April, 2007:

• Indiana Fever to Unveil New Uniforms on May 1 (Women's NBA)
  April 30, 2007
  The Indiana Fever will unveil their new uniforms Tuesday, May 1, as part of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s new uniform launch for each of its 13 teams. Fever players Alison Bales and Tully Bevilaqua will showcase the new Fever look during an event at Home Court in Conseco Fieldhouse at 2:00 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend, with new merchandise available for purchase. Fever training camp continues with practices through May 18. Indiana hosts a preseason opener Saturday, May 5 (6:00 p.m.) against the Seattle Storm, during an evening tabbed as Heart Healthy Night. All tickets for the first-time general admission event are $10, with $3 from each ticket being donated to the Community Health Network Foundation to benefit heart screenings throughout the region.
   
• Oregon State U. Men's Football Program Unveils New Uniforms (NCAA)
  April 28, 2007
  The Oregon State University Department of Athletics, in conjunction with Nike, unveiled the new 2007 football uniforms to “Beaver Nation” Friday at the Valley Football Center. The new uniforms and numbers incorporate a distinctive color scheme which will be exclusive to OSU. Today's announcement comes after five months of consultation between Nike and Beaver Athletics personnel. "I'm really excited about the new look,” Beaver head coach Mike Riley said. “Our players overwhelmingly approve of them and are anxious to take the field this fall. Nike is a great partner and I’m glad they recognize the value in Beaver football.” The Nike designs showcase the expanded relationship with the Beaverton-based company. This past year the OSU softball, wrestling, gymnastics and baseball programs have displayed uniforms from Nike exhibiting the new branding effort. All 17 intercollegiate sports will now feature a consistent look to apparel and uniforms.
   
• U. of South Carolina-Aiken Athletics Unveil Redesigned Pacer Logo (NCAA)
  April 27, 2007
  In conjunction with the opening of the USC Aiken Convocation Center, the USC Aiken Athletic Department unveiled a redesigned Pacer logo on Thursday at “media day” during opening week festivities of the facility. The new primary logo keeps with the tradition of past “Pacer” logos, while additional secondary logos were created to create a family of logos. Throughout the nearly year-long redesign process, a new package of logos including both graphics and wordmarks was established to not only give Pacer Athletics a more modern look, but create uniformity across the department.
   
• Pittsburgh Steelers Unveil 75th Anniversary Plans (National Football League)
  April 27, 2007
  The Pittsburgh Steelers unveiled plans today to showcase the team's 75th season with a broad range of events and festivities that will celebrate the legacy of the team and its players with fans worldwide. Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney said, "Today we are announcing a celebration of the rich history and tradition of the Pittsburgh Steelers, dating back to when my father founded the team in 1933. We are excited to share this celebration with our passionate and loyal fans worldwide." From throwback uniforms to an All-Time Team and a new team mascot, the celebration will recognize the greatest moments in Steelers history. The All-Time Team that will represent the top players in the Pittsburgh Steelers history, selected by a vote of the fans. Beginning today, fans worldwide can vote for the players they feel should be part of the All-Time Team by visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers website at www.steelers.com, at any PNC Bank location or via a ballot that will appear in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
   
• Uni Watch by Paul Lukas - "It's a Numbers Game"
  April 26, 2007
  The operative number in sports this month has been 42, as dozens of MLB players have paid tribute to Jackie Robinson by donning the forty-deuce. And that got Uni Watch thinking. Because let's face it, wearing Jackie Robinson's number, even if only for a day, is a pretty obvious gesture. But it's a little more subtle to wear, say, 37 because you were the 37th pick in the NBA draft (as Nick Van Exel once did), or to wear 49 because your last name matches the state capital of Alaska, the 49th state (that would be Joe Juneau). And those are just two of the countless explanations for why players have worn particular numbers.
   
• Philadelphia Eagles Unveil 75th Anniversary Plans (National Football League)
  April 25, 2007
  The Philadelphia Eagles unveiled plans Wednesday to celebrate 75 seasons of Eagles football in Philadelphia, including a designated throwback game complete with the uniform colors of 1933. "We will celebrate 75 years of Eagles football and the most passionate fans in the NFL during the 2007 season," Eagles chairman/CEO Jeffrey Lurie said at a press conference held at the NovaCare Complex. Joining Lurie was Eagles play-by-play radio announcer Merrill Reese, considered to be the official "Voice of the Eagles." Reese, whose voice has marked some of the biggest moments in franchise history over the past 30 years, shared his favorite memories of the team. In addition, those in attendance were treated to a special highlight video of great Eagles moments, produced by Eagles Television Network.
   
