{"id":230706,"date":"2024-03-20T16:18:25","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T08:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/?p=230706"},"modified":"2024-03-20T18:36:39","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T10:36:39","slug":"march-madness-nike-college-colorways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/2024\/03\/20\/march-madness-nike-college-colorways\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s March Madness, So Let\u2019s Pay Tribute to Nike\u2019s College Colorways"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s that time of year again\u2014brackets<\/a> are being filled out, analysts are picking games<\/a>, and excitement is palpable as 21 March 2024 approaches. That\u2019s when the first round of the 2024 Men\u2019s NCAA Tournament kicks off, signifying the beginning of March Madness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you live outside the US of A, chances are you might not be familiar with one of the biggest sporting events in American history. And what connection does it have with Nike\u2019s college-inspired colorways? Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Is March Madness?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The NCAA is short for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. In other words, March Madness is a college basketball tournament\u2014one that makes a lot of money. According to Investopedia, \u201cthe NCAA earned US$1.28 billion in revenue in 2022\u20132023, with about US$1 billion coming from March Madness alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason why college sports is a marquee event for millions of Americans, is because for a long time, professional sports\u2014with the exception of baseball\u2014wasn\u2019t really a thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe biggest American Football stadiums were all for college sports,\u201d says YouTuber Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the NBA came onto the scene in 1949\u2014a decade prior to that, in fact\u2014the first NCAA tournament kicked off. In the 85 years since, there have been countless moments that have shaped basketball history, and just as many players who have gone on to be successful in the NBA (think: Al Horford, Stephen Curry, Gordon Hayward, Anthony Davis, and Tyus Jones, among others).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Stephen Curry’s 2008 March Madness run<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Players\u2019 careers can be made\u2014and broken\u2014in a singular moment in the NCAA, because, unlike in the NBA, where games are played in a best-of-seven series, NCAA games are just a single round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, coupled with eight minutes less on the clock, a closer three-point line, and no home court-advantage, makes for volatile games that can lead to unlikely outcomes\u2014situations known as \u201cupsets\u201d. Case in point: Marquette beating UNC-Charlotte at the absolute last second in 1977.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What all this means is that the infrastructure of March Madness makes it a fertile ground for the underdog to shine\u2014and we all know that people love a good Cinderella story<\/em>. As Vox put it in one of their explainers, \u201c…in a lot of ways, March Madness is more fun than the NBA.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Iconic Be True To Your School Campaign<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe mid-\u201980s was the last golden era of sports,\u201d says Jeff Staple in an interview for a documentary Nike made on the story of the Dunk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the mid-\u201980s, the stage was set for college basketball to be the most significant among all the sports played in college. The Final Four became one of the biggest sporting events in America. And in 1985, Nike seized the opportunity and seeded all four teams playing in the NCAA semifinals with their shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That game featured 11 future NBA players\u2014stars like Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, Nike did something even wilder in August that year. Riding on the hype train, they released a Frankenstein\u2014albeit a beautiful one\u2014the Dunk High. It\u2019s an amalgamation of four of the best basketball shoes the Swoosh had at the time: the Legend, the Terminator, the Air Jordan 1, and the Air Force 1.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Nike’s 1985 “Be True To Your School” Campaign<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey took what was happening in the stadiums, and then they took what was happening in their shoes, and then they put [the] two records together and did a remix,\u201d explained Jeff Staple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret ingredient they used was color-blocking. Back then, that was a disruption to the sneaker game, because shoes were a lot whiter then. A big part of the reason was the NBA\u2019s rule that 51% of shoes had to to be white. Of course, the Air Jordan 1 started the disruption, but the Dunk added to the fray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another reason why it worked so well, was that the \u201880s was a time period where shoes were a lot more uniform, and wearing what was most popular wasn\u2019t as frowned upon as it is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, Nike\u2019s iconic \u201cBe True To Your School\u201d campaign was born as a genius way to market the shoe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What College-Inspired Colorways Meant for Fans<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The campaign tapped on people\u2019s desire to represent something larger than themselves. Big panels of the Nike Dunk were blocked off in signature colors of the school they represented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total, BTTYS featured apparel and Dunks for 12 colleges. The sportswear giant teamed up with powerhouses like the University of Iowa; University of Kentucky; University of Michigan; Georgetown; St. John\u2019s; Universtity of Nevada, Las Vegas; and Syracuse\u2014making the all-new Dunk High their official shoe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What this did for