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New Era NBA On-Court Collection brings lifestyle trends to the hardwood

By Derek Helling

The release of the first-ever NBA On-Court Collection by New Era brings the league's signature style even closer to the game. Photo courtesy of DKC News.
The release of the first-ever NBA On-Court Collection by New Era brings the league's signature style even closer to the game. Photo courtesy of DKC News. /
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The introduction of the first-ever on-court collection of hats to the NBA shows that the league got exactly the partner it needed in New Era.

Pre- and post-game fashion has always been important in the association, and it’s that attention to style that fans and league personnel alike now have even greater options in thanks to the New Era NBA On-Court Collection.

The new line, which is a collection of multiple styles of fitted and snapback hats produced for all 30 NBA teams, is touted as the first-ever official on-court hat of the association.

“We are very excited to be the authentic headwear provider for the NBA,” said ‎Head of NBA/Arena Sports at New Era Ca, John Connors. “Because of the lifestyle component of the NBA, it’s probably the most fashionable league there is, it’s a win for us to be part of the association. We have gotten a very good response from key retailers and I think that consumers are happy to see a lifestyle-driven company pushing the envelope of designs and technology in headwear.”

Soon after New Era locked down an expanded partnership with the NBA, the hat manufacturer released its exclusive NBA Draft line. The new on-court collection builds on the design of the draft line.

“We wanted to keep the same look that we presented in the draft line throughout the season,” Michael Raychel, a designer for New Era, explained. “We decided to take that draft cap and offer it in different color ways. We freshened it up for the first half of the season and we will have a new design for the second half of the season. We worked really closely with the NBA during the design process.”

The color scheme for the collection includes black gold, graphite and team colors reversed from the colors used in the NBA Draft line. In all styles, the double chrome logo, a team logo cut-out under the bill and the microsuede fabric used on the bill are consistent. Knit beanies are also available in both graphite and team colors.

“The microsuede is just for this collection,” Raychel commented. “We took inspiration from fans who represent their teams and sneaker culture in designing this line.”

NBA players wearing hats during games might prove obtrusive, and this line isn’t seeking to change that, despite how good the hats look. That doesn’t mean that fans won’t see these styles represented on the court during games, however.

“The hats will be worn by some assistant coaches, trainers and other team personnel on the sidelines during the game,” Connors elaborated. “All 30 NBA teams will be provided with the different styles.”

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As players enter the arenas and give post-game press conferences throughout the 2017-18 season, expect to see a lot of the styles from this collection represented. New Era has delivered exactly what the NBA wanted from a headwear partner.

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