Kitted Out

SPORTS KITS REIMAGINED

Some sports kits are almost as famous as the teams that wear them. Manchester United’s red, the Green Bay Packers, well, green. They live beyond the sports played in them, and turn the teams into globally recognized brands. 

But what would happen if we took those kits and applied them to different sports? Would they be just as recognizable with a different sort of ball, or different sleeves, or different players?

There’s only one way to find out. 

FOOTBALL KITS FOR DIFFERENT SHAPED BALLS

Some football kits are famed worldwide, with fans being able to pinpoint the exact season and lineup that wore them. But what if they weren’t kicking balls, and were instead bouncing them or running with them, fast, into massive men?

Barcelona shines stateside

Barca’s famous blue and red kit has been worn by the club ever since the 1900s, but no one’s quite sure where it came from. Rumors include that it was inspired by a school kit attended by their old club president, or that it came from FC Basel - the home club of Barca’s founder, Joan Gamper. 

The stripes of the 21/22 season lend themself perfectly to basketball, adorning the vest in a way that’s very complimentary of those worn by the likes of the Chicago Bulls in the past. 

In the NFL, the stripes would form the chest panel, while the red and blue would extend over the shoulder pads and sleeves.

Whatever sport they play, you can be sure of slick passing, fancy footwork, and a bulging trophy cabinet. We reckon Dani Alves would do pretty well in the NFL.

Liverpool’s red makes a statement in any sport

You know your kit is strong when the color is also your nickname. The Reds, or Red Men as Liverpool are affectionately known, might be famous for the full red kits, but that wasn’t always the way for Jurgen Klopp’s side. In fact, when they started, they wore a kit more like that of city rivals Everton, and only switched to all red in 1964 when legendary manager Bill Shankly made the suggestion. 

The theory was that all red would make Liverpool look more imposing, and the same is true in both basketball and American football. On the court, red vests are sleek and stylish, while ‘The Reds’ nickname replaces the traditional Liver bird crest. 

In the NFL, the sight of a fully red kit running directly at you would be enough to strike fear into any competitors’ eyes, while the Liver bird sits proudly on the helmet. 

Chelsea look just as good on the court

Chelsea’s home shirt sports a unique design, with different shades of blue forming a zig-zag/ chequered pattern. The club has always played in blue, but it started out as a much paler shade, based on the racing colors of former club president Earl Cadogan. The modern combination of a blue jersey, blue shorts, and white socks goes back as far as 1964 when they decided to sport a more modern design. 

It’s a design that works whatever sport is being played in it. The basketball version is a paired back version of the football kit, with a 70/30 split between both patterns. In the NFL, the zig-zag effect spreads around the shoulder pad, while the combination extends onto the helmet which is paired with a bright yellow grill. 

NFL DESIGNS MAKE A BIG IMPACT

In the NFL, kits are often bold and in your face, just like the sport itself. Designs are rarely overly complicated, instead choosing singular colors that work well with big printed numbers and names over the top. This lends itself nicely to a little reimagination…

Cincinnati Bengals take football to the dark side

The Bengals’ jersey would make for a rare sight in other sports - a fully black kit. The addition of Bengal stripes might remind keen football fans of when Hull City adopted a tiger print on their kit. But things haven’t always been this unique for the Cincinnati side - up until the 1980s, their uniforms were modeled on those used by the Cleveland Browns, with no animal print in sight!

The stripes go missing on basketball jerseys - no sleeves means no need for them. But on football kits, they make a real statement, and would surely make them a must-have for any kit collector. 

Green Bay Packers prove a green, mean, fighting machine

Green isn’t a color you often find in outdoor sports, for the simple reason that it blends into the grass. That makes it hard for TV channels and live spectators to see what’s happening. But if we put that to one side for the sake of fun, we can see that the Green Bay Packers’ colors bring some retro-chic whenever they’re applied. 

Hunter green and athletic gold have formed the team’s colors since the 1950s, before which they wore a navy blue jersey. 

In basketball, this makes the Packers look more like the Boston Celtics, while on the football pitch their shirts would make a very stylish third kit for any club wanting to appeal to their fashion-conscious fans. 

New England Patriots bring American pride to every arena

Could the Patriots be anything other than an American sports franchise? Their colors of blue, white, and red are taken directly from the national flag and scream ‘American passion’ whenever they’re won. 

In fact, when applied to a basketball jersey they bear a striking resemblance to Team USA’s kit, while you wouldn’t be surprised to see the national team running out in the football kit either. 

Patriots by name, patriots by shirt design. 

BASKETBALL KITS ARE A SLAM DUNK ACROSS THE GLOBE

Basketball jerseys have one important difference from other sports - they’re missing sleeves. That means the designs have less space to play with, taking up a lot of the canvas with big numbers and team names. The influence behind these designs lies largely in hip-hop - loose-fitting, oversized clothes made for movement, comfort, and style. 

Chicago Bulls lead the fashion charge

The Bulls love red. So much so that they’ve played in it ever since their first-ever season back in 1966, with only a few minor changes being made in the seasons that followed. Wording has moved, numbers have been repositioned, and there was even a drop shadow for a while (very WordArt), but red has always remained.

In the NFL, this really stands out. Coupled with a black undershirt and helmet, it’s a real eye-catcher and would look great packing out stadiums. On a football kit, it goes a little bit AC Milan. OK, it goes a LOT AC Milan. Black and red stripes would look right at home in the San Siro, while the Bulls logo makes for a fantastic club crest.

LA Lakers would brighten up any league

When you’re based so close to Hollywood, gold really does need to play a part in your team’s jersey. The Lakers regularly attract big celebrity names to their home games, so they need a kit they’d be proud to wear. The gold background shines bright on the court and transcends really well to other sports. 

It makes a shining statement in the NFL, coupled with a purple undershirt that provides great contrast. In football, it makes for a bold, simple shirt that players’ names would really stand out on.

The New York Knicks would bring a new color combo to the Premier League

Orange and blue isn’t a color palette you see often in sport, so if the Knicks were to branch out they’d definitely be bringing something new to most arenas. Their jersey design has changed throughout their time on court, but their most modern look is based on one of the most successful eras in their history - the 1967-1975 championship years.

Will it bring success back to Madison Square Garden? Who knows? But it certainly looks impressive when applied to an NFL kit, and would stand out in the Premier League too.