Does An NFL Teams “Look” Impact Its Success? 5
The 50th anniversary of the AFL has sparked a renewed interest in throwback uniforms.
This being the 50th anniversary of the American Football League, we are being treated to throwback jerseys and even throwback Officials’ uniforms. We may not be thrilled about the broad orange striped zebra shirts, but generally it has been refreshing to see the return of some great classic looks.
Just over a third of NFL franchises still use their classic look. A few have made minor variations on a theme. Another third have changed their look, and even their colors, several times, or are too new to evaluate for staying power.
What can be learned and inferred from the franchises that choose to keep traditional branding, versus franchises that change with the trends every few years? Is there a correlation between style and success?
It should be noted, we are referring to the modern era of the NFL that begins roughly at the end of the ’50s or the beginning of the ’60s when teams began widespread use of helmet art.
The Icons
The fine detail of graphics may be tweaked every few years, but the Packers have stayed with the same look they’ve had since they first put artwork on their helmets, back in the very early ’60s.
There isn't a great deal different in the uniform worn by Gale Sayers in the 1960s and Matt Forte today.
Ditto that for the Chicago Bears. I can hear a chorus of Bob Seeger’s ballad, “Still the Same.”
The Colts may be in a new town, but they still have the same threads. Be it Peyton Manning or Johnny U, maybe the stripes are a little different but that’s about it.
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