NBA Changes 2013-14 Season

[TaylorMade]

I kinda like it. I shouldn't at all, but I do. The Navy/Red/White scheme is more unique than you guys give it credit for in the NBA. The Wizards and Hawks both use it, but add in gray, and the Wizards' striping is so unique that nobody is confusing these jerseys. The Pelicans add in tan heavily, and technically these jerseys were made at the same time. I wish they pushed the Motor City theme more, instead of just using what appears to be generic striping. But aesthetically, I like the looks of it.

Interesting to note that the Pistons website says that "lettering and numbers on the jerseys and shorts are white with hair-line red and blue trim." Obviously, this is incorrect in one sense, because the numbers are red, but is there a thin royal outline on the wordmark?

Tan? C'mon son.

[Sport]

Should've co-opted "Basketball Town" the way the Red Wings declared themselves as hockey town. Kidding.

Unless your team name is the Motor City Pistons or the Rip City Blazers (is that even a well-known nickname for Portland?) don't put it on your official team uniforms.

On top of that, they dumped their unique brand of stripes for that? Would've looked pretty good if they had put the same royal blue and red stripes from the white uniforms on these.

[tv15]

Suns are unveiling their new uniforms tomorrow

[suns1977]

Should've co-opted "Basketball Town" the way the Red Wings declared themselves as hockey town. Kidding.

Unless your team name is the Motor City Pistons or the Rip City Blazers (is that even a well-known nickname for Portland?) don't put it on your official team uniforms.

On top of that, they dumped their unique brand of stripes for that? Would've looked pretty good if they had put the same royal blue and red stripes from the white uniforms on these.

Wikipedia has info on it, looks like a phrase coined by their play-by-play announcer back in '71.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicknames_of_Portland,_Oregon

And I respectfully disagree with you on the whole 'unless it's your team name' business. Especially if the phrase has ties to the city somehow.

If it's tied to an 'alternate' jersey, then why can't the names be 'alternate' too? Why should alternate just apply to the colors or logos?

Just my view.

[swilson160]

I kinda like it. I shouldn't at all, but I do. The Navy/Red/White scheme is more unique than you guys give it credit for in the NBA. The Wizards and Hawks both use it, but add in gray, and the Wizards' striping is so unique that nobody is confusing these jerseys. The Pelicans add in tan heavily, and technically these jerseys were made at the same time. I wish they pushed the Motor City theme more, instead of just using what appears to be generic striping. But aesthetically, I like the looks of it.

Interesting to note that the Pistons website says that "lettering and numbers on the jerseys and shorts are white with hair-line red and blue trim." Obviously, this is incorrect in one sense, because the numbers are red, but is there a thin royal outline on the wordmark?

Tan? C'mon son.

clearly taupe

[YessSir32]

"Bankrupt City" would have looked better.

At least Detroit still owns Cleveland.

But man, these need more of the primary blue badly. They are also wearing them every Sunday home game as part of "Motor City Sundays".

[Shadojoker]

I Just hope Chicago doesn't do the same with Chi-town or Windy City ..still these are better than Spurs logo unis

[mjd77]

I Just hope Chicago doesn't do the same with Chi-town or Windy City ..still these are better than Spurs logo unis

I thought of that too. I hope this doesn't start a trend.

[jordub]

I know the Heat won't be releasing a 'MAGIC CITY' alt. I hate this "trend." Looks very silly.

[guest23]

I know the Heat won't be releasing a 'MAGIC CITY' alt. I hate this "trend." Looks very silly.

Why not? The magic could release a "Heat-Town" alt and it would cancel itself out.

[keynote]

Just be glad Detroit didn't go with something more current, like "The D."

In any event, it looks as if the NBA is bent on coming up with random city nicknames - as if the team nickname wasn't distinctive enough itself. Might as well steer into the skid.

So, what informal nicknames will be used for other team's jerseys?

(samples taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_city_nicknames_in_the_United_States)

Atlanta:

"Hotlanta" - oof

"ATL" - already in use

Boston:

Beantown - don't see it. Too many fart jokes (then again, cf. "Rip City")

"The Hub" - I've never heard it in use, but it's pithy and self-congratulatory. I could see it.

Brooklyn:

Going by "Brooklyn" is gimmick and cool enough. No way they water down the best part of their brand by going with some other nickname. Although, a Warriors-esque jersey that says "The Planet" could be interesting, if a little out there.

Charlotte:

"Queen City": I don't think we're mature or progressive enough as a nation to have that on an NBA jersey.

Chicago:

"Windy City": I think this is in play, actually.

"Second City": no team is going to put "second" across their chest.

Cleveland:

nothing that isn't too long or derrogatory.

Dallas:

"The Big D": Again, I don't think we're mature or progressive enough as a nation to have that on an NBA jersey.

Denver:

"Mile-High": I could see this being used.

Detroit:

in use.

Golden State:

"The City": classic jersey

"The Town": if they want to reach out to their Oakland fanbase.

Houston:

"H-Town": meh. Bad '90s R&B group ruined that nickname for me.

"Space City": Bland enough to pass the muster of an NBA focus group.

Indiana:

"Naptown": interesting.

"Circle City": I have no idea what this means.

Los Angeles:

"City of Angels": three words = too long

Memphis:

none of them work.

Miami:

"Magic City": somehow I don't see this one being used.

"South Beach": might as well. That's the only part of Miami any NBA player seems to talk about.

Milwaukee:

"Brew City": cool, but stepping on the MLB nickname

"Cream City": not bad. Cash *does* rule.

