There is "no question" the Raptors "broke with tradition to unveil their new jerseys Monday night, a slate of fresh uniforms that the team hailed as bold and attention-grabbing, but has been dubbed by some as 'safe' and 'underwhelming,'" according to Alex Ballingall of the TORONTO STAR. SportsLogos.net Founder Chris Creamer said that the new jerseys "are similar to the existing ones." Creamer: “They’re really boring, and it sort of leaves me asking, ‘What’s the point?’” Toronto Film School Motion Graphics instructor Matthew Stasyna, who makes Raptors artwork on his blog, said, “I thought it was a practice jersey, to be honest with you” (TORONTO STAR, 8/5).
BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY: ESPN.com's Paul Lukas wrote, "These uniforms aren't bad. They're not great, mind you, but they're a small upgrade over the team's previous set." All four of the designs "use the same template with the same graphics and simply swap out the colors of the various elements." Lukas: "It's definitely an improvement over the previous shorts, which had that awful wraparound butt striping. I had expected the Raptors to go with a more radical redesign, so it's surprising to see them opting for relatively incremental changes. Their look still feels too generic and too nondescript, but they're getting there" (ESPN.com, 8/4). YAHOO SPORTS' Dan Devine wrote the new strips "seem to strike a similar tone to the ones introduced earlier this offseason" by the 76ers and Bucks -- "clean and minimalist, seemingly aimed at retooling rather than revolutionizing the team's look." Whether that is "considered a good thing or a bad thing might depend on the age and sartorial adventurousness of the beholder." But there is "something to be said for keeping things simple, even if it's a bit safe for some." Devine: "I wouldn't blame Torontonians for being bummed out that none of the four new jerseys actually bears the name of their city." But it would be "nice to get some nature of clear recognition of the city that's supported the club through thick and thin" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/4).
