In 2010 the NFL decided to go with Nike as their new supplier of team uniforms replacing the incumbent Reebok. Tuesday the company released the long-awaited designs for the upcoming 2012 season
Below you can check out what’s in store for next season.
The unveiling though didn’t come without plenty of questions. First there were some big concerns with some of the more traditional looking teams in Pittsburgh and Chicago that Nike would go crazy with the designs similar to what they’ve done with Oregon. However Paul Lukas of Uni Watch notes that there were and are limitations as to what Nike and teams can do about changing uniforms in the NFL:
“[I]t’s worth noting that Nike can’t unilaterally force a team to change its look. It’s ultimately the team’s call, and it’s hard to imagine time-honored franchises like the Packers, Bears, Steelers, or Giants making significant changes. There are also several teams that can’t make major design revisions because the NFL doesn’t permit uniform redesigns more often than once every five years. So the reality — for better or worse, depending on your point of view — is that most of the league may end up looking exactly the same as last year. The biggest changes may end up being in the uniforms’ physical design. For example, many of Nike’s college jerseys feature elements like a breathable mesh panel on the belly area and the so-called Flywire collar. So even if a given NFL team doesn’t make any changes to its stripes or graphics, it could still end up looking more like a charter member of Team Nike.”
Ref: FOXSports.com, ESPN.com, Uni Watch, Twitter, NFL.com