(09-19-2022 09:37 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 12:28 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 09:31 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 11:27 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Branding professionals in college sports obviously disagree with you based on the number of combinations going on at top programs that are successfully driving merchandise sales and brand recognition.

How many combinations are going on at TexasU? aTm? OU? Bama? USC? Ohio State? Michigan? Penn State?

A&M has quite a few over the past few years…white, maroon, grey, and black, with matching, white, or maroon helmets. Logos have been the standard aTm or aTm/state outline. Stripes on the helmets have come and gone.

Texas released an alternate black one, but I don’t believe they’ve worn it in a game.

Michigan has worn white, blue and yellow and combinations of each.

Ohio Stare has worn black and all scarlet at least once each.

Bama and Penn State have not worn an alternate uniform that I’m aware of.


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Yeah, Mark.... respectfully....

The aTm and horns and TT for tech and UH for UH etc have all remained essentially unchanged for decades.... This is their BRAND. The color or shading or stripes or what have you is not the brand.

I like the OE-R as a brand. The color combinations, the shading and shadowing, stripes, depictions of Sammy, even the font on RICE or OWLS does not even have to be consistent, unless we're making THAT our brand. I've seen 'Aggies' in script, block, vertical, slanted, curved...but aTm has ALWAYS been (with only MINOR changes) their 'brand'.

You can do all these other things including all of the various depictions of Sammy, wings etc... just keep the R.

ANd it can be subtle... like having an OE-R on the shield at the v neck, or on the center back of say a Track or Tennis or golf shirt... or on the cap... or the socks.... or the gloves (though I prefer it look like wings) or knee pads or shoes...

Respectfully, another team we have all wanted to emulate on the field, TCU, has had almost as many alternate and throwback uniforms as anyone in the sport.

Anyone else remember this one? https://twitter.com/AlphaJason/status/11...8346112000

(09-19-2022 10:53 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 09:37 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 12:28 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 09:31 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 11:27 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Branding professionals in college sports obviously disagree with you based on the number of combinations going on at top programs that are successfully driving merchandise sales and brand recognition.

How many combinations are going on at TexasU? aTm? OU? Bama? USC? Ohio State? Michigan? Penn State?

A&M has quite a few over the past few years…white, maroon, grey, and black, with matching, white, or maroon helmets. Logos have been the standard aTm or aTm/state outline. Stripes on the helmets have come and gone.

Texas released an alternate black one, but I don’t believe they’ve worn it in a game.

Michigan has worn white, blue and yellow and combinations of each.

Ohio Stare has worn black and all scarlet at least once each.

Bama and Penn State have not worn an alternate uniform that I’m aware of.


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Yeah, Mark.... respectfully....

The aTm and horns and TT for tech and UH for UH etc have all remained essentially unchanged for decades.... This is their BRAND. The color or shading or stripes or what have you is not the brand.

I like the OE-R as a brand. The color combinations, the shading and shadowing, stripes, depictions of Sammy, even the font on RICE or OWLS does not even have to be consistent, unless we're making THAT our brand. I've seen 'Aggies' in script, block, vertical, slanted, curved...but aTm has ALWAYS been (with only MINOR changes) their 'brand'.

You can do all these other things including all of the various depictions of Sammy, wings etc... just keep the R.

ANd it can be subtle... like having an OE-R on the shield at the v neck, or on the center back of say a Track or Tennis or golf shirt... or on the cap... or the socks.... or the gloves (though I prefer it look like wings) or knee pads or shoes...

Respectfully, another team we have all wanted to emulate on the field, TCU, has had almost as many alternate and throwback uniforms as anyone in the sport.

Anyone else remember this one? https://twitter.com/AlphaJason/status/11...8346112000

Not all.

(09-19-2022 10:53 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Respectfully, another team we have all wanted to emulate on the field, TCU, has had almost as many alternate and throwback uniforms as anyone in the sport.
Anyone else remember this one? https://twitter.com/AlphaJason/status/11...8346112000

But they've always been in the role of the kid brother trying to attract attention and catch up. The ones on top don't change. The ones chasing keep changing in the hope of finding a magic logo.

