MINNESOTA VIKINGS 2013 NIKE ELITE 51 UNIFORM

Today Nike and the Minnesota Vikings unveiled the team’s new NFL Nike Elite 51 Uniform design for the 2013 NFL season – a completely integrated system of dress featuring a modern representation of Viking folklore merged with a deeply respected football culture.

Nike designers and the NFL worked closely with Vikings athletes, coaches and administration to understand what truly makes a Viking – researching the roots of traditional ancient culture and tying those insights to the powerful characteristics of the football team of today.

The environment in Minnesota also served as a foundation for the Vikings new design, reflecting a harsh yet beautiful combination of land, water and weather. Vikings - men of adventure, strength and exploration - built their ships and tools with a refined craftsmanship and ornamentation. Accordingly, the uniform design features strong simple lines that reflect the curves in the bow of a Viking ship. The same design lines are seen on ancient Viking horns which have also been given a new shiny accent atop a matte purple base color on the helmets.

“There’s a harshness to the environment in Minnesota and it really creates a strength within those who live here” said Chad Greenway. The new uniforms are simple and powerful and this design truly feels like us. I couldn’t be more proud to wear it this season.”

The Viking color palate stays true to tradition while featuring a refreshed brighter gold accent that allows the purple to stand out. The unique new numbers and font are reminiscent of early Vikings uniform designs but now feature curved serifs that reflect the bow of a Viking ship. The Vikings wordmark is proudly positioned on the front of the jersey.

As a reminder to the athletes as they suit up for the season, the inside back jersey neckline features a simple ornamental design also similar to those seen in traditional Norse culture.

“The Nike Elite 51 uniform gives us a highly innovative performance-led canvas to really tell the Vikings story” said Todd Van Horne, Nike’s Global VP and Creative Director for Nike Football. “This new design is a modern representation of the Vikings culture and makes a simple, yet powerful statement”

Designed and engineered from the inside out, the NFL Nike Elite 51 uniform focuses on creating a system where the baselayer, padding, jersey and pant work in concert. Lightweight padding is also integrated directly into the crucial “hit zones” in the baselayer. New innovations include integrating Flywire technology into the neckline to reduce weight and provide lockdown fit over pads, increasing sleeve articulation for better range of motion, and integrating new four-way stretch fabrication to provide a streamlined shrink-wrap fit.

“I’ve worked closely with Nike designers for years to provide input on the way this uniform should be built” said Minnesota Vikings Running Back, Adrian Peterson. "The way a uniform fits really does matter when you’re out there on the field. I think fans will love the new design – it’s the way a Viking is supposed to look.”

As the official uniform supplier of the NFL, Nike provides all on-field, baselayer, sideline and practice wear for al 32 teams. The Vikings new fan jerseys are scheduled to be on sale on April 25th at nikestore.com, NFLShop.com and Vikings.com, as well as broader retail locations including Nike stores beginning April 26.

THE NIKE ELITE 51 UNIFORM – AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF DRESS