fans was give them the chance to wear the exact same shoes they saw adorning their heroes\u2019 feet. It gave people a chance to represent, in no understated way, their college colors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what probably set the college colorways apart the most and caused them to strike such a chord with fans, is that they made kids feel like they had a shoe that was their very own. A sort of yeah, sure, Jordan has his own shoe\u2014but now I do, too<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Look At Some Nike College-Inspired Colorways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the spirit of March Madness, we\u2019ve decided to take a look at some classic college-inspired Nike colorways. Some of the silhouettes we\u2019ve chosen span further than the Dunk, which is a testament to how much these colors resonate with fans and how they aren\u2019t restricted to a type of shoe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The University of Iowa: Iowa Hawkeyes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The University of Iowa\u2019s colors are black and gold. In 1887, a disgruntled student named Marvin H. Dey felt that the school needed its own official colors, and thus gold was chosen by a committee. After a debate between \u201cold gold\u201d and \u201cplain gold\u201d, the former was officially declared as the university\u2019s color.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nike Dunk High SP \u201cIowa\u201d 2020 is a great throwback to the original BTTYS collection launched in 1985. It features the classic colorway of the Iowa Hawkeyes\u2014a sleek Black base contrasted by bold Varsity Maize overlays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cWu-Tang\u201d Dunks of 1999 may have borrowed this iconic scheme, but the \u201cIowa\u201d definitely rocked it first. The pair boasts a premium all-leather upper, a comfortably light padded nylon tongue, and a touch of heritage with a woven Nike tag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Michigan State University: Michigan State Spartans<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Michigan State University rocks a Spartan green and white color palette. While the origin story behind this color scheme is murky, we do know that in 1899, records show discussions about adopting a green monogram for athletes. Additionally, many believe that the colors became more widespread when the school\u2019s first full-time athletics director, Chester L. Brewer, arrived on the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nike Dunk Low \u201cMichigan State\u201d takes a page from the Spartans\u2019 playbook and joins the court in a familiar green and white colorway. This low-top iteration stays true to its 2020 high-top counterpart, featuring a classic BTTYS aesthetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A crisp White leather upper serves as the canvas for bold Green accents on the Swoosh, toe box, and heel overlaps. Tradition is kept with a woven tongue label, and durability is ensured via a tough rubber outsole that features the same tread pattern originally designed for domination on the hardwood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The University of California: UCLA Bruins<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Back in the 1930s, UCLA\u2019s jerseys and logo sported a combination of dark blue and white. Then, change came in the 1950s: to make player numbers more distinguishable, especially on film, UCLA went bolder with a darker shade of blue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, in 2004, the university officially adopted a specific shade of blue (Pantone 285) and gold (Pantone 123) to ensure consistent branding. These official colors continue to represent UCLA today.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nike Dunk Low \u201cUCLA\u201d boasts a University Gold upper that\u2019s accented by crisp Blue Jay overlays and a matching Swoosh. For a touch of heritage, a woven Nike tag sits on the breathable nylon tongue, balanced by the embroidered Nike wordmark on the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This low-top rides on a classic rubber outsole, featuring clean White sidewalls and a grippy Blue Jay outsole geared for performance on hardwood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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St. John\u2019s University: St. John’s Red Storm<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The St. John\u2019s Red Storm color palette consists of red, blue, and gray\u2014with red standing out as the boldest color. Its significance points to an event that took place much further back in history than the university\u2019s founding in 1870.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the late Fr. James W. Moore, S.J., selected red because of St. John the Baptist\u2019s martyrdom for his faith. Ultimately, this unwavering heart position to stick to one\u2019s beliefs and to accept the consequences\u2014come what may\u2014is the kind of boldness reflected in Nike\u2019s iteration of a shoe dedicated to the Red Storms.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nike Dunk Low Retro SP \u201cSt.John\u2019s\u201d gets a retro makeover, honoring the shoe\u2019s 35th anniversary and its roots in college basketball. Inspired by the original BTTYS series of 1985, this low-top Dunk features a clean two-tone look featuring White and University Red.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upper is crafted from premium leather, with a crisp White base contrasted by bold University Red overlays and the signature Swoosh. Classic Nike branding completes the design, gracing the woven tongue tag, sockliner, and heel tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: North Carolina Tar Heels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNC\u2019s iconic color palette, consisting of Carolina blue and white, boasts a rich history intertwined with the very foundation of the school. Back in 1795, shortly after UNC opened its doors, two prominent student organizations, the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, rocked their own distinct colors; light blue and white, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward to the late 1880s, when intercollegiate athletics was now a pursuit for the school, light blue and white were a natural choice. The light blue resonated so strongly, that by the 1920s, it had earned its own distinctive name: Carolina blue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps what gave it even more recognition was the fact that the man, the myth, the legend himself\u2014His Airness, Michael Jordan\u2014rocked the colors when he played on the team during his college days.