Syracuse Football: How much does the color Orange matter to ‘Cuse fans?

Over the years, there have been new Syracuse jerseys, whiteouts for fans and field/Dome renovations where the color orange was an issue for some fans. Recently it was revealed that they were installing new seats in the now-named JMA Wireless Dome that came with armrests and cup holders. It was announced that those seats would be blue, and some fans weren’t supportive of the idea.

Many voiced displeasure that they were not orange. Some then said they were overreacting and should be happy it’s no longer metal benches. I can see both sides and I’m never ungrateful for new and improved things. I also don’t think it’s fair to completely dismiss the voices that shared those concerns. And I understand also sometimes it feels like some fans are ungrateful and constantly critical but that doesn’t mean sometimes there can’t be validity to the complaints. Let me discuss why I feel some may have valid points, respectfully.

When it comes to Syracuse football and other ‘Cuse teams, the color Orange matters to me.

Let’s start off with a personal take. I’m Orange Chuck on social media because the team is called the Syracuse ORANGE. I have an orange car, and I wear orange clothing (and not just Syracuse Orange merch). I’m a fan of the color orange because it represents the team that I love. If Syracuse’s school color was still light pink and they were called something different, I’d not embrace the color as much as I do. I think orange is a bright and beautiful color so I happily accept it as part of who I am. Heck, I sometimes wonder why more houses, cars and businesses in the area don’t use the color myself.

I also think there is a history of disappointment for a portion of the fanbase as well whenever new merchandise comes out, especially jerseys when orange isn’t even an option or limited. At times it’s hard to find an orange jersey and often times the teams even wear different colors as well. So anytime something new comes around and there is a different color associated with it, it may leave fans wondering why you call your team the Orange if you’re not embracing it every chance you get. I mean Syracuse University has over the years been one to embrace marketing their product so why wouldn’t you do it more with the color that bears your name?

Having said that, when every decision is made, I’m not a part of the discussions and don’t know why those choices were made. I do try to keep in mind that there may be reasons those decisions were made that are justified. Maybe for example orange seats were not an option for some reason? Maybe they looked at an orange design and something looked wrong with it. Or maybe for some, it’s just not that big of a deal.

Sometimes in life, we can all agree to disagree or understand that different things have different impacts or importance. I can say that even though my wide butt will probably not like new seats, I am grateful to see things done to improve the fan experience. But that also doesn’t mean someone can’t see that and question why orange wasn’t an option either if done respectfully. It’s also hard when sometimes things you identify with your team or traditions change or an opportunity arises to empower your team’s image only to see something else done.

I’ll close with this, I love my Orange and I love my orange. It’s who I am and how family and friends recognize me because Syracuse is always number one in my heart when it comes to sports with the Mets second (who also use orange at times). I think as long as you can disagree without going scorched Earth and denouncing your fandom, it’s fair to occasionally exercise your right to disagree. And I think it’s fair to wonder why sometimes the team name is a color that is often ignored by apparel companies and the university itself without further discussion or explanation. Maybe there is validity in those who question authority. Orange is beautiful…embrace it or at least explain it.