Indiana Fans Share Thoughts on adidas 'Fear of God' Alternate Uniforms
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Almost nothing has changed with Indiana basketball uniforms since Lisa Goerner attended the 1981 national championship game as a student.
Indiana has worn a few alternate uniforms across Goerner's decades as a season ticket holder, but nothing quite as jarring as the latest release.
"I'm glad I heard about it ahead of time," said Goerner, 66. "Because I think I would have been pretty shocked when I got here."
Indiana announced Friday it would debut new alternate uniforms as part of a collaboration with adidas and Fear of God, an American luxury brand, for the men's basketball game Sunday against Northwestern and the women's game Thursday against Iowa.
The release was polarizing for the fan base of a traditionalist program that's now looking to be on the cutting edge.
"I think it shows that Indiana is willing to adapt to the modern college athletic environment for sure," Indiana student Ben Klein said. "And I think we're known to be traditional, so my first reaction was, 'What the heck is this?' But I think it shows that we're willing to adapt, which I think is something that I didn't expect. So I think it's really cool."
The initial reaction on social media was overwhelmingly negative. Perhaps this was because the first images released were modeled by someone in a shiny visor with long sleeves and pants, but most replies weren't in favor.
Indiana basketball debuted alternate uniforms Sunday against Nebraska as part of a collaboration with adidas and Fear of God.
via @bportnoy15 on X
The minimalist uniforms consisted of black or dark grey – Carbon, as Fear of God called it in the description – jerseys and shorts, with red numbers and letters in a futuristic font. Players donned oversized warmup tops, and coaches wore similar quarter zips on the sideline. Indiana still wore its iconic candy stripe pants, but everything else, down to the arm and leg sleeves, socks and shoes – some players didn't wear the shoes – was branded with the style of the adidas and Fear of God collaboration.
Fear of God was founded by Jerry Lorenzo in 2011. Per IU's release, with familial ties to Indiana, content will outline Lorenzo tapping into his heritage, bringing to life the story of Fear of God Athletics, and the brand’s inaugural NCAA partnerships.
Merchandise was available in the Indiana Team Store at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Sunday. The sweatshirt retailed for $230, followed by $200 sweatpants and a $180 shirt. Even the scoreboard had adidas and Fear of God branding in carbon and red.
"I saw them on social media and I thought they were different," Luke Behning, 40, said. "I thought they were cool, and I thought they would help with recruiting younger generations. Probably the traditionalists won't like it, won't enjoy it, but we got here early so that we could go into the shop here to check them out and check out the other merchandise, because I personally like this."
They're a far cry from Indiana's usual cream and crimson uniforms. Not having names on the back might be the only similarity.
"I guess I'm a purist, a traditionalist," said Goerner, who admitted she's not the target demographic. "So I hope they don't make a change to something like that [permanently]."
Here's what they looked like on game day.
Indiana's Malik Reneau (5) reacts to getting his fifth foul during the second half of the Indiana versus Northwestern men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Aseembly Hall on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024.
Rich Janzaruk/Herald Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
Indiana's Mackenzie Mgbako wears the new Fear of God shoes during warm-ups before the start of the Indiana versus Northwestern men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Aseembly Hall on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024.
Rich Janzaruk/Herald Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
Indiana's Xavier Johnson (0) wears the new Fear of God clothing during warm-ups before the start of the Indiana versus Northwestern men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Aseembly Hall on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024.
Indiana's Payton Sparks (24), Malik Reneau (5) and Trey Galloway (32) during the first half of the Indiana versus Northwestern men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Aseembly Hall on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024.
© Rich Janzaruk/ USA TODAY NETWORK
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson reacts to Indiana Hoosiers forward Malik Reneau (5) fouling out against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Students sitting behind the basket received an exclusive Fear of God Athletics tee.
"I thought they were really cool, mainly because they're different," Indiana student Jack Bank said. "We've never worn anything like this yet this year, and I like all the shooting shirts and stuff that go along with the jerseys ... I think tradition is really cool, but mixing it up every once in a while works."
Mike Duke, 60, was surprised Indiana strayed from tradition, and he guessed the collaboration was a function of the business side behind college athletics. He hoped the uniforms would fire the players up, but he was wary on how they'd be received by fans.
"I'm not really sure that it's something the program is really seeking to do, but something that their sponsor has requested the team to do," Duke said. "And to have these sponsors do everything they do for a team or a program, sometimes you have to listen, unfortunately. Probably with all the NIL and this and that and the support they get, it's probably something they had to do."
Ronnie Hamstra, 63, said he was a little bit surprised but not a lot because alternate uniforms are not uncommon in sports nowadays.
"I just think it's kind of cool they're doing something different," Hamstra said.
While some fans may not have liked the colors or design, they recognized the benefits this could have for the program. Indiana was one of two schools nationwide, along with the University of Miami (FL), to be part of this collaboration. That shows Indiana is one of the most important adidas-brand schools, and that it has national relevance.
"I also read that it is appealing to some of the recruits," Goerner said. "Which, I was not aware that that would be something – that a kid got signed with adidas, so they're going to have to go to an adidas college. I thought that was interesting that the fashion of it all was important to potential recruits."
Chris Melton, 52, said he didn't care for the design and would have preferred a more traditional look, but he hopes it pays off down the road in future recruiting and on-court success.
"I do see that side of it and understand it," Melton said." Hopefully that's the result of it."
Behning said he was a bit surprised a program like Indiana, know for tradition and history, tried something new like this. But he said it's important to evolve with the times.
"It may fit the traditionalists sticking with the cream and crimson and sticking with what you know, but you're recruiting a new generation," Behning said. "You're trying to draw in new eyes, new recruits, the best and the brightest, right, and I see it as a way to try to do that."
Outside Assembly Hall, the adidas influence continued with "The Box Out," a physical box placed outside the southwest side of the stadium. There, fans could enter in a lottery system of sorts with the chance to win posters, t-shirts, sweatshirts, jerseys and shoes.
adidas brought this to other schools like Texas A&M, Louisville, Kansas and Miami. Sunday was the first time in Bloomington. Along with the chance to win prizes, fans could write a message on a sign that read "Being a Hoosier is," which would be given to the team as a gift afterward. It also featured an "infinity room," a mirrored room with basketballs and lights for fans to take pictures in.
Indiana student Ally McLaughlin went through "The Box Out" experience and thought it was a fun feature to have at games.
"I liked writing on the message board," McLaughlin said. "They said that it's going to go to the team afterwards. I wrote that 'Being a Hoosier is the best time ever.' I saw a lot of other creative messages like, 'I love Gabe Cupps,' and I do love Gabe Cupps. I think it's cool that the team is going to get to see all of the messages."
While the experiences and uniforms Sunday at Assembly Hall were different than ever before, Indiana being selected as one of two schools to showcase this new collaboration displays the brand relevance the program still boasts based on its past.
"I think it speaks to the history and tradition of Indiana basketball first and foremost," McLaughlin said. "Especially because this is only one of two schools that they're doing this with and I think this is a good starting point to see for them if they want to continue it with other schools because we all know how much Indiana loves their basketball."
Related stories on Indiana basketball
- GAME STORY: Indiana's struggles shooting the ball continued to be a problem, and it was prevalent again in a 76-72 loss to Northwestern at Assembly Hall on Sunday in a game that wasn't that close. Indiana is now 14-11 on the year, and it's now just 1-3 in its last four home games. CLICK HERE
- WHAT MIKE WOODSON SAID: Here's what Indiana coach Mike Woodson said following Indiana's 76-72 home loss to Northwestern on Sunday. CLICK HERE
