a darker navy blue, white, and gray (to reflect the cloudy NW skies- bogus, I know). Anybody else feel like Seattle's problem isn't in the colors, but more so the use of them? I think they've got a great and unique color scheme, but go the route of steel blue overload. Balance the steel blue, navy, bright green, and white out a bit more and I think it could look great.

I really hope NFL is blowing smoke about Seattle because I love their current home set. Maybe the best in the league.

[TruColor]

Uni Watch references a possible color change for Seattle today. Possible a darker navy blue, white, and gray (to reflect the cloudy NW skies- bogus, I know). Anybody else feel like Seattle's problem isn't in the colors, but more so the use of them? I think they've got a great and unique color scheme, but go the route of steel blue overload. Balance the steel blue, navy, bright green, and white out a bit more and I think it could look great.

I really hope NFL is blowing smoke about Seattle because I love their current home set. Maybe the best in the league.

I've been predicting a few color changes in the NFL since Seattle (Blue), Tampa Bay (Pewter) and Cleveland (Brown) all use custom Reebok colors.

[guest23]

Uni Watch references a possible color change for Seattle today. Possible a darker navy blue, white, and gray (to reflect the cloudy NW skies- bogus, I know). Anybody else feel like Seattle's problem isn't in the colors, but more so the use of them? I think they've got a great and unique color scheme, but go the route of steel blue overload. Balance the steel blue, navy, bright green, and white out a bit more and I think it could look great.

I really hope NFL is blowing smoke about Seattle because I love their current home set. Maybe the best in the league.

I've been predicting a few color changes in the NFL since Seattle (Blue), Tampa Bay (Pewter) and Cleveland (Brown) all use custom Reebok colors.

what's the level of difficulty if nike wanted to match them?

[Gothamite]

I know that you'd notice the difference, but there's no reason that Nike couldn't come up with a close match (the way that teams tweaked their Black a few years ago).

[nuordr]

Uni Watch references a possible color change for Seattle today. Possible a darker navy blue, white, and gray (to reflect the cloudy NW skies- bogus, I know). Anybody else feel like Seattle's problem isn't in the colors, but more so the use of them? I think they've got a great and unique color scheme, but go the route of steel blue overload. Balance the steel blue, navy, bright green, and white out a bit more and I think it could look great.

I really hope NFL is blowing smoke about Seattle because I love their current home set. Maybe the best in the league.

I've been predicting a few color changes in the NFL since Seattle (Blue), Tampa Bay (Pewter) and Cleveland (Brown) all use custom Reebok colors.

WOW! I did not know those teams had custom colors. I love the Buccaneers pewter and I really don't want to see that go. As far as the Browns, hopefully Nike will put more brown in their white jerseys and force them to wear the color more often.

[Pizzaman7294]

didnt adidas introduce pewter though?

[aawagner011]

WOW! I did not know those teams had custom colors. I love the Buccaneers pewter and I really don't want to see that go. As far as the Browns, hopefully Nike will put more brown in their white jerseys and force them to wear the color more often.

I think you're giving Nike too much credit for the level of control they hold. This is the NFL, the league who holds their member's branding and visual identity to such a high standard. The NFL is Nike's customer and supplies what they want to them. Sure they might propose ideas or concepts to teams, but it is up to the teams how they will represent themselves. Nike will in NO way come in and "dictate" or "force" teams to wear certain garments, styles, colors, etc. If the Browns want to look the exact same in 2012, they will look the exact same, as they should. If the Bucs want to wear pewter pants (as they should), Nike will make a color extremely similar to the current pewter.

[nuordr]

WOW! I did not know those teams had custom colors. I love the Buccaneers pewter and I really don't want to see that go. As far as the Browns, hopefully Nike will put more brown in their white jerseys and force them to wear the color more often.

I think you're giving Nike too much credit for the level of control they hold. This is the NFL, the league who holds their member's branding and visual identity to such a high standard. The NFL is Nike's customer and supplies what they want to them. Sure they might propose ideas or concepts to teams, but it is up to the teams how they will represent themselves. Nike will in NO way come in and "dictate" or "force" teams to wear certain garments, styles, colors, etc. If the Browns want to look the exact same in 2012, they will look the exact same, as they should. If the Bucs want to wear pewter pants (as they should), Nike will make a color extremely similar to the current pewter.

Did you not read the quote I was replying too? The guy said that Reebok had developed custom colors for those teams. I never said Nike had full control, although I wish they did.