So, did you all see Louisville’s new court for this upcoming season?
If not, here’s what it’ll be looking like:
Home Sweet Home.
— Louisville Athletics (@GoCards) August 1, 2019
Legacy never goes out of style.
: https://t.co/A5mLS8CIFV#GoCards pic.twitter.com/PCynGHOKjf
Now ask yourselves something: When was the last time Kentucky did something that cool? Seriously, when was the last time?
Over the past 10 years, Kentucky has hardly done anything remotely that cool, like going with a throwback floor for the entire season, and quite frankly, it’s annoying to me as a die-hard fan and writer of Kentucky sports.
The last time Kentucky even did anything close to that was bringing back some retro uniforms in 2014 against Florida at home:
But even still, that was a one-off occasion and Kentucky has not done it since.
Meanwhile, other big programs across the country do commemorative throwback nights, change up the jerseys for a night, etc.
Michigan, this past season:
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) February 14, 2019
Yup, we’ll be rocking these sweet throwbacks vs. Michigan State on Feb. 24. #GoBlue x #WearMaize x 2.24.19 pic.twitter.com/dTzr0o2AxV
Michigan State, two seasons ago:
Introducing our new retro jerseys honoring MSU's original name, Michigan Agricultural College! pic.twitter.com/wFceofwcZ5
— Michigan State Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) January 11, 2017
Tennessee, this past season:
Keep it classic. pic.twitter.com/VvsEHzMc3P
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) November 21, 2018
Louisville, this past season:
Saturday, we honor our first Final Four team.#GoCards pic.twitter.com/VqSumgFEvf
— Louisville Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) February 15, 2019
North Carolina, this past season:
TOMORROW. #CarolinaSZN pic.twitter.com/ixQ9djXQ3R
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) February 4, 2019
Kansas State, two seasons ago:
Goosebumps.#KStateMBB vs TCU
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) November 11, 2017
- Jan. 20, 2018 pic.twitter.com/RnqlwEXIfT
Villanova, two seasons ago during the NCAA Tournament:
Game Uniform: White Retro 1985s #LetsMarchNova #MarchMaddness pic.twitter.com/v6NExBnu92
— Villanova MBB (@NovaMBB) March 15, 2018
Florida, this past season:
Retros for szn 100. 1994
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) February 4, 2019
v4 of 4 from @Jumpman23 pic.twitter.com/7t1fpWlLZP
Arkansas, this past season:
It's time to party like it's 1994
— Arkansas Razorbacks Basketball (@RazorbackMBB) February 8, 2019
Coming to Bud Walton Arena on 3.2.19 pic.twitter.com/7TXdsAw4xC
The point that I’m trying to make is that Kentucky, Mitch Barnhart, and the marketing department simply don’t do enough to honor some of the past teams and traditions from Kentucky Wildcats history, or even just switching it up from time-to-time and having some black jerseys or grey jerseys or some sort of alternate.
Yeah, it’s cool bringing back some older guys and letting them do the ‘Y’ for one game, or honoring the 1958 team at halftime, but if you really want to appeal to the common fan, if you want them to care about a specific game on your home schedule, being that the home non-conference schedule is lackluster, do something fun like every other program in the country does.
Do something exciting like having a one game appearance of the original Rupp Arena floor along with matching jerseys from that time. Or even playing a game back in Memorial Coliseum.
Wear the 1996 denim jerseys or the 1993 striped jerseys. Do something fun, please.
I understand that Kentucky has this history and aura to uphold as a traditional power that “doesn’t need flashiness to succeed,” well North Carolina doesn’t need flashiness. Louisville doesn’t need it. Villanova doesn’t need it, and so on and so on.
Instead, Kentucky has been stuck with terrible checkerboard jerseys for the past three, going on four seasons, that both fans and players hate, serve no purpose in terms of history of the state, were copied from Tennessee’s end zones, and yet, people in charge refuse to change them simply due to stubbornness.
If you want to have a more fun environment and get people to come to more games, do something fun, such as our neighbor down the road is doing this season and in seasons past.