As part of the spring football activities Saturday, the University of Missouri trotted out new uniforms for several sports. Some sports get major changes, others don’t.
I completely understand the logic behind the move. It’s marketing.  More uniform styles mean more merchandising possibility and more money in the athletic department coffers. The new look will play well with prospective student athletes. Any legal advantage is a good one.  The new looks also help make a statement that things are changing as Mizzou moves into the Southeastern Conference.
Basketball’s look doesn’t change much with one exception. I don’t like the new men’s basketball road uniforms for professional reasons. Dark gray numbers trimmed in gold on a black jersey are hard to read. Those numbers are there first and foremost to help officials and the scorekeeper identify players.  Those numbers help the fans and the media tell the players apart.
I was disappointed to see the M disappear from the football helmets. That’s almost like taking the rams horns off the St. Louis Rams helmets or the arrowhead off  the Chiefs helmets.  There are three helmet styles. I don’t understand why one version couldn’t retain the M.
The numbers are easily readable on the football uniforms—unlike with Oregon and some of the Oklahoma State uniforms over recent years.  The black uniforms made me think of the Fulton Hornets.  What controversy there is over the football uniforms will be lessened if the football program keeps up the winning ways established over the last several years.

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