JERSEY HISTORY

The Sixers opened their run in Philadelphia with a Betsy Ross-inspired uniform (below). Adorned with a circle of stars on both the shorts and the back of the jersey surrounding the player’s number, the stars quickly became a hallmark of the Sixers uniforms. The road uniform was dark blue with red lettering and numbers. Midway through the ‘64-65 season the style of the letters and numbers was changed.

A two-tone uniform with a high waistband and long, baggy trunks was introduced. The players considered it flashy and uncomfortable to play in and it was abandoned after one season.

The Sixers went to the straightforward look during their first championship run. Simple block letters with the traditional “PHILA” on the front replaced the star-spangled banner look. Road uniforms became red with blue lettering and white trim.

With its red-in-blue and cursive lettering, the Sixers next official home uniform (the old red garb was retained for away games), did not please Sixers suppliers. Midseason trades meant impossible turnaround times for these custom-sewn, flowing script uniforms. In the middle of the season a switch is made and “Seventy Sixers”, in script, replaces “PHILA” on the front of the uniform.

SonderLevitt Advertising designed a uniform that had a much longer lifespan than its predecessor. With the new art deco-like lettering, the uniforms retained the star-inset blue side stripe, a graphic element that remained a feature through the 70’s. Away uniforms were royal blue with white side stripes and stars.

Another one-shot uniform surfaced, this time with a theme. In honor of the Bicentennial, the team turned to the cursive lettering and trim numerals of the 1970-71 season. The new uniforms were designed by Pat Williams, Al Domenico, Billy Cunningham and Sonder Levitt Advertising.

The lettering on the jersey was readjusted, with home uniforms lettered in blue and outlined in white and red, while away uniforms were royal blue with white lettering in red trim.

The NBA begins to regulate uniform changes more closely. A rule is installed by the league requires teams to use an exclusive outfitter and alert the NBA one year in advance of a design change. This uniform became the Sixers’ hallmark, with the numeral surrounded by stars on the shorts. The road color returned to red. The uniforms were manufactured first by Wilson, then by Sand Knit. The 76ers played more games in this uniform (1,066) than any other in the history of the franchise.

The Sixers uniform was redesigned by Champion Products and was a departure from the classic Sixers uniform. The design featured multicolored stars against a royal blue field that curved up from shorts to the jersey. The background of the away uniform remained red.

This uniform was actually a throwback to the classic Sixers look. Designed by Lucy Loeb, the front featured “SIXERS” in a more ornate block lettering. This garb was white with red and blue trim at home and red with white and blue trim on the road.

Prior to the 1997-98 season, the Sixers unveiled a completely new look including the first major logo change since becoming the Philadelphia 76ers in August of 1963. In keeping with the traditional red and blue, the logo was “modernized” by adding silver, gold and black. For the first time in franchise history, the Sixers wore black uniforms on the road. Trimmed in red and gold, the jersey features the word “SIXERS” on the front with white numbers trimmed in red on the back. At home, a white jersey features black numbers trimmed in red.