Jersey (Sweater) Redesign concept site

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

5 hours ago, thecoffeecake said:

Well, yea, they changed a color that had some cultural value to black. The only value in black is that it rounds out the "devil" identity.

The "Devil" identity was already covered with red being one of the primary colors (and in the case of the away jersey, THE primary color), and with the NJ logo having the horns and pointed tail.  The "NJ" part was covered simply by having a very prominent NJ logo right on the front of the jersey. 

The whole "Garden State Green" thing really wasn't all that important, compared to other aspects of the jersey. 

As for the switch to black, I don't think it had anything to do with "rounding out the devil identity".  I think it was as simple as the organization deciding it was time for a change and happening to like this particular design and thinking it was an improvement...a solid refresh that has endured for a long time now.  The red-and-greens were starting to look a bit dated back then. 

Despite the current Devils jersey being accepted as fine (by most) and not needing to be modified, I think most of the reason that we haven't seen a significant change had to do with Lou being here so long.  That's why I sometimes wonder if a major change is coming within the next 2-3 years.  I just hope that the powers that be in charge of such a decision go over a LOT of designs and do as much research as possible to try to come up with something that won't be considered blasphemous and embarrassing.  A repeat of Fishsticks and Buffa-slug would be torturous.  I'm not gonna lie...I get the feeling if a redesign is shoved down our throats, most of us aren't going to favor the new look. 

[mfitz804]

10 hours ago, thecoffeecake said:

Well, yea, they changed a color that had some cultural value to black. The only value in black is that it rounds out the "devil" identity.

Well we play in Newark now.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

19 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

Well we play in Newark now.

[DevsMan84]

i know there is a story out there where back sometime ten years ago at a meeting with some jersey collectors someone asked Lou why the team is not bringing back the old Christmas tree jerseys ( again before the first retro night).  Allegedly the reason Lou gave is then same reason why they switched in the first place.  The reason is that the Christmas tree jerseys represented their era of failure and they don't want to celebrate that period where they were the "Mickey Mouse" team.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I have absolutely NOTHING to base this feeling on, but something along the lines of the jersey shown in the link is something I can see the franchise switching to.  Hopefully we never have to find out:

http://icethetics.squarespace.com/concepts/2013/4/18/0425-get-the-devils-a-third-jersey.html#comments

[mfitz804]

17 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I have absolutely NOTHING to base this feeling on, but something along the lines of the jersey shown in the link is something I can see the franchise switching to.  Hopefully we never have to find out:

http://icethetics.squarespace.com/concepts/2013/4/18/0425-get-the-devils-a-third-jersey.html#comments

Sometimes I like these concepts. This one I don't like. 

[NJDfan1711]

8 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

 I'm not gonna lie...I get the feeling if a redesign is shoved down our throats, most of us aren't going to favor the new look. 

I agree with most of what you said, but in regards to the quoted portion, the reason you feel that way is because, as you alluded to, most of us feel a redesign isn't necessary, and any change would be a downgrade, not an improvement.

[mfitz804]

I don't like the idea of a redesign, but a new designed third and keep our regular jerseys, I'd be interested in that. 

[David Puddy]

On 3/22/2016 at 10:13 AM, sundstrom said:

Saw on Twitter a link to: http://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2016/03/22/nhl-team-uniforms-redesigns-alternate

Came across this site: http://imgur.com/a/fDJzu

Some pretty cool ideas.

For NJ

:

 

Keeps the logo which is important and brings back the Green for good. I could see the green one as an alternate but I'm not sure I want the Devils to dump the black that they've had since 93-94.

As much as people say the sweater is perfect and should never be changed, I'm always open to an interesting redesign. The current Devils home/away jersey is pretty simple and clean and really doesn't need any update. I'd be looking for an additional alternate to go with the throwbacks. TG has said previously that teams can only have 3 jerseys in a season but that is not exactly true. Teams can have only 3 set jerseys, but a throwback (or retro) like the Devils wear as a "3rd" doesn't count and can be additional. Obviously special games like Winter Classics or Stadium Series jerseys are also not counted.

These just aren't good. Bad proportions, especially in the alternate logo. Red logo on red sweater doesn't stand out enough. The "NJ" without the circle has been tried before on, and it never works.

Flipped through the whole set, and none of them are really worth talking about. They're all basically recolorings of existing or vintage logos with the occasional Adobe Illustrator for Dummies level modification.

Edited March 23, 2016 by David Puddy

[thecoffeecake]

10 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

The "Devil" identity was already covered with red being one of the primary colors (and in the case of the away jersey, THE primary color), and with the NJ logo having the horns and pointed tail.  The "NJ" part was covered simply by having a very prominent NJ logo right on the front of the jersey. 