(09-19-2022 11:21 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 10:53 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Respectfully, another team we have all wanted to emulate on the field, TCU, has had almost as many alternate and throwback uniforms as anyone in the sport.
Anyone else remember this one? https://twitter.com/AlphaJason/status/11...8346112000

But they've always been in the role of the kid brother trying to attract attention and catch up. The ones on top don't change. The ones chasing keep changing in the hope of finding a magic logo.

And yet, they've still managed to establish a brand that is easily recognizable and a large and vocal fanbase. Hell, it's a small part of what has helped them move up the conference ladder. Winning was most important, but eyeballs following them was right up there too.

For the record, we ARE the kid brother and likely always will be. We will always struggle for attention even when we win big. Leveraging every avenue to get that attention while we work toward fixing the product on the field is a good thing. Maintaining the OER most of the time is important, but it's more than OK to go with alternates on occasion to excite the casual fan.

(09-19-2022 11:30 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Maintaining the OER most of the time is important, but it's more than OK to go with alternates on occasion to excite the casual fan.

How often is "on occasion"?

The concern I expressed at the start of this discussion is that "uniform of the week" does not seem a like a good idea.

How about this as primary logo:



And this as secondary logo:



With the wings from that one going on the helmets, and all or part of that logo going on other unis as appropriate.

Get rid of the chicken and the modern font "RICE" or "RICE OWLS."

Do whatever you want with uniforms beyond that, just maintain a consistent brand.

(09-19-2022 12:00 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 11:30 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Maintaining the OER most of the time is important, but it's more than OK to go with alternates on occasion to excite the casual fan.

How often is "on occasion"?

The concern I expressed at the start of this discussion is that "uniform of the week" does not seem a like a good idea.

2 games a year doesn’t seem too out of line. It’s not like we’re dropping “Rice” from the uniforms. Adding the OER somewhere would be a nice touch even if it is the smaller brand on display on alternate uniforms. I’d be ok with more if the OER were incorporated. Driving attention to our program is a good thing. Just my opinion, of course.


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(09-19-2022 12:06 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  How about this as primary logo:



And this as secondary logo:



With the wings from that one going on the helmets, and all or part of that logo going on other unis as appropriate.

Get rid of the chicken and the modern font "RICE" or "RICE OWLS."

Do whatever you want with uniforms beyond that, just maintain a consistent brand.

That or some variation of it. I also like the OER/Texas logo that was used against USC. Too many people still have no idea where Rice is located.


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(09-19-2022 10:33 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 09:37 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 12:28 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 09:31 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 11:27 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Branding professionals in college sports obviously disagree with you based on the number of combinations going on at top programs that are successfully driving merchandise sales and brand recognition.

How many combinations are going on at TexasU? aTm? OU? Bama? USC? Ohio State? Michigan? Penn State?

A&M has quite a few over the past few years…white, maroon, grey, and black, with matching, white, or maroon helmets. Logos have been the standard aTm or aTm/state outline. Stripes on the helmets have come and gone.

Texas released an alternate black one, but I don’t believe they’ve worn it in a game.

Michigan has worn white, blue and yellow and combinations of each.

Ohio Stare has worn black and all scarlet at least once each.

Bama and Penn State have not worn an alternate uniform that I’m aware of.


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Yeah, Mark.... respectfully....

The aTm and horns and TT for tech and UH for UH etc have all remained essentially unchanged for decades.... This is their BRAND. The color or shading or stripes or what have you is not the brand.

I like the OE-R as a brand. The color combinations, the shading and shadowing, stripes, depictions of Sammy, even the font on RICE or OWLS does not even have to be consistent, unless we're making THAT our brand. I've seen 'Aggies' in script, block, vertical, slanted, curved...but aTm has ALWAYS been (with only MINOR changes) their 'brand'.

You can do all these other things including all of the various depictions of Sammy, wings etc... just keep the R.

ANd it can be subtle... like having an OE-R on the shield at the v neck, or on the center back of say a Track or Tennis or golf shirt... or on the cap... or the socks.... or the gloves (though I prefer it look like wings) or knee pads or shoes...