Minnesota:

can't find a decent city or state nickname that doesn't reference lakes.

New Orleans:

"Crescent City": that works. The NBA likes "---- City"

"Nawlins": only if the jersey design is funky enough to merit the colloquial spelling.

New York:
"Big Apple": Eh. That's one of those nicknames that gets used more outside of NYC than inside it.

"Gotham": My favorite of the NYC names.

"Empire City": Fits the NBA's template, but I don't love it.

OKC:

"The Big Friendly." YES

Orlando:

Nothing of merit.

Philly:

Nothing will catch my eye like "PHILA."

Phoenix:

Nothing. There's a reason why they're using an airport code.

Portland:

They're already rolling with Rip City, and Wikipedia doesn't reveal anything better.

Sacramento:

"River City": fits the template

"Sactown": I don't think we're mature or progressive enough as a nation to have that on an NBA jersey.

Toronto:

"T-Dot": I'm not a huge fan of first initial nicknames. They're lazy.

Utah:

Not sure which city to pick, but this would be a good chance for the Jazz to pick an alternate nickname that better suits their locale. That way, they could reinforce their local brand while retaining the value of the "Jazz" name and the history behind it.

Washington

"Chocolate City": I'd rock one.

"DMV": Not listed, but it'd be a nice way to make Maryland and Virginia feel included.

[Burmy]

The justification for "los bulls," etc is that team names are considered proper names in Hispanic communities and therefore that's what they say. In that case, however, shouldn't "New York" be considered a proper name, or do they actually say "Nueva York?"

The Milwaukee Cerveceros, Bierbrauer, Birrai & Piwowarzy are not impressed.

[phutmasterflex]

Spanish teams don't put LOS on their own jerseys like that though

[chakfu]

The justification for "los bulls," etc is that team names are considered proper names in Hispanic communities and therefore that's what they say. In that case, however, shouldn't "New York" be considered a proper name, or do they actually say "Nueva York?"

The Milwaukee Cerveceros, Bierbrauer, Birrai & Piwowarzy are not impressed.

Do Mexican baseball teams tack "Los" on their jerseys? If not, there is no justification at all. Just a matter of brand equity superceding fun and making the entire translated uniform idea pointless.

[Sport]

Should've co-opted "Basketball Town" the way the Red Wings declared themselves as hockey town. Kidding.

Unless your team name is the Motor City Pistons or the Rip City Blazers (is that even a well-known nickname for Portland?) don't put it on your official team uniforms.

On top of that, they dumped their unique brand of stripes for that? Would've looked pretty good if they had put the same royal blue and red stripes from the white uniforms on these.

Wikipedia has info on it, looks like a phrase coined by their play-by-play announcer back in '71.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicknames_of_Portland,_Oregon

And I respectfully disagree with you on the whole 'unless it's your team name' business. Especially if the phrase has ties to the city somehow.

If it's tied to an 'alternate' jersey, then why can't the names be 'alternate' too? Why should alternate just apply to the colors or logos?

Just my view.

Because even an alternate is an official uniform and official uniforms should sport official team names. Abbreviations and nicknames are for announcers and fans. If you want your jersey to say Motor City, change your name to the Motor City Pistons. You want your jersey to say Bolts, change your name to the Tampa Bay Bolts.

Another reason I don't like it is that I can see the potential of this creating a really stupid trend.

[phutmasterflex]

It's common language. We don't put "THE BULLS" on the jerseys

[alxy8s]

I Just hope Chicago doesn't do the same with Chi-town or Windy City ..still these are better than Spurs logo unis

I thought of that too. I hope this doesn't start a trend.

I love the idea. I bet young people would eat up jerseys that use city nicknames.

Indiana:

"Naptown": interesting.

Thanks for going through all the trouble to make the list. I was curious about other NBA cities. It's surprising how clumsy and contrived most of them are. Pretty sure "Naptown" refers to the lack of things to do in Indy, though.

Miami:

"Magic City": somehow I don't see this one being used.

"South Beach": might as well. That's the only part of Miami any NBA player seems to talk about.

No to Magic City because of Orlando. "South Beach" would be a surprise because they play downtown, not in South Beach. "Miami" and "South Beach" are not synonymous, no matter how often they are used as such by sports media outlets. I'd compare it to using "Manhattan" to refer to the whole of New York City.

I don't know if this would work on a jersey, but "(The) 305" would sell like crazy. Younger Miamians love their area code.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

[Foxxtrot44]

Utah:

Not sure which city to pick, blah blah blah something about local brands.

Obviously Kanab.

[Chawls]

Just be glad Detroit didn't go with something more current, like "The D."

In any event, it looks as if the NBA is bent on coming up with random city nicknames - as if the team nickname wasn't distinctive enough itself. Might as well steer into the skid.

So, what informal nicknames will be used for other team's jerseys?

(samples taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_city_nicknames_in_the_United_States)

Milwaukee:

"Cream City": not bad. Cash *does* rule. I don't think we've matured enough as a nation to include a jersey with cream across the chest without inviting cheap jokes.

New Orleans:

*"Nawlins": only if the jersey design is funky enough to merit the colloquial spelling.

* I addressed this before but I'll mention it again. Locals don't call it "Nawlins". People who refer to it as such are either:

• Cajuns or
• Out-of-towners trying go be cute.

People here do actually call it NOLA, N.O., New Awlins or better yet, New Orleans, hence the appropriateness of both New Orleans and NOLA being displayed on the Hornets/Pelicans jerseys.