The Warriors on Saturday wore "alternate black jerseys featuring 'The Town' in tribute to Oakland," and plan to "wear the jerseys for most Saturday regular-season home games and select road contests," according to Marc Spears of THE UNDEFEATED. The familiar symbol of an oak tree -- Oakland "used to be inhabited by a large forest of oak trees"-- was featured on the jersey "inside a circle with the jersey number underneath it and 'The Town' atop the circle." The jerseys are part of the leaguewide "Statement Edition uniform." The team in recent seasons has "worn 'The City' jerseys" as a tribute to their days in S.F. from '62-71. Warriors President & COO Rick Welts said that the franchise "brought up the idea of getting 'The Town' jerseys included in the NBA several years ago, but it took time to get it done." Warriors CMO Chip Bowers "began working" on the Oakland tribute jerseys in '15. He saw some novice “The Town” jerseys "online with the cranes from the Port of Oakland and Oakland’s Tribune Tower building." The Warriors also "considered using a logo of the eastern span of the Bay Bridge," but eventually "decided to use their own variation of an oak tree." The Warriors also "discussed the use of the oak tree with the city of Oakland and local clothing line Oaklandish." Bowers was "hoping 'The Town' jersey could debut last season, but the process and excitement over the addition of Nike as a league uniform sponsor pushed it back." Bowers: "The ironic thing is people are saying that, ‘Now that you are going to leave to San Francisco in two years, this is kind of your goodbye.’ That could not be farther from the truth. To us, it’s part of our broader brand position in the market" (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 11/24).
DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME: In Oakland, Logan Murdock wrote that while the Warriors' new jerseys did "little to acknowledge the team’s presence" in Oakland, the organization in recent years has "embraced its longtime home." The team in '15 "opted to hold its championship parade along the banks of Lake Merritt, then followed suit with the latest championship celebration in June." Aside from "observing their accomplishments in the city, the Warriors have also immersed themselves in the community, donating more than 70 courts around the city" (EAST BAY TIMES, 11/26).
PURPLE REIGN? In California, Bill Oram notes nearly a quarter of the way into the season, the Lakers' colors of "purple and gold” have "mostly just been 'the gold.'” The Lakers have "worn their gold uniforms 11 times in their first 19 games, including in five of their eight road games." The look that for "decades signaled that the Lakers were playing at home ... has become the workhorse of the team’s sartorial rotation." The Lakers will be "able to don purple" beginning tonight against the Clippers, because teams were "prohibited from wearing their so-called 'Statement' jerseys until after Thanksgiving" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/25).
