What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:
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The Portland Timbers worked some more marketing magic with the introduction on Tuesday of a third uniform (or kit, in soccer parlance).
The all-white uniform with green lettering and yellow accents is similar to the jerseys worn by the original North American Soccer League Portland Timbers. The Alaska Airlines logo is the same as the one the airline used in the 1970s, and the Timbers’ crest is similar to that of the 1975 club.
Being old school, we like the old-time uniforms, which the team will wear several times during the 2012 season. And having them designed and made by Adidas in Portland — from recycled materials, no less — is a nice touch.
Talking Points did hear one complaint about the uniforms: An observer argued that they cannot be accurately described as retro because these shorts are not as short as they were back in the 1970s.
We will leave that discussion to others.
(Click here to see the uniforms on the Portland Timbers website)
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One thing the Timbers are not is short-sighted. We see these alternate uniforms as another example of the Timbers expertly connecting with the community by embracing soccer’s history here.
Of course, the main motivation for alternate uniforms is to sell replica jerseys. The first chance for fans to don replicas of the new/old jersey is to buy one of 2,012 limited-edition gift boxes on sale for six days at the team store at Jeld-Wen Field or online at portlandtimbers.com. We suspect those gift boxes (priced at $175) will sell quickly.
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