Hello and welcome to Jersey Corner, a new web series evaluating jerseys across the sports universe and telling the story behind their origins and history.
A bit about me: I have a lot of jerseys. Some might say too many jerseys. And those people would be….absolutely right, I have sunk way too much money into this. This was a huge mistake.
But! Since I have more jerseys than anyone else I know, I figure that makes me an authority. Right? No? Well, I at least have somewhat of a platform on a sports blog, which is enough for me.
There is a lot going on in the jersey world with advertisements in the NBA, Adidas taking over the NHL, plus the ongoing color rush atrocity in the NFL. Teams are rebranding seemingly every year. Someone ought to have a look at what works and what doesn’t. Thus, I figure I’d share my myriad of thoughts with you, the viewing public.
Today, we’re looking at one of the greatest gifts the 1990s ever gave us: the original road jersey of the Toronto Raptors.
Just look at it in all its dated splendor. The purple. The giant cartoony mascot. The jagged design. It’s truly an embodiment of the decade.
These were used by the Raptors for their first four seasons. They feature a jaggedy font, a giant uniformed basketball-playing raptor, lightning bolt pinstripes, and nameplates with stegosaurus spikes. What a masterpiece.
The Raptors have since rebranded not once, but twice. The purple has been left behind, as has their lil’ dino buddy. But these threads will live on in basketball lore as one of the most memorable designs ever created.
How does it rank on a scale of 1-10? Watch the video listed in the summary below to find out!
Every jersey has a story. If you have a jersey you want me to review, tweet @CaseyBryant51 with your suggestion. Be sure to subscribe to the GetMoreSports channel and download our sports app today.
Plus, check out my long-form story, “Vinsanity,” breaking down the rise and career of the best dunk artist of all time, Vince Carter. The video is featured below.
Thanks, and welcome to Jersey Corner!
“Jersey Corner with Casey Bryant: Vinsanity”