• Northeastern State U. (OK) Unveils New Athletics Logos (NCAA)
  April 24, 2007
  Students, faculty, staff and members of the Tahlequah community waited months to see the new Northeastern State University RiverHawks logo, and Tuesday they got their chance. The new logo was revealed at a special celebration held in the University Center Rozell Ballroom, commemorating nearly a year of work selecting and implementing a new mascot for the institution. Designed by Rickabaugh Graphics, an Ohio-based graphic design firm experienced in collegiate mascot transitioning, the logo incorporates the new image of the university with a unique typography to create an original look for NSU.
   
• Virginia Tech Student-Athletes to Wear Commemorative Patch (NCAA)
  April 20, 2007
  Starting tonight with the Virginia Tech baseball game, all Hokie athletic teams will wear a commemorative patch on their uniforms for the remainder of the year. The patch consists of the Virginia Tech logo inlaid over a black oval. Across the logo is a banner that reads "Remembers", along with the date 4.16.07. The opening pitch of the baseball game is set for 7 p.m.
  
  
   
• South Carolina Stingrays Unveil 15 Year Anniversary Logo (ECHL (hockey))
  April 20, 2007
  The South Carolina Stingrays will take on a new look for the upcoming 2007-08 season, the team announced today. The Stingrays have changed their logo for next season to reflect the 15 Year Anniversary of hockey in the Low Country. The logo will be featured on the exclusive Season Ticket Holder gifts including the pint glass and commemorative ticket booklet in addition to a third team jersey and selected merchandise.
  
  
   
• Columbus Dispatch - "Image Touch-Up"
  April 19, 2007
  A college education is one of the biggest purchases many people will make, but you'd never know it from the way it's been marketed. Now, colleges are taking a closer look at how they sell themselves to prospective students, alumni and the world outside. "It's a very competitive landscape," said Bill Faust, chief strategy officer and partner in Ologie, a branding firm in Columbus. "Demographics are shifting in the other direction, and schools are now competing more for the better students." Plus, Faust said, college-tuition costs have risen dramatically. "It's a more premium product now. Like any premium product -- a car, a house, whatever -- you have to have a premium brand if you want to succeed."
   
• Bryn Mawr College Unveils New Athletics Logo (NCAA)
  April 19, 2007
  After nearly a year of meetings and discussion, the brand new Bryn Mawr athletic logo has finally arrived. The logo was unveiled last Thursday night, April 12, in Schwartz Gymnasium to a sea of athletes, students and staff members. Acting Director of Athletics Jody Law opened up the festivities with a little history of the department's decision to commission the logo, before introducing seniors Cara Petonic (Track and Field) and Stephanie Wujcik (Lacrosse) to unveil the new logos. Petonic and Wujcik both served on the committee for the new logo.
   
• Purdue U. Unveils New "Boiler Up" Logo (NCAA)
  April 16, 2007
  The Purdue Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is excited to introduce a new "Boiler Up" logo to accompany the popular phrase for the upcoming 2007-08 sports seasons. "Boiler Up" has become a favorite axiom of Purdue fans in recent years and often is said by fans to one another in passing on game days. It even has found its way (unofficially) into the school fight song, "Hail Purdue," and is a popular chant among fans during key moments of athletic contests.
   
• U. of South Carolina Unveils New Men's Football Uniforms (NCAA)
  April 13, 2007
  The University of South Carolina Athletics Department has agreed to partner with Under Armour, Inc. (NYSE: UA) as the official outfitter of the University's Division 1-A football team, Athletics Director Eric Hyman announced today. Beginning with the Gamecocks' 2007 football season, the Baltimore-based performance leader will outfit the Gamecocks squad from head-to-toe in Under Armour performance apparel and footwear. The new six-year football-only contract with Under Armour is worth approximately $10.8 million ($600,000 cash and $1.2 million in product per year). The previous contract with Russell Athletics paid the University $450,000 per year and covered four sports. "This is a phenomenal deal for the University of South Carolina," said Hyman. "We had several companies interested in outfitting the Gamecocks. Through negotiations we were able to parlay the success and excitement that football has created to significantly increase the amount of revenue generated from our apparel contract. This is a football-only agreement that will have a residual benefit on many of our other Varsity sports." "As head coach, I'm extremely happy that we are associated with Under Armour," said Steve Spurrier. "This is one of the fastest rising companies in the country and the leader in performance apparel and footwear. The players enjoy wearing Under Armour gear and we look forward to showcasing the new uniforms in 2007. It's a real cool deal."
   
