For many years, the Miami Heat has been proud of its culture. The Heat’s new uniform campaign is centered around the team’s culture.
The words “Heat Culture” are emblazoned over the breast of the Heat’s newly announced City Edition uniform, which was officially presented on Tuesday. Pat Riley, the team’s former coach and current president, set the bar for this outfit when he joined in 1995.
Michael McCullough, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the Heat, expressed it this way: “It’s pretty much just stating our identity and keeping it on our chest.”
When the Heat play the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center on Friday night, they will wear their new City Edition suit for the first time.
“Heat Culture is a set of core shared values, expectations, commitments, and customs that inform how Miami operates as a team and an organization,” the team said in a news statement announcing the redesign. This iteration of the City Edition uniform is a representation of that mindset, upholding the daily goal of improving by 1%.
Riley is credited in the news release for fostering the team’s mentality, along with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, general manager Andy Elisburg, owner Micky Arison, and CEO Nick Arison.
However, McCullough acknowledged that it wasn’t simple to get the “Heat Culture” uniform approved because he had to fight the idea of organizational hubris from the outside.
“This uniform has been the hardest to get approved out of all the ones we designed, for a variety of reasons,” McCullough stated. “We received a lot of criticism for writing “Heat Culture” on the jersey.
“We argued this is not what this is about because there was concern that it would prevent other teams from claiming that they too have culture. We represent a very certain “Heat Culture” that is discussed and that we live in, but it doesn’t stop anyone else from representing who they believe they are.
Other touches honoring the team’s culture can be found on the jersey and shorts of the seventh iteration of the Heat’s City Edition uniform:
The new City Edition “Heat Culture” uniforms for the Miami Heat. Leonardo AlvarezLeonardo Alvarez
▪ Riley’s catchphrase, “The Hardest Working, Best Conditioned, Most Professional, Unselfish, Toughest, Meanest, Nastiest Team in the NBA,” is written on the right side of the jersey and runs the length of the shorts. Riley invented this slogan when he joined the Heat.
A “slightly brighter shade of red, adding a striking accent to the jersey, a new number style, and various branding elements” are included on the uniform.
The new “Heat Culture” City Edition outfit for the Miami Heat. Leonardo AlvarezLeonardo Alvarez
▪ Players will wear their numbers on the right leg of their shorts for the first time.
▪ A “re-imagined” ball and flame emblem is featured on the left leg of the shorts, echoing the “weathered, distressed texture” of the jersey wordmark.
Riley’s catchphrase, “The Main Thing Is The Main Thing,” appears on the jocktag of the jersey.
The new “Heat Culture” City Edition outfit for the Miami Heat. Leonardo AlvarezLeonardo Alvarez
During an exclusive in-arena only early access opportunity, fans who attend the Heat’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday will be able to purchase the new uniform and other goods from the “Heat Culture” uniform campaign first.
After the game on Wednesday, all “Heat Culture” goods will be exclusively available for purchase online at www.themiamiheatstore.com starting at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, and in-store at all Miami Heat Store locations starting at 10 a.m. on the same day.
The Miami Heat Store retail locations are the only places to get the numbered shorts. Fans have the option to customize their shorts with the numbers of their choice or choose shorts with the numbers of their favorite Hear players.
Additionally, a new “Heat Culture” court will be utilized for official Heat games at Kaseya Center when the team is playing in the new uniform. However, home in-season tournament games will now take place on the team’s newly unveiled red in-season tournament court.
The Los Angeles Lakers game at Kaseya Center on Monday is scheduled to feature the “Heat Culture” court for the first time.
This season, the Heat have 20 games slated to feature the “Heat Culture” uniform: Friday against the Wizards, Monday against the Lakers, November 16 against the Brooklyn Nets, November 28 against the Milwaukee Bucks, December 13 against the Charlotte Hornets, December 16 against the Chicago Bulls, and December 18 against the Minnesota Timberwolves January 3rd, Lakers Atlanta Hawks on January 19, Memphis Grizzlies on January 24, Boston Celtics on January 25, Phoenix Suns on January 29, Los Angeles Clippers on February 4, Celtics on February 11, Detroit Pistons on March 5, Denver Nuggets on March 13, and Golden State Warriors on March 26 versus the New York Knicks on April 2, the Philadelphia 76ers on April 4, and the Dallas Mavericks on April 10. There could be a change to the jersey dates.
Another feature of the “Heat Culture” campaign is an engaging fan experience.
Fans will have the opportunity to take part in an interactive walking/photo tour on November 12 from 1 to 5 p.m., during which they may explore the player’s garage, locker room, weight room, practice court, Champion Alley, media interview room, and the recently constructed “Heat Culture” court.
