We have heard the term unleash the beast but now it’s time to Uncage the Birds!!!

So the new “Uncaged” Adidas football uniforms for the Auburn game were released today to a flurry of mixed reviews. And while these new crazy uniform styles may not appeal to the adult crowd you have to keep in mind that they don’t design them with a middle aged man or woman in mind. In the end, the new uniform is all about creating a product that can be marketed and enticing to 17-18 yr olds. Not only to encourage them to buy the Adidas product, but also updating the look and feel of the uniforms to give the athletes that sizzle factor. For apparel companies to grab the attention of the younger audience nowadays the crazier and louder the better. Just look at some of the shoe designs of today.

Consumers no longer buy sports apparel just to show support for their team, as fashion and wearability have become the new standard for buyers’ purchasing decision. Often a team’s success on the field is irrelevant to the buyer. More often color scheme, and perhaps more often, the color scheme’s impression determine a uniform’s selling ability. The image that different colors portray is a huge factor. Gone are the days when uniform color was purely symbolic. Today, colors are both symbolic and psychological.

The psychological impact of logo and color usage has made an impact upon opposing teams giving an illusory impression of speed or tenacity. I wouldn’t want to be bringing the ball up the field facing Louisville’s nasty defense combined with those crazy and loud uniforms. Look at how the crazy infrared uniforms helped get our basketball team rolling a few years ago. And the uniforms were a factor. I remember being a junior in high school and our basketball team was given the new baggy style uniform that was inspired by the Fab Five of Michigan. When I put that uniform on it immediately gave me a feeling that I could run faster and jump higher. I went from just being able to touch the rim to being able to grab and hold on to it. There is no denying the psychological affect.

So no matter what you think about these new and crazy looking uniforms just try to keep an open mind about it and realize that a lot of research and development go into the design process. Adidas wants their product to be successful and they want the teams that wear their products to be successful. And if they can give a slight psychological or physical advantage to our Cardinals with some new material and a crazy color scheme then I’m all for it. I’ll paint my face with that crazy bird on it if it will help our guys beat Auburn. Go out and buy some of this gear and lets help Adidas UNCAGE THE BIRDS….! #L1C4