• Uni Watch by Paul Lukas - "What Better Time to Discuss Superstitions?"
  April 13, 2007
  Back when the NCAA basketball tourney was about to start, there was a lot of fuss -- some of it coming from Uni Watch -- about Florida's new gator-print uniforms, which came in several colors and were expected to be the talk of the tournament. But as it turned out, Florida never wore the reptilian pattern during the tourney. Why? Because they wore the gator-print unis just before the tournament, in a game against Tennessee, and got thumped. "We're superstitious," Joakim Noah later said. "The jerseys are nice, but Tennessee wasn't one of our best games, and the numbers don't lie."
   
• Fullerton Flyers Change Name to Orange County Flyers (Golden Baseball League)
  April 11, 2007
  Last week the Golden Baseball League sold the Fullerton Flyers to a local, Orange County-based investment group, headed up by Entrepreneur Alan Mintz from Newport Coast, CA. Mintz, CEO of publicly traded Buckeye Ventures Inc ., is an experienced minor league baseball owner and was a producer on the feature film, Rudy. Today, Mintz and partners, entertainment attorneys Harris Tulchin and Bob Young have changed the team identity to the Orange County Flyers. The team colors and logo will remain the same, with the exception of the name "Fullerton" being replaced by "Orange County" on all logos, team letterhead, etc. They will also continue to play at Goodwin Field on the Campus of Cal State Fullerton.
   
• East Texas Baptist U. to Unveil New Men's Football Uniforms (NCAA)
  April 11, 2007
  There have been several notable changes within the East Texas Baptist University football program since the end of last season. Add another one to the list – the Tigers will unveil a new set of game uniforms and helmets for the first time since the program resurrected from a 50-year absence to play in the 2000 season. Gone are the gold helmets, gold pants and all-white road uniforms the Tigers have played in the last seven years. One of the first orders of business for new head coach Mark Sartain when he was hired in December was to give the Tigers a fresh, new look, and that meant making some serious changes to ETBU’s game-day attire.
   
• Harrisburg City Islanders Unveil New Uniforms (United Soccer League - Second Division)
  April 11, 2007
  The Harrisburg City Islanders introduced the majority of their roster and unveiled their 2007 uniforms in a press conference on Wednesday morning at the Capital BlueCross Headquarters Building in Harrisburg. Capital BlueCross, a presenting sponsor of the City Islanders, hosted the event for the fourth straight year. Players sported the club's 2007 home uniforms, supplied by JAKO USA, Inc., the club's Official Uniform Supplier since its inception. This year's edition features the Capital BlueCross logo prominently across the chest. Aside from the JAKO mark, the corporate images of two other Presenting Sponsors are featured on the jerseys: SNICKERS brand and the Dauphin County Executive Commission on Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco (DCDAT). In addition, the City Islanders unveiled the much anticipated "Pink Jersey" that the team will sport during their May 5 home game. The jerseys will be auctioned following the match with the proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a charitable organization whose goals are to save lives and end breast cancer forever.
   
• Oregon State U. Unveils New Brand Identity System (NCAA)
  April 6, 2007
  Oregon State University is proud to announce an enhanced brand identity system to represent OSU’s athletic teams on the fields and courts. The new look is a result of a collaborative effort between the University, Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and Michael Morrow of Morrow Creative Group. The new identity system establishes a distinctive and consistent font type in addition to a new “OS” logo. The new “OS” logo will be secondary to the nationally established Beaver head that appears on the field at Reser Stadium, football helmets and on the court at Gill Coliseum. For Athletics the new “OS” is considered a spirit mark that already has been implemented by some teams including the defending baseball national champions. Oregon State’s athletic teams have used several variations of logos in the past, including the block “O”. The goal of the new logotype is to create a unique appearance that will be easily identifiable throughout the nation.
   
• Uni Watch by Paul Lukas - "The Real Story Behind the Green Jacket"
  April 5, 2007
  Every guy is taught that he should always help a woman on with her coat. But if you're a guy putting a coat on another guy, it can mean only one of three things: You work in a men's clothing store; you're a butler; or you're last year's Masters champion and you're putting the green jacket on the new champion. For some reason, photographers love to document this rare moment of man-on-man haberdashery assistance. It's like, "Yo, wanna see two guys getting way too excited about clothing, or a millionaire being forced to act like a menswear clerk at JC Penney?
  
   
• Uni Watch by Paul Lukas - "A Kosher Look at Judaism in Baseball"
  April 2, 2007
  Why is today different from all other days? First, it's Opening Day for most MLB teams (don't even get Uni Watch started on Opening "Day" games that take place on Sunday night). And sundown this evening marks the beginning of Passover. So with the calendar offering a rare confluence of the chosen game and the chosen people, and given Jews' long-standing prominence in the schmatte trade, Uni Watch thought this would be a good time to check out the uniform stylings of Jewish ballplayers past and present. So grab a kosher hot dog, have the usher save a seat for Elijah, and check out these sultans of Semitic swat...