I agree with you. I’m not for going with a completely different brand every game. I’d like to see the OER included in every combination of uniform we wear.

At this point we’ve gone with an alternate uniform and a throwback. Depending on how the rest of the season goes, we’re likely in line with many other teams around the country and return to established branding for the rest of the season. I don’t know that for sure.

My point is mainly that the complaints about branding on this board are generally all about nothing when taken in context of entire seasons. The OER us our primary brand and is now being used in most of our branding. Could it be better, yes. Are a few alternate uniforms per year an issue, absolutely not because they bring positive attention when the product on the field has not necessarily done it on its own. Should the OER be more prominent in the alternate uniforms, yes, no question.

As you’ve said many times, we need to do unconventional things to attract fans. Alternate uniforms on occasion is just one piece of that equation and per groups like Uniswag, we’ve executed well on that front. Lots of positive traffic on the internets about Rice football based on the last 2 weeks. It’s not the same as winning, but we are reaching audiences who have never cared about Rice Football in the past and getting at least a little positive attention from them.


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We went with a throwback helmet. Other than that the uniform was a modern combination that we have worn in the last couple of years, complete with the modern font (please correct if I am wrong). I think in our haste to go modern (I guess is what you would call it), we are so generic as to be almost indistinguishable to the casual fan. I like Numbers suggestion of wings on the helmet and OER (w Texas outline) on the shoulders or sleeves and Rice in OER on the front. Our current uniforms don't really identify us unless you are up close.

ETA- I liked the throwback helmets last week.

(09-19-2022 10:53 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 09:37 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 12:28 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 09:31 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(09-18-2022 11:27 AM)markbrindley Wrote:  Branding professionals in college sports obviously disagree with you based on the number of combinations going on at top programs that are successfully driving merchandise sales and brand recognition.

How many combinations are going on at TexasU? aTm? OU? Bama? USC? Ohio State? Michigan? Penn State?

A&M has quite a few over the past few years…white, maroon, grey, and black, with matching, white, or maroon helmets. Logos have been the standard aTm or aTm/state outline. Stripes on the helmets have come and gone.

Texas released an alternate black one, but I don’t believe they’ve worn it in a game.

Michigan has worn white, blue and yellow and combinations of each.

Ohio Stare has worn black and all scarlet at least once each.

Bama and Penn State have not worn an alternate uniform that I’m aware of.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, Mark.... respectfully....

The aTm and horns and TT for tech and UH for UH etc have all remained essentially unchanged for decades.... This is their BRAND. The color or shading or stripes or what have you is not the brand.

I like the OE-R as a brand. The color combinations, the shading and shadowing, stripes, depictions of Sammy, even the font on RICE or OWLS does not even have to be consistent, unless we're making THAT our brand. I've seen 'Aggies' in script, block, vertical, slanted, curved...but aTm has ALWAYS been (with only MINOR changes) their 'brand'.

You can do all these other things including all of the various depictions of Sammy, wings etc... just keep the R.

ANd it can be subtle... like having an OE-R on the shield at the v neck, or on the center back of say a Track or Tennis or golf shirt... or on the cap... or the socks.... or the gloves (though I prefer it look like wings) or knee pads or shoes...

Respectfully, another team we have all wanted to emulate on the field, TCU, has had almost as many alternate and throwback uniforms as anyone in the sport.

Anyone else remember this one? https://twitter.com/AlphaJason/status/11...8346112000

I don't really understand why you respond to my comment by bringing in even another team.... but I'll play. No, I don't want to emulate TCU. I don't want to emulate ANY of them. I just want us to have a clearly recognizable brand... so that when someone ANYWHERE sees it, they know what/who we are... That's the whole point of a brand.

Even TCU MOSTLY sticks to the TCU and some 'view' of the horned frog... sometimes facing left, sometimes right, sometimes zoomed in on the face etc... but clearly the same frog. They even use the TCU on a shield as I suggested at the V on the collar.

