Don’t blame Nike for the black uniforms. It’s part of the deal.
Among the reactions to Carolina’s dismal showing against Kentucky in Las Vegas was dislike for the black unis with the light blue names and numerals. Although Roy Williams pledged to never don them again if his team lost, the once-a-year outfit is all on Nike.
One reason the players don’t mind going away from blue and white is they are of the latest generation. So, Nike makes its schools wear black for one game during the season in order to sell that color jersey if there is a demand for them. After Saturday, the local demand will likely be low.
Let’s remember Nike’s relationships with dozens of schools. At UNC, it began in the early 1990s, when the company started offering coaches cash to put their players in free shoes. Dean Smith had been a Converse guy for years because that was the most prominent hoops brand.
Smith had two conditions to switch to Nike. First, his team had to like the basketball kicks, so Smith had several pairs shipped in for each player to try over the summer and compare them to Converse. Second, if he changed it would have to be an athletic department deal, meaning shoes and apparel went to every coach and program, saving thousands of dollars by not having to purchase them.
Anson Dorrance, who now uses Nike, was the only coach who demurred because he had a similar deal with adidas. Now, Nike provides products and cash into the millions to the university, which divvies up the money among head coaches to supplement their income packages.
The schools and coaches that have the best deals from Nike usually agree to wear a custom-made uniform for one game. The Tar Heels wore them at the CBS Sports Classic in Brooklyn a few years ago and, if I remember correctly, at least for one game in the Smith Center.
And, of course, Michael Jordan has extended his Jumpman brand to football, which wears that logo along with the Swoosh on its game and practice gear. And most UNC teams have also adopted Alex Julian’s argyle accents, which originated when Smith asked the Chapel Hill native and famous clothier to redesign his uniforms. Heading into his senior season, Hubert Davis modeled the new togs at a press conference.
Photo via AP Photo/Joe Buglewicz.
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The black uniforms are awesome, and clothing doesn’t lose games. The players requested that those uniforms come back in a pre-season team meeting with Coach Davis, who obviously doesn’t share Roy’s aversion to them. So, no, it’s not just on Nike. And lots of people liked them. Weird to assume that most don’t. Personally, I’ve wanted them to come back every season since they debuted in 2016, and even after that awful game I’d be happy to see them again.