John Riordan: How the GAA can learn from NBA's designs for life

The league's teams released eye-catching jerseys that tap into their local heritage. 

PHILLY SPECIAL: the city edition jersey of Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. Picture: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The NBA has been doing a nifty little marketing ploy over the course of the past few seasons whereby each of their 30 teams designs a relatively limited edition jersey based around their geographical area.

Sometimes a drastic departure from the club's colours, other times a leaning into the colours that made that club so instantly recognisable, the designs take inspiration from an aspect of their city or of their region that can be basketball-themed or not.

There are basically no rules except be as unique as you can possibly be. Of course, the approach which is really well coordinated helps add to Nike profits and also bolsters gameday promotional content.

But it also often throws up some meaningful creativity.

And here's what I would love to see happen: the various Gaelic games should steal / pay homage to this idea by having each of their counties take a similar approach during the hurling, camogie and football leagues. It could be timed for the weekend lining up with St Patrick's Day, starting in 2024 of course because I didn't think of telling the powers-that-be about the idea they didn't ask me about until right now.

My unoriginal advice isn't even original in its application. For example, Tipperary exhumed their Bloody Sunday shirts for that anniversary three years ago and Cork, not to be outdone that same year, showcased the portraits and signatures of the city's slain Lord Mayors, Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney, also a centenary going back to the War of Independence. Dublin shirts have been emblazoned with a 1916 tribute in the past and this season’s divisive Mayo goalkeeper jersey gets us in the direction of what I’d love to see happen.

Why not go wider? Have the jerseys immerse themselves in themes and traits that are more recent and a lot less bloodied. Hire local artists and give them carte blanche to tell a town or county story that is unique. Have all the players line out in them for one home game at some point in March and then deflect the accusations of money grabbing by gently urging everyone to relax and enjoy the spectacle. Perfect plan so far! What could possibly go wrong?

Of course, it's easy for me to be a marketing genius (thief) when citing the much longer NBA season and the much deeper fanbases that sport enjoys. So I'll acknowledge that this would be a heavy lift for the GAA, the LGFA and the Camogie Association. They can outsource all of those concerns to their increasingly competitive partners working on branding and selling the kits.

The NBA's so-called City Edition jerseys lift the look of games and add at least a minor talking point during the dog days of the season before the action starts to spice up in February and March.

The concept was born out of a desire to celebrate unique heritages and connect with each fanbase on a more personal level. Which is nice and all but, once again, let's acknowledge that had these jerseys not been a hit for the bottom line of the merchandise executives, it might have been consigned to the large pile of good ideas that were never great enough. Fans have enjoyed and purchased, sales are up year on year.

And if it helps to reassure the governing bodies in Croke Park, even the greedy NBA resists the urge to change the special editions every season, retaining them especially if they are well received.

That said, it made sense for the Boston Celtics to pay their respects to their iconic former player and coach Bill Russell who passed away last August. In his honour, they chose the darker shade of green worn by the team in the 60s, a bold move for a ballclub so committed to the more familiar hue that has held true since the 70s.

And what else did they do? They earmarked 11 games during which to wear the Russell tribute edition, one for each of the 11 NBA titles the record-holding Hall of Fame achieved as a Celtic.

I'll go next to the nation's capital since we are approaching cherry blossom season; the Washington Wizards opted for a pink base with white trims as a tribute to the city’s iconic cherry blossom trees. How could you not be enamoured?

The Philadelphia 76ers keep it deep and meaningful, too, with their retro “City of Brotherly Love” motto emblazoned across the front. And the Denver Nuggets design draws from the city’s iconic architecture with the “DENVER” lettering on the front of the jersey replicating the instantly recognisable neon sign of their main train station.

Brooklyn-born artist Jean-Michel Basquiat's distinctive crown motif is an inevitable addition to the Nets design while the LA Lakers - and yes, we're starting to get pretty pretentious here - were inspired by the blank page where all of Hollywood's productions, great and small, start their journey.

I think my favourite approaches might be from either the Phoenix Suns or the Detroit Pistons.

The Suns jersey is packed with references which are potentially more crucial to acknowledge than anywhere else in the league. It is loaded up with elements that reflect each of the 22 tribal nations of Arizona, a gesture of respect to the Indigenous communities which have been part of that state since long before it was a state. There is also a shoutout to "rez ball", the fast-paced style of basketball beloved by the athletes living on Indian reservations for whom the sport has often proved a helpful tool during times of strife.

The Pistons pulled in local rap star Big Sean who oversaw the decision to highlight a very niche and sacred space in Detroit basketball: the gym at Saint Cecilia’s which is known locally as “the Saint”. It is the Mecca of the game in the Motor City, a gateway to greatness for all levels of baller. This is one of the examples where the traditional colours are completely thrown out because Big Sean and his team had the idea of using the distinctive green of the walls of the gym. They then went global and homaged the soccer tradition of using stars to reflect major titles, their three harking back to NBA Championships won much too long ago.

I learn so much when I browse through these designs. I would never have known that Dallas is part of what they call a "Metroplex" of large cities, a 1970s urban reimagining necessitated by rapid expansion and increasing population had it not been for the Dallas Mavericks’ “DFW” jerseys nodding to the combination of Dallas and Fort Worth.

And were it not for the Chicago Bulls placing a 'Y' on their jersey, I would still be completely ignorant of the fact that 'Y' is a major symbol for the Windy City since 1917, loosely replicating the Chicago River which only vaguely resembles a 'Y'.

The New Orleans Pelicans helped me discover that official colours of the Mardi Gras season are purple, green and gold and similarly, the Minnesota Timberwolves used to also feature purple in honour of their local hero, Prince. These days, they opt for a twist from their competitors in that every player wears a slightly different creation.

The Milwaukee Bucks channels Bronzeville, one of the most diverse and distinctive neighbourhoods in Milwaukee and historically, the city’s African American economic and artistic hub.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, meanwhile, look to the land around it that made it an industrial powerhouse during its brighter days. There is blue for Lake Erie and gradients of brown for the soil of northeast Ohio.

You get the idea.

If the counties of the GAA, LGFA and Camogie are minded to deploy a coordinated marketing push around aspects of their geography, history, culture or arts, March is the perfect time to draw in the always eager purchasing power of the diaspora.

This time of the year is my least favourite in New York and the northeast generally. It’s a painful reminder of how out of touch Irish America is when it comes to understanding modern Ireland. I cringe more and more every year.

And with each year I base my life over here, I am increasingly convinced of the powerful role Gaelic games can enjoy in teaching the world about Ireland and its counties. If it’s good enough for the NBA, there must be a chance here to deepen the ties between sports and the arts, helping the rest of us learn a little more about what makes Longford or Laois as worthy of attention as Donegal or Kerry.

@JohnWRiordan