Throwback uniforms, throwback jerseys, retro kits or heritage guernseys are sports uniforms styled to resemble the uniforms that a team wore in the past. One-time or limited-time retro uniforms are sometimes produced to be worn by teams in games, on special occasions such as anniversaries of significant events.
Throwback uniforms have proven popular in all major pro and college sports in North America, not only with fans, but with the teams' merchandising departments. Because the "authentic" uniforms (accurate reproductions) and less-authentic "replicas" had been so popular at retail, the professional leagues institutionalized throwbacks as "third jerseys". In some instances, teams will wear "fauxbacks", which are new retro-style uniforms harkening back to a time that predates the team itself. For example, though the Tampa Bay Rays first took the field in 1998, they have worn 1979-style uniforms on several occasions since introducing them in 2012, and have also worn pre-1998 jerseys of several defunct local minor league teams, including the Tampa Tarpons and Tampa Smokers.
American football
National Football League
Throwbacks were introduced in the NFL in 1991 at retail through the NFL Throwbacks CollectionSteelers' throwbacks create buzz by Mike Bires on timesonline.com. Oct 2012Telling the story of the origin of NFL Throwback jerseys - Tiedman. 10 Apr 2020. The rights to produce the vintage apparel was limited to six apparel licensees, including Tiedman & Company Sportswear (exclusive to jerseys), Riddell (helmets), Starter (caps), Nutmeg Mills (sweatshirts), and DeLong (jackets). The first throwback uniform worn on the field in NFL was by the New York Jets in 1993. In 1994, to honor the NFL's 75th Anniversary, all 28 teams were allowed to wear modern versions of their old uniform styles.
In their 80th anniversary, the Pittsburgh Steelers released a throwback uniform that honored the 1934 team. The uniform was a gold and black horizontal-striped jersey white squares containing the numbers.Pittsburgh Steelers 80th Anniversary Throwback Jerseys: You Be the Judge by Andrea Hangst, April 17, 2012 The throwback uniform was worn twice during the regular season. and drew major media attention. USA Today said that the Steelers looked like "bumblebee[s] in a Depression-era chain gang."
The NFL imposed a new rule for the 2013 season prohibiting the use of alternate colored helmets, eliminating many of the historically accurate throwback uniforms that had been in use up to that point. Teams are still allowed to use alternate decals (or no decals at all) for their throwbacks, but they must use them on the regular helmets.Breech, John (September 17, 2013). Buccaneers scrap plans to wear creamsicle throwback uniforms . CBS Sports. Retrieved September 19, 2013. The one-helmet rule was repealed in 2022, allowing a number of teams to revisit classic uniforms from the past, such as the New York Giants' 1980s blue uniforms, and the Tennessee Titans' powder blue uniforms of their predecessors, the Houston Oilers.
College football The Clemson University football team wore throwback uniforms in a single game during the 1995 season (October 7 vs. Georgia), in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Clemson's football program. The uniforms resembled those of the 1939 Tigers, Clemson's first bowl team. In a continuation of the centennial celebration, the uniforms were also worn for one game the following season, a September 7, 1996, contest against Furman.
The Texas Longhorns college football team wore throwback uniforms for a single game during their 2005 national championship season as a way of honoring the past. The throwback jerseys were similar to jerseys worn during their 1963 National Championship season under Coach Darrell K Royal.
The University of Illinois football team wore throwback uniforms in a single game on September 6, 2008, in honor of the re-dedication of the renovated Memorial Stadium. The uniforms were styled after the 1960s-era uniforms worn by linebacker Dick Butkus.
The University of Virginia football team wore throwback uniforms in a single game on September 6, 2008, in honor of Virginia's teams from 1984 through 1993. The university's athletic department termed the game a "Retro Game" instead of using the term "throwback". The University of Virginia football team also wore throwback uniforms in a single game on September 29, 2012, in honor of Virginia's 1968 team and Frank Quayle.
The University of Florida football team wore throwback uniforms in a single game on September 30, 2006, in honor of Florida's teams in the 1960s.
The University of Washington football team wore throwback uniforms on September 29, 2007, to honor the 1960 national championship team. The throwback jerseys were dark blue with gold helmets. On October 16, 2021 the Huskies again wore throwback jerseys to honor the 30th anniversary of the 1991 national championship team.
For the 2009 and 2010 seasons, as part of Nike's Pro Combat program, several college football teams, including Ohio State and Oregon State wore throwback-inspired uniforms. In addition, for the 2009 playing of the "Holy War" rivalry against the University of Utah Utes (and also in the Las Vegas Bowl), the BYU Cougars donned royal blue throwback uniforms to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their 1984 National Championship season. These throwbacks, along with another alternate royal blue uniform, have been employed occasionally in subsequent seasons; since in 2014, they have been worn for the team's homecoming game each year.
