Advertisement

Clippers unveil black 'Downtown' alternate jersey, inspire more jokes

Eric Freeman
Chris Paul attempts to block the Clippers logo from this photo (via Clippers.com).
Chris Paul attempts to block the Clippers logo from this photo (via Clippers.com).

Few announcements compelled more derision this offseason than that of the Los Angeles Clippers' rebranding effort. The combination of a clip-art logo and exceedingly plain uniforms caused many observers to wonder if the designs were even real and indirectly improved reactions to other franchises' new looks simply because they didn't seem quite so terrible. It's not entirely clear why they were so bad — one rumor indicates it could have been a rushed job farmed out to another team's design group — but very little could adequately explain this terrible product.

[Play Yahoo Daily Fantasy and get a 100% deposit bonus with your first deposit]

The negative reaction did not deter the Clippers, though, and they are rolling out alternate uniforms as if everything were perfectly normal. The latest design came on Friday, when they unveiled black uniforms meant to promote to downtown Los Angeles, the location of the Staples Center. You can see various photos of the alternates intersperesed throughout this post.

The plan is to make Saturday night home games a social event. From the official press release:

The L.A. Clippers are bringing L.A.’s love for a big night out to downtown basketball with the launch of DTLAC (www.clippers.com/DTLAC), exclusive to Saturday Night home games for the balance of the 2015-16 regular season.

Starting Saturday, Nov. 7 versus the Houston Rockets, DTLAC will be anchored by the player’s exclusive wearing of the team’s black alternate uniform at home. Fans are also encouraged to wear all-black on Saturday nights.

In addition to the black alternate uniforms, DTLAC will offer entertainment and fan experiences synonymous with good times in downtown LA: [...]

“The Clippers are a flagship of downtown Los Angeles and our games are often a big night out for fans,” said Gillian Zucker, President of Business Operations, L.A. Clippers. “DTLAC will elevate our fans’ entertainment experience by inviting the neighborhood into our home and shining a spotlight on our city’s great retailers, artists and entertainers.”

Austin Rivers actually quite likes his new uniform and thinks it complements his goatee nicely (via Clippers.com).
Austin Rivers actually quite likes his new uniform and thinks it complements his goatee nicely (via Clippers.com).

Planned events include a laser-light show performed on LED wristbands given to every fan, musical performances (starting with Rae Sremmurd this Saturday), occasional pregame block parties, and something described only as "The Unexpected." Frankly, it all seems like a pretty good idea even if it leads to the terrifying vision of Steve Ballmer dancing to "No Flex Zone."

[Follow Dunks Don't Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]

The problem, though, is that the Clippers' attempt to create a hip Saturday event will invariably struggle as long as it is tied to their very poor uniforms. One glance at the black alternates is enough to make you wonder if the team simply discovered that the home white jerseys were reversible practice tops that could be turned inside-out. There's nothing cooler than saving money!

Sadly, the Clippers will probably be stuck in this situation until their next rebrand. No alternate jersey or fan event is cool enough to transcend their current look. On the bright side, the new logo and uniforms have worked in at least one respect — no one is talking about the team's history of losing.

- - - - - - -

Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!