Uniforms are more than just fashion, representing a team’s identity and pride. Every team has their own uniform that sets them apart from other schools. Although ULM’s team colors are maroon and gold, our sports programs have adopted black uniforms, sparking excitement.

From football fields to basketball courts, ULM athletes now wear black uniforms. The recent unveiling of our new black football uniforms on Sept. 7 generated lots of publicity. But what is behind this trend, and why are so many teams, including ours, going for black uniforms?

ULM athletics director John Hartwell explained that while the primary colors of maroon and gold represent our identity, ULM designed the uniforms to stand out.

“What’s the beauty of our colors and our uniform schemes is that we now have four different jersey colors: white, gold, maroon and black. People get excited to see what this week’s uniform is going to be” Hartwell said.

The impact of black uniforms goes beyond aesthetics. The promotional video that introduced the new uniforms caught the attention of fans nationwide. This exposure on national television promotes ULM’s brand and generates hype for the football program and the university. Hartwell spoke at length on the importance of exposure.

“When you get that exposure for your program, it’s hard to put a price on that,” Hartwell said. “If you’re on a national television show, and… you see… our helmets flash up there, the black uniforms. That’s tremendous exposure not just for our football team or athletics department, but for the university as a whole.”

Uniform changes are not uncommon for the Warhawks. In fact, ULM uses different combinations of all four of its uniforms.

“We can mix and match four different tops and four different bottoms. We will mix and match throughout the year,” Hartwell said. “But I would say, based on the success of the black uniform, we will probably see it again this year.”

Alternating uniforms throughout the season helps balance tradition and modern trends. The maroon and gold will always be central to ULM’s identity, but Hartwell emphasized the need to evolve and adapt.

“We need to go outside the box sometimes. That’s part of the reason why we are doing these uniform combinations. Gold and maroon are our standard colors and those will always be part of our uniform. But we will venture outside the box, respecting our overall brand, but also being cutting edge to help increase our exposure and brand.”

Trends did not drive the decision to adopt black uniforms. Black uniforms provide a contrast that draws attention. For ULM, it is a way to break free from the norm and stand out among other Sun Belt schools.