Videos released as early as one month ago, signs, posters and cryptic Facebook events echoed these two words in regards to the changes coming to ASU Athletics.
The time came on Tuesday when ASU Athletics unveiled the final products of year-long rebranding done in partnership with Nike.
Andrew Boven, a journalism sophomore, present at the unveiling ceremony and involved with the sports video department of the State Press, thought the changes were a nice “revamping of (ASU athletics).”
“It’s great to see ASU celebrate athletics,” Boven said. “When I first came here, I felt sports weren’t as acknowledged. We’re a PAC-10 team that doesn’t have a history of dominating, but we do have a history of winning. It’s nice to see ASU reinvesting in the program so we can turn into a real force.”
It’s that promise of becoming a national force that Shayne Dwyer, a journalism freshman, is anticipating most as he awaits the Sun Devil’s nationally televised football game versus University of Missouri on Sept. 9.
“I think (the new uniforms) look slick, and to be on ESPN beating Missouri in all black uniforms? That would be cool,” Dwyer said. “That Friday is going to be huge. Chaos if we win — chaos in a good way.”
However, despite the advertising campaign that led up to Tuesday’s unveiling, some students still were unaware of the changes to the athletic department.
Elizabeth Bojorquez-Quintero, a criminal justice freshman, looked puzzled when asked about the “It’s Time” campaign.
Once showed the images, Bojorquez-Quintero said, “I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s something better for the athletic department.”
She described the uniforms as “striking” and noted the potential they could give ASU.
“Maybe it’s a start to ASU winning or a new life,” she said.
Dwyer, despite his approval of the new uniforms, also agreed that, “It’s just a uniform,” noting, “They still have to win.
“In the end, you still need to win the game. It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing pennies from middle school or brand new black uniforms,” Dwyer said. “It’s the ‘W’ that counts.”
Most complaints were directed toward minute details on the new uniforms.
“I’m not a huge fan of the ASU on the sleeve,” Dwyer said. “It looks like they just needed a place to throw it on.”
Boven said he felt the football jerseys should have “included a bit of maroon” on the all-black jerseys, but thought the basketball jerseys were “spot on.”
“I felt the basketball uniforms, white, maroon and black looked well done,” he said. “I don’t want to say something cheesy like, ‘They look awesome,’ but they do. They look like they belong to a team that could be reckoned with.”
In light of tuition increases and public-funding cuts, complaints were voiced about the funding of the partnership between Nike and ASU.
According to press releases from ASU Athletics, the partnership was funded through a donor for the uniform change-out costs, ASU licensing agent, CLC, vendors with prior agreements with Sun Devil Athletics and incidental costs paid out of licensing revenues or local funds.
An official document dealing directly with the funding of the “It’s Time” campaign said, “No state taxpayer funds or tuition dollars were used (to fund this).”
Dwyer said it was impressive that the athletic department could “make such a statement” with no public funding.
“Some people came to ASU for their studies or aren’t interested in athletics — more power to them,” Dwyer said, noting that as members one of the largest universities in the country, “You don’t have to be affiliated with athletics to show your Sun Devil pride.”
Contact the reporter at caitlin.cruz@asu.edu
