NIKE, Inc. and the NBA recently came out with a brand new way of interacting with jerseys.
They designed three different types of uniforms that give fans (and players) each a different experience or interaction with their favorite team. The first one called the “NBA Connected Jersey”, gives the consumer an all access pass into their favorite teams or players. Nike also created a Therma Flex Showtime Warm-up jacket. The players were first seen wearing these jackets during their warmup and then preceeded to the pregame as well as during the game on the benches. This was a statement piece because this will be the first time that NBA has seen hooded jackets on the court during game time. The last edition this collaboration included was Statement Edition uniforms.
Nike and the NBA have collaborated since the very beginning. This step time in fan interaction really bumps their experience to a whole other level.
“Our Nike uniforms set a new standard for connecting our most passionate fans with their favorite NBA teams and players,” said Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner. “Nike has once again taken the game of basketball to a new level, this time with one of the most advanced jerseys in sports.”
The new NBA Connected Jersey will have a NFC (near field communication) chip that connects all the information the user wants right on the phone. The fan will have access to their favorite players pregame playlists, pregame arrival footage, etc. Once the fan purchases their beloved jersey, they download the NikeConnect app and their interaction begins. If a consumer, loves Steph Curry from the he can buy his jersey and through that jersey they can gain access to information on NikeConnect.
The Statement Edition uniforms are also in collabration with connecting the icon edition uniforms Nike created earlier this year. Blake Griffin (as seen above) is modeling the Statement Edition jersey. Lastly, the Therma Flex Showtime warm-ups were created to integrate performance and style. Designers wanted to combine street wear and performance to the game so it is more useful and interactive.