So it’s become one of the biggest things in college football over the last decade, new and different team uniforms.
It seems to me, it began years ago with Phil Knight from NIKE and the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks seemed to almost have a different uniform each week. What it seems to have evolved into is now, teams will create special and different uniforms for either important conference games and/or rivalry games.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 01: Notre Dame Fighting Irish mascot “The Leprechaun” performs during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cowboys defeated the Fighting Irish 37-35. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The latter is why the Fighting Irish create new and different uniforms. Eleven years ago, the Irish began something called “The Shamrock Series”. It’s usually a game, played on a neutral field, sometimes, as the Irish did in the first Shamrock Series game, the game is as far away as Ireland. The Irish aren’t going to Ireland this year. This year, the Shamrock Series game will be played in Las Vegas, on October 8th against the BYU Cougars.
SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 19: A general view of the “Golden Dome” on the campus of Notre Dame University before the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the University of Southern California Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 19, 2013 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
With the Shamrock game came new and different uniforms. Don’t forget, and this is true for ALL of the teams that trot out something different, it also spices up sales in the bookstore. Sure, fans want to make sure they’re properly outfitted, representing they’re favorite team, but there’s just so much of that merchandise that you need. Unless, unless, your team comes up with a different look, a look you’ve got to have. I shutter to think how much the bookstore at the University of Oregon had to go through when they started.
Now, back to the Notre Dame uniforms. Another aspect that has developed with the addition of the “new” uniform is HOW you create an event to get the fan base excited about the change. This year, for the 2022 Shamrock Series the Irish went full “The Hangover” and created this video. They enlisted the help of a couple of famous echoes from the past, read, the Golic family to assist. Even Coach Freemen gets involved. Take a look at the 13 minute video.