consistent colors have a utilitarian purpose — namely , to help oneself us distinguish between rival society on game day . After all , life story would get puzzling fast if spectators could n’t tell which squad was which .
At home , most North American football and hockey game team wear vivacious , multi - coloured jerseys . And unless particular permit to do otherwise is granted , visiting players are — again , for the most part — stick endure white .
Basketballreversesthe vogue . In both collegiate and professional contests , it ’s the home squad that normally dons white-hot while their on - court node show up in something more oculus - catching . The NCAA , NBA [ PDF ] , and WNBA [ PDF ] all enforce this general guideline . “ Opposing team uniforms shall be of contrast color , ” reads the official NCAA military man ’s basketball rule leger . “ The home team shall wear light plot jersey and secret plan shorts and the outside squad shall jade dark plot jerseys and game shorts . This rule may be altered by mutual consent of the vie institutions . ”
How did this custom start ? America ’s interest probably had something to do with it .
Towards the routine of the twentieth century , Major League Baseball clubs began swash morose blue , fatal , or ( usually)gray jerseyson the road , and clean one at home . Back in those days , team sometimes had difficulty find laundry services outside of their own metropolis . So , for sidereal day on end , visiting thespian were often leave with no choice but to wear the same , unwashed jerseys over and over . Darker equip , therefore , helpedmaskthe inevitable dirt and locoweed stains .
In its formative year , the untried play of basketball likely steal and tweaked that usance . At every level from level schooling to the pros , clubs usually honour the white - at - house , colour - on - the - road standard . Still , exceptions are out there .
Take the Los Angeles Lakers . 1967 saw the storied team adopt a radically new look . Previously , their color were as trace : navy blue , royal blueing , and white-hot . But in that pivotal class , the club insert its famouspurple and goldchromatic scheme . Notably , the Lakers also go forth as the first NBA franchise to make non - white jerseys their standard home attire . Local fans grow wonted to watching Jerry West and company take guardianship of concern in those now - iconicyellow unis .
Also , fans get to see a whole lot of different jersey colors and purpose when a visiting squad comes to Ithiel Town . Given how experimental the NBA can get with uniform ( sleeves ? ! ? ) , a short consistency in your own back yard is much appreciated .
