Heat unveils new ‘Culture’ uniform: ‘Stating our identity and putting it on our chest’

The Miami Heat has taken pride in its culture for years. Now, the Heat’s culture is at the center of the team’s new uniform campaign.

The Heat on Tuesday formally unveiled its new City Edition uniform with the words “Heat Culture” across the chest designed to reflect the standard established by current Heat president and former Heat coach Pat Riley when he joined the organization in 1995.

“It’s pretty much just stating our identity and putting it on our chest,” Heat executive vice president and chief marketing officer Michael McCullough said.

The Heat will debut its new City Edition uniform in Friday night’s game against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center.

As part of the reveal, the team described the new look in a press release: “Heat Culture is a set of core shared values, expectations, commitments, and customs that inform how Miami operates as a team and an organization. This version of the City Edition uniform serves as the embodiment of that philosophy, which maintains the standard of getting 1% better every day.”

Along with Riley, the press release credits Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, general manager Andy Elisburg, owner Micky Arison and CEO Nick Arison for nurturing the team’s philosophy.

But getting the “Heat Culture” uniform approved wasn’t easy, as McCullough admitted needing to combat the outside perception of organizational arrogance.

“Of all the uniforms that we designed, this one has been the most challenging to get approved for a number of different reasons,” McCullough said. “There was a lot of pushback on us putting the words ‘Heat Culture’ on the jersey.

“There was concern that it would preclude other teams from claiming that they too had culture and we said this is not what this is about. There is a very specific ‘Heat Culture’ that is talked about and that we live and that’s what we’re representing and it doesn’t prevent anybody else from representing who they think they are.”

The seventh iteration of the Heat’s City Edition uniform also includes other details on the jersey and shorts that celebrate the team’s culture:

▪ On the right side of the jersey and continuing down the shorts is the mantra that Riley created when he joined the Heat: “The Hardest Working, Best Conditioned, Most Professional, Unselfish, Toughest, Meanest, Nastiest Team in the NBA.”

▪ The uniform features a “slightly brighter shade of red, adding a striking accent to the jersey, a new number style, and various branding elements.”

▪ For the first time, players will wear their numbers on the right leg of their shorts.

▪ The left leg of the shorts showcases a “re-imagined” ball and flame logo that mirrors the “weathered, distressed texture” of the jersey wordmark.

▪ Riley’s motto, “The Main Thing Is The Main Thing,” is featured on the jersey’s jocktag.

Fans who attend the Heat’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday will be able to purchase the new uniform and other merchandise from the “Heat Culture” uniform campaign first during an exclusive in-arena only early access opportunity.

Following Wednesday’s game, all “Heat Culture” merchandise will be available for purchase worldwide beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday exclusively online at www.themiamiheatstore.com and at all Miami Heat Store retail locations beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The numbered shorts are exclusively available at Miami Heat Store retail locations. Fans can select shorts with the numbers of their favorite Hear players or personalize their shorts with the numbers of their choice.

There’s also a new “Heat Culture” court that will be used for designated Heat games at Kaseya Center when the team is wearing the new uniform, except for in-season tournament home games that will instead be played on the team’s new red in-season tournament court that was released on Monday.

The “Heat Culture” court is set to make its debut for Monday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at Kaseya Center.

The Heat is scheduled to wear the “Heat Culture” uniform in 20 games this season: Friday vs. Wizards, Monday vs. Lakers, Nov. 16 vs. Brooklyn Nets, Nov. 28 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, Dec. 13 vs. Charlotte Hornets, Dec. 16 vs. Chicago Bulls, Dec. 18 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, Jan. 3 at Lakers, Jan. 19 vs. Atlanta Hawks, Jan. 24 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, Jan. 25 vs. Boston Celtics, Jan. 29 vs. Phoenix Suns, Feb. 4 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, Feb. 11 vs. Celtics, March 5 vs. Detroit Pistons, March 13 vs. Denver Nuggets, March 26 vs. Golden State Warriors, April 2 vs. New York Knicks, April 4 vs. Philadelphia 76ers and April 10 vs. Dallas Mavericks. The jersey dates are subject to change.

The “Heat Culture” campaign also includes an immersive fan experience.

On Nov. 12 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., fans will be allowed to engage in an interactive walking/photo tour, exploring the player’s garage, locker room, weight room, practice court, Champion Alley, media interview room and the new “Heat Culture” court. More details are at Heat.com/Culture.

“All we’ve done with this uniform is taken our identity and try to capture it in a garment,” McCullough said. “That’s really what we’ve done here and we’re excited about it. And the conversation we had with the NBA, it has nothing to do with arrogance. It has everything to do with identity.”

Previous Heat City Edition uniforms include the popular Vice lineup and Miami Mashup look. But the Heat’s marketing team believes this campaign is different because of its simplicity.

“The concept of ‘Heat Culture,’ it’s not new,” McCullough said. “As an organization, it’s been our ethos. It’s been our reason for being since Pat joined the team. It is not a slick ad campaign. I think what you’re going to see from us is probably one of the most straight forward campaigns that you’ve ever seen from us because that’s really what this identity calls for.”