The Nikefication of the NFL continues.
Since acquiring the exclusive apparel license in 2012, the company that has made it virtually impossible to know who’s playing in a given college football game by merely looking at the uniforms of the teams involved continues to persuade NFL teams to change the things they wear on game day, if for no reason other than to sell a bunch of jerseys to replace those that already have been purchased.
The Browns are the latest team to introduced new jerseys and pants designed by Nike, and the change is definitely more radical than the so-subtle-it-wouldn’t-have-been-immediately-noticed alteration to the team’s logo and helmet. The design matches the layout of the orange jerseys that recently showed up in multiple Ohio stores, a gaffe that became inevitable when Nike, the NFL, and/or the Browns decided to allow inventory to be placed in the hands of folks who could accidentally or deliberately let the shirt out of the bag.
The same design appears on all three colors of jerseys -- orange, brown, and white. (The orange jersey is the alternate third jersey.) Inside the neck of each version appears the inscription “Dawg Pound.” Also, the word “BROWNS” appears along the side of the pants, where a stripe ordinarily would be.
In relation to what they’re replacing, the uniforms aren’t hideous. And like other altered uniforms, the football-watching world will get used to them after seeing the images in photos and highlights.
Contemporaneous with the unveiling of the new uniforms, the Browns also released a lengthy explanation of the process that resulted in the new design. Ultimately, the real reason is much more simple; Nike wants every team to eventually roll out a Nike-designed uniform.
As long as no team has a different uniform every week, most fans will accept that.
[Photo credit: Browns.com]
