Pink - the Color, Not the Singer

It's getting into playoff season for the NFL, which is a big deal for some and not so much for others. I've noticed a lot recently, meaning in the last year or so, that professional teams who have worked very hard to establish their brand identity using colors, like football, basketball and baseball teams, are selling a lot of pink jerseys. Not just for breast cancer awareness, either. I have to wonder...

There are a lot of beliefs associated with the color pink, and none of them have anything to do with a gritty, hard-working, rough and tumble sport. Pink is traditionally associated with femininity, and while I'm a big fan of supporting your team and breast cancer awareness, I just can't help but wonder about taking a brand and making it pink. You know the guys on the team aren't wearing it!

Does every pink jersey purchase donate money to breast cancer research? Or is it a marketing ploy to get women to purchase jerseys? Would you buy a pink jersey? If you're a diehard Bama fan, are you more likely to purchase a jersey in the school colors, immediately identifiable in the crowd, or a pink jersey with only the distinctive Bama A to identify who you are supporting?

There are some writers, like Joshua Hayes, who understand that pink appeals to women, but believe that wearing pink jerseys is an unseemly color for any athlete, and doesn't really equate with the reputation of the athlete. Along with Joshua, I have to wonder what a pink and pink camo jerseys do for team images. Sports has never been about stealth, which is what camo was designed for, and making a pink camo jersey just seems beyond the pale.

I'm not against pink, just so you know. Pink fits nicely into a lot of closets, including a man's closet. And it's a complementary color for a variety of skin tones and color palettes. I am serious, though - any thoughts on pink? Pink sports jerseys? Anyone? Buehler?