The East Carolina University Athletics Department and adidas, the official athletic footwear and apparel provider of the Pirates, have announced a collaborative creation of a unique brand pattern designed exclusively for ECU. This innovative development is an example of how the multi-year partnership with the sports brand can, and will, further ECU's brand recognition and national exposure.Consumers and fans alike are no strangers to seeing iconic patterns used by global fashion brands, and in both collegiate and professional sports. Whether on apparel, accessories, uniforms or on the competition playing surface, widely recognized patterns are everywhere. The ECU pattern, inspired by and solely dedicated to the Pirates, joins only a handful of other collegiate athletic programs in the nation to incorporate such a concept into its brand identity.At the center of the discussion throughout the creative process were the loyal ECU alumni, students and fans; the tradition of NO QUARTER; and the ECU characteristics of being bold, aggressive, fearless, passionate and determined in always moving forward to new heights of success. After an 18-month process, the Brand Identity team at adidas and ECU decided on six distinctive elements, along with nautical flags spelling ECU, that would be incorporated into the pattern to represent the spirit of the Pirates.

The Crossbones

A Compass

An X

An Hour Glass

Crossed Swords

A Pirate Hat

The skull and crossbones symbol has long been associated with Pirates and the signaling of danger. This element represents the fans, specifically the students who sit in the Boneyard, who show no mercy to our opponents creating a home-field advantage rivaled by few.Used by Pirates throughout time to safely navigate their ships, this compass represents home by always pointing east.This element represents Undaunted, which is the mindset and the approach of all ECU student-athletes. Pirates fight through adversity and show determination to achieve their goals. Along the way, they show their opponents No Quarter, symbolized by fans and participants crossing their arms in an X.The hour glass is used to honor one of the most famous Pirates in all of history – Blackbeard. Incorporated in Blackbeard's flag, the hour glass represented time running out for Blackbeard's enemies and now, any enemy of the ECU Pirates.What has become one of the greatest entrances in college football, this element represents Purple Haze and the Pirate who crosses his swords before leading the team onto the field.Worn by every ECU Pirate mascot since the early 1930's, this element represents tradition and history."ECU's unique history, tradition and culture gives us an identity which is distinctively our own," ECU Senior Associate Athletics Directorsaid. "Thanks to our partnership with adidas, we are now in a position to enhance our brand with an innovative Pirate pattern that not only embraces our past, but boldly reflects our spirit and moves ECU toward the future. Our greatest strength over many generations has been the loyalty, pride and passion that lies within the hearts of all Pirates."We would like to express our gratitude to the adidas Brand Identity team for their creativity and work throughout this process."The new brand pattern was officially unveiled first to the student-athletes at their annual Goldspy's award ceremony on Tuesday evening. Each received a water bottle wrapped in the pattern and athletes graduating this spring earned exclusive brand pattern stoles to be worn during ceremonies on May 4. Pirate teams will start to see the pattern incorporated into their uniforms and sideline apparel starting this fall, first with the football pants and on both the men's and women's basketball shorts.Pirate Nation will have its opportunity to purchase apparel and accessories featuring the new brand pattern starting on Wednesday, April 25. For those living outside of Greenville, adidas short and long-sleeve t-shirts are available for purchase online at ECUPirates.com . Inside city limits, fans can purchase exclusive adidas products along with other various items such as socks, ties, and glassware at Dowdy Student Stores and UBE. Steinbeck's will also carry merchandise in-store starting mid-May, and fans should expect to see the availability and types of items only expand during the summer months.