The whole "Garden State Green" thing really wasn't all that important, compared to other aspects of the jersey. 

As for the switch to black, I don't think it had anything to do with "rounding out the devil identity".  I think it was as simple as the organization deciding it was time for a change and happening to like this particular design and thinking it was an improvement...a solid refresh that has endured for a long time now.  The red-and-greens were starting to look a bit dated back then. 

Covering one base doesn't necessarily mean that's the only thing a brand should do to reflect the culture of the community they play in. I think every part of the brand should somehow be reflective in that way. If one color scheme more sufficiently makes reference to the local culture, that should be chosen over an arbitrary one in my opinion. Just because NJ is on the jersey doesn't mean that whole part of the identity is covered. Wearing red for the Devil and green for the Garden State (I always thought green was a reference to the Pine Barrens to enhance the Jersey Devil theme, but I trust you) was appropriate and suitable. Not that the black ones now don't have a ton of history and look great, and I'd be torn if there was a permanent change made today, but if I had been more than a few weeks old when they debuted the black and reds in the 92 preseason, I probably would've hated the move back then.

 

2 hours ago, DevsMan84 said:

i know there is a story out there where back sometime ten years ago at a meeting with some jersey collectors someone asked Lou why the team is not bringing back the old Christmas tree jerseys ( again before the first retro night).  Allegedly the reason Lou gave is then same reason why they switched in the first place.  The reason is that the Christmas tree jerseys represented their era of failure and they don't want to celebrate that period where they were the "Mickey Mouse" team.

That's pretty embarrassing that Lou's pride prevented it. They won three cups, for God's sake.

 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

CC, also trust me that there was not much attachment to the red and greens at the time.  I was 22 when the switch was made and lived about 20 mins away from the arena, so I was going to games on a whim constantly (and had been since 1988).  I don't claim to know everyone of course, but I didn't meet one fan who thought the new jerseys were a bad move and who felt the green must be kept part of the color scheme, no matter what.  I think you're tying way too much importance to that.  

I do like the retro nights though...it's just enough, and even though I don't ever want to see the old jerseys replace the current ones, I'll always have a soft spot for them.  They're a big part of this team's history.  I just think, outside of being dusted off for retro nights, they should stay there.

[mfitz804]

15 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

CC, also trust me that there was not much attachment to the red and greens at the time.  I was 22 when the switch was made and lived about 20 mins away from the arena, so I was going to games on a whim constantly (and had been since 1988).  I don't claim to know everyone of course, but I didn't meet one fan who thought the new jerseys were a bad move and who felt the green must be kept part of the color scheme, no matter what.  I think you're tying way too much importance to that.  

I do like the retro nights though...it's just enough, and even though I don't ever want to see the old jerseys replace the current ones, I'll always have a soft spot for them.  They're a big part of this team's history.  I just think, outside of being dusted off for retro nights, they should stay there.

I was a fan at the time of the color change, and EVERY fan I knew was elated that they dropped the green and went to black. Myself included.

if you told me then that in 23 years I would feel completely differently, I wouldn't have believed you at all. 

[DevsMan84]

I remember when the color change happened too.  There was even a program we got in a game late in the 91-92 season that showed the new jerseys with the black.  Everyone that we knew and us included loved the change to the black.  While there were a few outliers, the switch was universally praised at the time.

in fact I really don't remember a whole lot of fondness for the memory of the Christmas colors for years.  It was still cherished by the few who still wore the jerseys to games, but most were the long-time fans and oldtimers or just the few hipsters.  It wasn't until right about when the first retro night was announced back in the summer of 2009 that people started to get all nostalgic again about the old colors.

[Satans Hockey]

The green is terrible and I think the fan base as a whole would be furious if we dropped the black. 

 

I also hate the laces in the neck and hope we never do that. 

[mfitz804]

Let's throw this out there too...they should be more focused on redesigning the roster than the jerseys. 

[Jimmy Leeds]

On ‎3‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 0:45 AM, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Devils switched in 92-93.  

As far as the Devils red-and-blacks and you thinking they're flat-out "ugly" goes...so be it, but you're definitely in a very small minority on that one.  

And no, there was no mass "black" movement from 91-92 to 92-93, so I have no idea where you're getting that from.  The black Flyer jerseys that you dislike so much didn't make their debut until 97-98.  There was a minor movement towards more black in general in the late 90s-early 00s, but not nearly as drastic as you're bitching about, and you're way off on the years that happened to boot, so that whole "switched in 94" observation is completely wrong anyway.

First of all, I'm not "Bitching" about anything.   And you obviously are much more a fan than I since I was off a year on the color switch. I'm a newbie I guess. My deepest apologies.

I guess I am in the minority because no doubt they should go back to their founding colors and lose the black. But what do I know?

