New Uniforms

When uniforms in all sports started they were pretty much heavy, bulky, rough pieces of wool crudely sewn together. Now uniforms are just as technical as the equipment covering the sports. Light fabrics that wick away sweat to make you lighter, skin tight material that keeps you warm and your barely wearing anything at all. Uniform sponsorships in all the major sports lead to newer and newer technology and better competition between companies. Currently Reebok makes uniforms for both the N.F.L. and the N.H.L. Adidas, primarily a soccer company has expanded their sports repertoire by branching out and sponsoring the N.B.A. Majestic has won a fierce battle with Reebok and Nike to sponsor M.L.B. But just because one company has won the sponsorship of a sport doesn’t mean they own it forever. NFL Equipment, made by Reebok, held a monopoly over all uniforms, gloves and arm protection worn in football. This year however, the juggernaut that is Nike slipped in and was allowed to make gloves for the players they sponsored. Paul Lukas columnist for ESPN’s Page Two, writes a weekly column called Uni Watch, wear he points out idiosyncrasies in the uniforms and writes about the new technology taking place in them. (His site can be viewed here). Reebok developed streamlined uniforms for the N.H.L. that make the players more aerodynamic and give them less weight to have to carry around. Technology contributes to all aspects of sports, to the way there covered, to the things the athletes wear, and it will change over and over again.