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG \u201cUniversity Blue\u201d honors Michael Jordan\u2019s collegiate legacy and offers a fresh take on a classic silhouette. It showcases a color scheme reminiscent of his alma mater and is crafted from premium leather. The base is crisp White, and it pops against the University Blue overlays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The iconic Swoosh gets a bold Black treatment, complementing the Black accents on the collar, tonuge tag, and the recognizable Wings logo. In keeping with the heritage theme, the outsole is a brighter shade of blue. It offers a superior grip with its multi-directional traction pattern and a pivot point strategically placed under the forefoot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Georgetown University: Georgetown Hoyas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue and gray are the colors of choice for this university in Washington, DC. Their origins are intertwined with the Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865. During the war, over a thousand students and alumni answered the call of duty and fought on both sides of the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eleven years after the conclusion of the war, in 1876, Georgetown students selected blue and gray as the official colors of the school\u2014a choice that has been interpreted as a gesture of unity, aiming to bridge the divides left by the war. The colors symbolize reconciliation between former classmates who fought on opposing sides.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nike Air Jordan 3 Retro \u201cGeorgetown\u201d celebrates the Georgetown Hoyas\u2014a powerhouse team that Michael Jordan famously faced on his path to an NCAA championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shoe features a premium Midnight Navy tumbled leather upper, a classic choice of material for Jordans. The familiar elephant print overlays appearing on the toe and heel add a touch of texture and heritage. For branding, Jumpman logos grace the Cement Grey synthetic leather tongue and molded Midnight Navy heel panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To continue the legacy of comfort and performance, the sneaker boasts a lightweight polyurethane midsole with a visible Nike Air unit tucked under the heel for optimal cushioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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University of Kentucky: Kentucky Wildcats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 1891, on the eve of a football game against Centre College, UK students were deciding which shade of blue to use for their school colors when Richard C. Stoll\u2014who lettered in football at UK at the time\u2014pulled off his necktie and held it up. And that was the choice. However, it was accompanied by a light yellow at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White came into the picture and replaced yellow a year later, and those colors have been synonymous with the Kentucky Wildcats and their passionate fanbase ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Nike Dunk Low Retro SP \u201cKentucky\u201d pays homage to Nike\u2019s BTTYS series of 1985, borrowing the UK\u2019s unforgettable colorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally a high-top basketball shoe designed for the Wildcats, this version gets a modern twist with a versatile low-top build. The upper is crafted from crisp white leather, accented with bold Varsity Royal overlays that echo the school\u2019s spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathability is ensured via a mesh tongue, and the pair is finished with a woven Nike tag to stay true to its roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image Source: NCAA<\/a>; Complex<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the latest releases, breaking news, and exclusive interviews, stay tuned to the SNKRDUNK Magazine<\/a> and @snkrdunk<\/a> on Instagram. Explore the SNKRDUNK App<\/a> too and don\u2019t forget to use our welcome code from the banner below before making your first purchase. Additionally, if you would like to try a pair out, visit our stores<\/a> in Singapore and Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More SNKRDUNK Features:<\/strong>
10 Best Travis Scott Shoes That Shook the Sneakerverse<\/a>
SEVESKIG x EVANGELION Collection: Cult Classic Meets Cult Fashion<\/a>
20 Best Green Sneakers to Flaunt on St. Patrick\u2019s Day<\/a>
[SNKRDUNK Spotlight] Trophy Room<\/a>
Samba Obsessed? Your Ultimate Guide to the Best adidas Sambas to Score Now!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

\"SNKRDUNK<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year again\u2014brackets are being filled out, analysts are picking games, and excitement is palpable as 21 March 2024 approaches. That\u2019s when the first round of the 2024 Men\u2019s NCAA Tournament kicks off, signifying the beginning of March Madness. If you live outside the US of A, chances are you might not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":230710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,20,18,3,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-230706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brands","category-features","category-latest-news","category-nike","category-sneaker"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230706"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=230706"}],"version-history":[{"count":109,"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":231103,"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230706\/revisions\/231103"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/230710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=230706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=230706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=230706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}