The University of Kentucky unveiled its new home and away football uniforms Friday at Commonwealth Stadium. The updated uniforms were designed in conjunction with Nike and will be worn by the Wildcats beginning in 2004.
The objective in the updated uniforms was to create and enhance instant brand recognition. The unique uniform silhouette with the traditional team brand across the chest salutes the past and represents the present and future of Kentucky football. It also provides instant visual identification of the brand “Kentucky.”
?With the uniforms we previously had, if you didn?t already know our team, you really wouldn?t be able to see that we were Kentucky,? senior quarterback Shane Boyd said. ?Now, we will wear ?Kentucky? across our chest. The new look is great.?
Both current and former players met with Nike designers and UK Athletics personnel to add input for the new look. The uniform desi gners took the lead of the student-athletes in the development of the new uniforms. Additionally, extensive research was performed by designers into the history and traditions of the University and all of its athletics programs.
A replica of the No. 7 jersey will be available for purchase at the UK Bookstore, beginning Friday, June 11 and at Dawahare?s and All Sports later this month. The jerseys also will be available for purchase on ukathletics.com beginning July 1.
The Cats will don a throwback uniform on Oct. 2 versus Ohio.
A replica of the throwback jersey, bearing the No. 98 will be available in retail outlets this summer. Game worn throwback jerseys will be auctioned on ukathletics.com following the Ohio game on Oct. 2. Mini and full-size throwback helmets will be available at all six home games and online at ukathletics.com.
Description of uniforms:
The home and away uniforms maintain the traditional and authentic Kentucky Blue. They are adorned by applique ?Kentucky? across the chest of the uniform with white applique numbers. A white stripe is tapered four inches from the arm pit and extends through the bottom of the jersey until it tapers again six inches above the knee. Additionally, the players? name will be on the reverse of the jersey. The neck and sleeve ring will have colors opposite that of the jersey’s primary color. That is, the home jersey (blue) has a white band around the neck and sleeves while the away jersey (white) has a blue band around the neck and sleeves. From the shoulder to the waist band the jersey will have silver piping.
The throwback jersey is derived from the designs of several uniforms worn by Kentucky in the past. The throwback jersey is solid blue with two white stripes around the shoulders. The helmet was worn in the late 1960’s but the jersey has never been worn before. The jersey is from no specific year, but is a potpourri of Kentucky uniforms of the past. Likewise, the helmet is blue with two white stripes down the top. The mark on the side of the helmet is the silhouette of the Commonwealth with a Wildcat?s head.
(L-R) John Logan, Keenan Burton, Coach Rich Brooks and Shane Boyd unveil the new uniforms
