Carolina fans will be seeing a more streamlined look next year. It's part of a move to reign in the various permutations of the Tar Heel brand. There will be no more 50 shades of blue in Chapel Hill. There's now a strictly defined shade of Carolina Blue. And that familiar Alexander Julian-designed argyle stripe you've seen on the team's basketball uniforms? Expect to see more of it, even on football jerseys.
The University has released a 50-page set of guidelines covering all aspects of how the school's look should – and should not – be displayed.
The idea is to make the uniforms, well, more uniform.
The Carolina blue and white pattern dates back to the 1790s, when it was adopted by two of the school's debating societies. But as college sports expanded, so did UNC's look. Its logo started as an interlocking N&C. A snarling ram was introduced in the 1920s. Also seen on Tar Heel uniforms - a cartoonish foot with a splotch of tar.
The argyle was added to the basketball uniforms in 1991 at the request of legendary Coach Dean Smith. It proved lucky–the team won a national championship the next year. There are strict new protocols covering that design, too.
The re-branding effort is the result of an 18-month collaboration with sports apparel giant Nike. The new uniforms will debut in the fall.
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