Oh, and I hated the switch when it happened.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Jimmy Leeds

[jagknife]

Tossing my $0.02 into the ring: I wouldnt mind if they tossed in some green into the primary jerseys right now, obviously depending on where it would be. Almost melding the two era's of Devils' hockey. Now, I'm no artist or designer so I have ABSOLUTELY no clue where it would be a perfect fit, but some green could be cool. Less looking like the Wild and keep our own legacy.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

37 minutes ago, Jimmy Leeds said:

First of all, I'm not "Bitching" about anything.   And you obviously are much more a fan than I since I was off a year on the color switch. I'm a newbie I guess. My deepest apologies.

I guess I am in the minority because no doubt they should go back to their founding colors and lose the black. But what do I know?

Oh, and I hated the switch when it happened.

Based on what you posted, not very much about the jersey switch apparently.

At least get the basic facts right next time.  You had the year of the switch wrong and you implied that the only reason the switch was even made in the first place had to do with (apparently) just about EVERY other team going with more black when that wasn't even remotely accurate.  You don't like the black, fine, but don't start making up crap that's easily proven incorrect (like that "every goddamn team practically went to some sort of black") comment.  You had the Kings making their big color switch to silver and black from the Laker colors in '88-'89, and the then-Minnesota North Stars changed their green pants to black that same season.  1991-92 saw the still-Minnesota North Stars ditch their green jerseys for blacks.  As you now know, 1992-93 was obviously the year the Devils changed out the green for black, and the Senators and Lightning went with black jerseys in their inaugural seasons.  So the massive "black coalition" jersey movement in the seasons leading up to the Devils feeling the need to copycat everyone else was a whopping two teams:  the Kings and Stars. 

If you like the green better than the black and hated the switch at the time, great...I never critiqued your position...like I've said multiple times, yes, you were in a minority, but I'm sure you weren't alone.  Nothing right or wrong about an opinion or preference and I never implied any correlation existed between your liking the old color scheme (or when it was changed) and your level of fandom.  Don't get pissy because you got some things wrong (especially the reason why the change was made)...that's on you. 

 

[Devilsfan118]

Just have to weigh in and say - I want the Jersey to remain unchanged for the rest of my life.

Change the alternate(s)/3rd jersey(ies) as often and as frequently as you want.  But leave the red and black (and white and black) alone for as long as the Devils are in New Jersey.

It's such a clean, classic look.  No sense changing it just for the sake of change.

Just imo.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Devilsfan118

[Jimmy Leeds]

33 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Based on what you posted, not very much about the jersey switch apparently.

At least get the basic facts right next time.  You had the year of the switch wrong and you implied that the only reason the switch was even made in the first place had to do with (apparently) just about EVERY other team going with more black when that wasn't even remotely accurate.  You don't like the black, fine, but don't start making up crap that's easily proven incorrect (like that "every goddamn team practically went to some sort of black") comment.  You had the Kings making their big color switch to silver and black from the Laker colors in '88-'89, and the then-Minnesota North Stars changed their green pants to black that same season.  1991-92 saw the still-Minnesota North Stars ditch their green jerseys for blacks.  As you now know, 1992-93 was obviously the year the Devils changed out the green for black, and the Senators and Lightning went with black jerseys in their inaugural seasons.  So the massive "black coalition" jersey movement in the seasons leading up to the Devils feeling the need to copycat everyone else was a whopping two teams:  the Kings and Stars. 

If you like the green better than the black and hated the switch at the time, great...I never critiqued your position...like I've said multiple times, yes, you were in a minority, but I'm sure you weren't alone.  Nothing right or wrong about an opinion or preference and I never implied any correlation existed between your liking the old color scheme (or when it was changed) and your level of fandom.  Don't get pissy because you got some things wrong (especially the reason why the change was made)...that's on you. 

 

Are you always this condescending?  Poor me, I was off a year..........unbelievable. I'll defer to your far superior knowledge of the trivial mistake by being correct......by a year!.

 And going to black was very trendy back then. I didn't specify hockey.  Oh boy, I said "every team practically"..........shoot me and prove how great you are because it wasn't every team.   Color me impressed.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

One trend that WAS kind of annoying back in the day were the number of red-and-blacks/black-and-reds.  The Blackhawks had obviously had those colors for many many years, but it did start to get to be a bit much:

 

1992-93 Devils switch out the green for red and redesign their striping, Senators debut in red and black (3 NHL teams)

1995 Flames introduce black into their color scheme with black pants, and in their jersey trim (4 NHL teams)

1995-96 Canucks introduce a 3rd jersey that's primarily red and black (5 NHL teams)

1996-97 Buffalo completely ditches every element of their prior jerseys for red and blacks (with some gray/silver trim elements). (6 NHL teams)

1997-98 Hartford moves to North Carolina and becomes the Carolina Hurricanes, who choose the primary colors of...wait for it...red and black.  Thankfully the Canucks go with a short-lived redesign that completely does away with their recent color schemes.