Artemis is a 'one off' and that's fine... and it can be alluded to in future uniforms etc..

but you spoke of the BRAND... and the BRAND for all of the schools you mentioned, including (from my perspective anyway) TCU is consistent.

I'd say the OE-R is even more identifiable than the word Rice (in any font). At least the R, you know its a logo of some sort and likely a team.

(09-19-2022 09:40 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Rice's black could officially be "dark grey."

Two things about this:
1. The gray the football team is currently wearing is already awfully dark. The pants on Saturday were that color, and frankly they looked silly with the silver helmet. Silver or light gray pants should have been brought in to match the throwback helmet. Someone was either being cheap or not paying attention to detail.
2. The blue we wear is not the official Rice blue; what we wear is more akin to a stuffy corporate blue. Thus, it would appear that we are already wearing two colors that are substantially darker than our official ones. Do we really need to add black to that?

As to the items being discussed in this thread:
- yes to a consistent brand
- no to gimmick uniforms more than twice a season
- yes to the permanent establishment of the OER as our clear brand and the simultaneous banishment of that nonsense JK's regime brought in
- no to black alternates of any kind going forward (we've already had them in basketball)
- and a tentative yes to a return to the actual blue and gray of Rice (which hasn't been addressed in this thread AFAICT)

Once again:



This is by far the best uniform we've ever had in football. Update the uniform cut, the materials, and the striping (just a bit), and there's your core brand. Pretty simple stuff. The blue is not to my taste, but I can live with it if everything else is on point (which it is in the above picture). The winged helmet from the Hatfield era could also be swapped in here and it would look just fine.

(09-19-2022 07:24 PM)Wiessman Wrote:  

(09-19-2022 09:40 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Rice's black could officially be "dark grey."

Two things about this:
1. The gray the football team is currently wearing is already awfully dark. The pants on Saturday were that color, and frankly they looked silly with the silver helmet. Silver or light gray pants should have been brought in to match the throwback helmet. Someone was either being cheap or not paying attention to detail.
2. The blue we wear is not the official Rice blue; what we wear is more akin to a stuffy corporate blue. Thus, it would appear that we are already wearing two colors that are substantially darker than our official ones. Do we really need to add black to that?

As to the items being discussed in this thread:
- yes to a consistent brand
- no to gimmick uniforms more than twice a season
- yes to the permanent establishment of the OER as our clear brand and the simultaneous banishment of that nonsense JK's regime brought in
- no to black alternates of any kind going forward (we've already had them in basketball)
- and a tentative yes to a return to the actual blue and gray of Rice (which hasn't been addressed in this thread AFAICT)

I went and looked at the official university colors found at https://brand.rice.edu/design-elements

Question, have we ever used actual Rice Blue in any competitive sports? It would be fascinating to see the actual combination of Rice blue and gray utilized.

(09-19-2022 10:40 PM)Pan95 Wrote:  I went and looked at the official university colors found at https://brand.rice.edu/design-elements

Question, have we ever used actual Rice Blue in any competitive sports? It would be fascinating to see the actual combination of Rice blue and gray utilized.

What annoys me is that the color swatch used to represent "Rice Blue" doesn't even seem to conform to the color codes. If you look up, say, Pantone 280, the blue that appears is a bit richer and lighter than the color swatch shown on the Rice page (IMO). To my knowledge, the color shown in other places for Pantone 280 is our actual blue. It might be a nitpick, but if we used that blue for our uniforms, I think they would all look better.

Does the below uniform look to be actual Rice Blue? Thoughts? It looks lighter than the older uniforms, but I still think it is too dark and washed out:



I might be OK with this uniform if they just restored the OE Rice and the block numbers to the jersey.

(09-19-2022 07:41 PM)Wiessman Wrote:  Once again:



This is by far the best uniform we've ever had in football. Update the uniform cut, the materials, and the striping (just a bit), and there's your core brand. Pretty simple stuff. The blue is not to my taste, but I can live with it if everything else is on point (which it is in the above picture). The winged helmet from the Hatfield era could also be swapped in here and it would look just fine.

Agree. This is our best uniform