HOUSTON — After teasing it on social media overnight, the University of Houston introduced “Houston Blue” for their athletic teams in a limited number of designated games on Friday.
The UH football team will wear the special Houston Blue uniforms during its Nov. 23 game against Baylor, and other UH athletics teams will be wearing the Houston Blue uniforms at special events throughout the year.
“We’re unveiling our Houston Blue,” Eddie Nuñez, vice president for UH Intercollegiate Athletics, said Friday morning. "For the upcoming Baylor game, we'll be rolling it out on the football field, and you’ll see it tonight in volleyball against Texas Tech."
The new color is designed to evoke “old school Houston,” according to Nuñez, who worked closely with Nike to incorporate the iconic blue in the team’s apparel. The tribute to Houston’s heritage goes beyond the campus.
According to the university, the light blue color is woven into the city's identity, mostly notably in the city's flag adopted in 1915. It can also be seen on the iconic white-and-blue mosaic curb tiles marking intersections and addresses beginning in the late 1920s.
The Houston Police Department drove unmistakable blue cruisers and wore light blue uniforms for many years.
UH fans can support their teams with new Houston Blue merchandise available for purchase through the UH Campus Store and other Houston-area retailers, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy, and Rally House.
“We’re really trying to extend it as far as we can,” Nuñez shared. "This is something we want to make available for the entire Cougar family."
The university hopes to make Houston Blue a long-term addition, with plans to feature it in games against in-state rivals each year.
Alongside the new blue gear, Cougar fans can also look forward to a special blackout game on Saturday, where the football team will face No. 17 Kansas State at 2 p.m.