1998-99 Flames add a third jersey that is primarily black with mostly red trim.  In 2000-01, it becomes one of their two jerseys.

 

In 2006-07, Buffalo dumped the red-and-blacks for their previous colors and broke out the Buffa-slugs (as well as slightly modified versions of the jerseys they wore for many years, prior to going to red and black).

Blackhawks, Devils, Hurricanes, Senators and Calgary still don red-and-black, and Calgary wears a jersey that feels almost like a rip-off of the Devils home red-and-black...but with some more teams in the league now (and some jersey redesigns through the years that have changed the color ratios), it doesn't feel as "too much" as it once did. 

 

 

 

 

[sundstrom]

On 3/24/2016 at 0:03 PM, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Based on what you posted, not very much about the jersey switch apparently.

At least get the basic facts right next time.  You had the year of the switch wrong and you implied that the only reason the switch was even made in the first place had to do with (apparently) just about EVERY other team going with more black when that wasn't even remotely accurate.  You don't like the black, fine, but don't start making up crap that's easily proven incorrect (like that "every goddamn team practically went to some sort of black") comment.  You had the Kings making their big color switch to silver and black from the Laker colors in '88-'89, and the then-Minnesota North Stars changed their green pants to black that same season.  1991-92 saw the still-Minnesota North Stars ditch their green jerseys for blacks.  As you now know, 1992-93 was obviously the year the Devils changed out the green for black, and the Senators and Lightning went with black jerseys in their inaugural seasons.  So the massive "black coalition" jersey movement in the seasons leading up to the Devils feeling the need to copycat everyone else was a whopping two teams:  the Kings and Stars. 

 

 

 

black WAS actually happening a lot in other sports. not so much the NHL, but black was becoming much more prominent for a lot of teams in PRO sports at that time. I don't have a problem with the black at all and it was a good move. I'm not about to go and do exhaustive research but i distinctly remember black becoming more prominent for a lot of teams in PRO sports.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

5 hours ago, sundstrom said:

 

black WAS actually happening a lot in other sports. not so much the NHL, but black was becoming much more prominent for a lot of teams in PRO sports at that time. I don't have a problem with the black at all and it was a good move. I'm not about to go and do exhaustive research but i distinctly remember black becoming more prominent for a lot of teams in PRO sports.

Sure, you definitely saw some more black jerseys, but it was more of a later-90s trend than early 90s.  That was my main issue with Leeds' comment...he basically projected his dislike of the current jerseys into the Devils following and copying some "black" trend that hadn't even been established yet...if anything, the Devils were a bit ahead of the curve on that front.  Off the top of my head I remember the Atlanta Falcons being one of the early teams to dump their then colored jersey (red) for black...right around when Jerry Glanville and Deion Sanders were there.

At the height of the black trend, it seemed like some teams wanted to have the best of all worlds, and sometimes it got to be a bit silly.  The Mets were a shining example of excess...for a while, they had home pinstripes, home whites, away grays, home blacks AND away blacks.  Five jerseys for ANY team is just ludicrous.  

[David Puddy]

The Devils have a sweater design that has stood the test of time for almost 25 years. The nice thing about red and black is that it will never go out of style or look dated. One of the things I love about the Devils jersey is that it is unique in two subtle ways: the shape of the shoulder yoke and the wider font used for the numbers.

Re: Jersey trends. The bright primary/secondary colors of the 70s/80s gave way to more "unique" colors in the 90s (blue-greens were big) and darkening of primary/secondary colors -- blues and greens especially.

The black trend really picked up steam in the late 90s. The peak was 03/04 and 05/06, when 13 teams had a black jersey. The fad picked up right where it left off in 08/09. 12 teams with black jerseys. Seems to be dying off a little now. I hope the Devils never do it. Guess I'm just a traditionalist, since I think change for the sake of change (or misplaced nostalgia) is dumb.

[DevilsMJ]

On March 24, 2016 at 11:28 AM, jagknife said:

Tossing my $0.02 into the ring: I wouldnt mind if they tossed in some green into the primary jerseys right now, obviously depending on where it would be. Almost melding the two era's of Devils' hockey. Now, I'm no artist or designer so I have ABSOLUTELY no clue where it would be a perfect fit, but some green could be cool. Less looking like the Wild and keep our own legacy.

I was talking to a security guard at Prudential Center and he told me that this is the thought right now for the jersey redesign when ADIDAS takes over in 17-18, he also confirmed that the Devils have made the first step towards such redesign aka hired someone. Didn't see any other chatter about this searching the board, so I thought I'd post it here.