The CFL has unveiled brand new uniforms for each of the nine member teams for the 2005 season, following an 18-month design process.
The results, unveiled by Reebok and the league on Tuesday, indicate CFL players will look more like their NFL counterparts on the field.
Lindsay Carswell, the director of marketing for the B.C. Lions, says the new uniforms pay homage to the team's past by bringing back the color orange.
"But it's got a fashion-forward design with modern cuts," Carswell tells the Vancouver Province. "You could say the cut mimics the one worn by teams like the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons."
The Lions have also done away with the silver pants and helmet, opting instead for white.
The Edmonton Eskimos have opted for a subtle update to their uniform, the first change since 1996. The home jersey now features a gold band of piping across the chest, while the road jersey sports a green band and green collar.
The Eskimos will also introduce a third set of pants, green, to go along with the current white and gold pants. The helmets will also be a new shade of gold.
"We're very pleased with the work Reebok and equipment manager Dwayne Mandrusiak have done on this project," said Eskimo COO Rick LeLacheur. "The Eskimo uniform and colours are steeped in tradition and I think our fans will really like the new look."
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have retooled their jerseys and pants as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations. The uniform features a cleaner, crisper look while maintaining the classic Blue and Gold colour scheme that Bomber fans are familiar with. Perhaps the most noticeable element of the new-look uniforms is the incorporation of a truer shade of gold than what was previously featured.
The Blue Bombers have also anatomically designed their jerseys for to fit specific shapes and sizes. That means a wide receiver's jersey will fit differently than an offensive lineman's jersey.
"They look good and the guys all agree on that," said Bombers equipment manager Brad Fotty. "I'm sure it won' take the guys long to get used to them."
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats got a jump start on the unveilings, showing off their new uniforms over the weekend. The new duds include the return of the famous Tiger-Cats striping on the sleeve.
"It was important that our uniforms really looked like uniforms and not costumes," said team President David Sauve. "It is important to us that Tiger-Cats fans 30 years ago and 30 years from now can easily recognize a Tiger-Cats uniform even when styles change."
The new uniform sports classic Tiger-Cats yellow and black in a new cut and design. Fans will also find a new font style, a flip of the numbers from the sleeve to the shoulder, and that the tiger face on the uniform was replaced with the leaping Tiger.
The re-launch also sees a return of the traditional yellow stripe to the helmet.
For a complete look at all the new uniforms, click here.