Pacers unveil jerseys themed after the building where they wear jerseys

Maybe, Nike should give more consideration to work-life balance?

With Nike and the NBA unveiling each and every one of the new City Edition uniforms for the 2022-2023 season, the Pacers revealed jerseys that are modeled after the building where they wear jerseys, adding the tagline, “Built for Basketball.”

In addition to celebrating the completion of renovations, those three words closely mirror what The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said during a June episode of his podcast while speaking to Ryen Russillo about what differentiates Gainbridge Fieldhouse from other arenas.

“I’m convinced all these arenas basically feel the same when you’re actually in there no matter how much money they spent on them,” Simmons said. ”It’s really nice. All the underneath stuff is nice, all the different clubs they have. There’s more room and it’s easier to move around. They fix all the little flourishes, the tunnels and all these kind of things. But the only arena I’ve ever been in NBA-wise, where I honestly felt like it felt different was the Indiana one, because they built it for basketball only.”

According to the team, the edging that runs from top to bottom on the front of the jersey is intended to be a nod to the trusses that support Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Of course, there is a certain degree of irony to the fact that a team that refuses to use the word “rebuild” with regard to their current trajectory will soon be donning uniforms that are effectively rebuild-themed. It also feels like a bit of stretch to refer to Gainbridge as “one of the world’s most iconic venues,” but not unlike the way in which the on-court product has exceeded expectations, perhaps a pass is warranted for being overly optimistic.

After all, will Victor Wembanyama be willing to be a third option next to Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin while playing in one of the world’s most iconic venues next season, who can say really?

The Pacers will debut their new uniforms on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors — when, hopefully, the team will continue to be more exciting than what the large, dark expanse on the front of their uniforms would suggest.

Here’s the full schedule, in case you are champing at the bit to see these things in action:

Overall, jerseys are worn when basketball is played, and the basketball that is being played has been fun, so maybe that’s all the really matters? Feel free to share your thoughts on the new threads in the comments.