The Kansas Jayhawks football team wore throwback uniforms on October 1, 2011, to honor the 50th anniversary of the 1961 KU football team, winners of the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl, the program's first-ever bowl victory.UniformCritics.com, Photos of 2011 Kansas Jayhawks Throwback Uniform. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
The University of Oregon football team wore throwback uniforms on October 8, 2016 to honor the 100th anniversary of the 1916 team, then known as the Webfoots. The jerseys were navy blue with yellow "Webfoots" lettering across the chest.
Association football
'Retro shirts', as they are known in the United Kingdom, are also sometimes used in association football, albeit with modern fabrics. In 2005–06 Arsenal changed their home colours from their traditional red and white to a variant of maroon known as redcurrant as a commemoration of their final season at Highbury Stadium; this colour was supposedly the same shade the team had worn when they first played at Highbury in 1913, although later evidence suggested that Arsenal's main colour at that time was a more standard shade known as 'Garibaldi red'. Redcurrant, however, still played a part in their kits since; most recently on their yellow change kit featuring redcurrant shorts and pinstripes on the shirt and socks, between 2010 and 2012.
Manchester United wore several retro-style kits in the 1990s and 2000s, based on kits the worn by the club in the 1950s and '60s, as well as that worn by their first ever team, known then as Newton Heath. The Newton Heath-inspired kit was introduced in 1992 and worn for two seasons as a third kit. They wore a replica of their jersey from 1958 during the Manchester derby against Manchester City on February 10, 2008, at Old Trafford to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster four days earlier. United were granted special dispensation by the Premier League to wear the one-off uniform which was devoid of logos and kit markings, and used the traditional "one to eleven" numbering scheme rather than using squad numbers. In a gesture of solidarity, Manchester City similarly removed the sponsor and manufacturer logos from their kits for the game, giving their shirts the same clean and empty look resembling the plain shirts of the 1950s when logos and team badges were not worn. However, they used the current season's kit style and chose not to go the whole distance in producing a retro-looking kit; retaining the club crest, competition sleeve patches, and the player name and squad number on the kit but added a black ribbon above the right breast. The previous season, 2006–07, United introduced a similar 1950s-style uniform to celebrate 50 years of the Busby Babes' first league championship. After their Champions League victory in 2008, United introduced another retro-style kit for 2008–09, celebrating the 40th anniversary of their first European Cup win. The club unveiled an all-blue third kit, based on the one worn against Benfica in the 1968 final.
In 1999, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its foundation, A.C. Milan introduced a retro kit that was worn on several official matches by its players across the 1999–2000 season. The kit resembled the thin stripes design of the first silk shirts used by the club in the first decade of the 20th century.
More authentic reproductions of kits from the past have become popular fashion items, especially jerseys linked to successful or memorable teams. When France won the 1998 World Cup, their uniform was reminiscent of the design of the triumphant Euro 1984 team, with a red horizontal stripe and three thin horizontal stripes across the chest. Germany clearly based their 2018 World Cup design, featuring an unusual angular stripe pattern across the chest, on the shirt they wore while winning the trophy in 1990,Germany 2018 World Cup Home Kit Released, Footy Headlines, November 6, 2017 although they failed to attain the same level of performance. Several other nations at that tournament had designs based on 'classics' of 20–30 years earlier.Every World Cup 2018 shirt rated and slated out of 10, Football Shirt Collective, June 10, 2018
When the United States men's soccer team took the field between 1999 and 2001, their plain white uniform with a thick V-neck collar looked reminiscent of the U.S. Soccer Federation's first uniform worn in 1916. A similar uniform (named "centennial jersey") was produced in 2013, complete with vintage crest, to mark the 100th anniversary of the USSFUS Soccer unveils centennial uniforms by Jeff Kassouf on equalizersoccer.com. March 1, 2013.
For the FIFA Centenary Match in 2004, France and Brazil played in kits resembling their first ever home kits. The Brazilian team wore white tops with blue trim, the original colours of their home kit, which was replaced in 1951 by today's yellow top with green trim after the 1950 World Cup defeat.
To commemorate their 100th anniversary in 2005, Argentine club Boca Juniors released a series that consisted of five kits that paid tribute to some of the most iconic models in the history of the club. Those kits, manufactured by Nike, included new versions of the 1907 (the first blue and gold model worn by Boca but featuring a diagonal band)La vez que Boca se vistió a lo River: el día que jugó con la camiseta de la banda on tycsports.com. 14 Jan 2023 and 1981Edición Xentenario Xeneize 1905 – 2005 (the only year Diego Maradona played for the club, winning the Metropolitano championship6 historias poco conocidas de Diego Maradona en el Boca campeón de 1981 on infobae.com. 6 Mar 2020) models. Those kits were worn only in friendly pre-season tournaments such as Torneos de Verano (Argentina)El día que Boca jugó con una camiseta similar a la de River on marketingregistrado.com. 14 Jan 2021, while the rest of throwbacks were directly put up for sale.
Tottenham Hotspur celebrated their 125th anniversary during the 2007–08 season by launching a special kit in the club's early colours, sky blue and white, which were originally worn in 1885. The kit was worn for one game only, a 4–4 home draw to Aston Villa.