In professional sports, anything goes. Meaning, while there was once a time when a color like pink would be the last color you’d ever see on the field, diamond, or court, it’s something that is now embraced and showcased.
The same goes for yellow—I mean, such a bright and bold color belongs in sports, as it makes for an excellent pairing with most other shades it’s matched with. (And could make for quite the Pokemon/NBA jersey combo.)
In fact, many professional teams feature yellow as a primary color, or at least are proud to showcase yellow in home, away, and alternate uniforms. (And while there are many other teams that have yellow as a piece of their overall scheme, I’ll only be including those who prominently showcase yellow or have at some point):
- Golden State Warriors (#FFC72C)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (#FFB612)
- Borussia Dortmund (#FDE100)
- Los Angeles Lakers (#FDB927)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (#FDB827)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (#FDB930)
- Nashville Predators (#FFB81C)
- Oakland A’s (#FFB81C)
- Los Angeles Rams (#FFC20E)
- Indiana Pacers (#FFC633)
- Brazil National Soccer Team (#FEDF00)
Golden State Warriors (#FFC72C)
The Golden State Warriors are one of the most successful teams in NBA history (which is such an odd thing to say given many of us fans suffered through the times when the Warriors were at the bottom of the standings).
Now, with seven championships to their name, their yellow and blue color combo is instantly recognizable, with yellow being a bright and vibrant shade that representis the California sunshine (even though they now call foggy San Francisco home!)
Pittsburgh Steelers (#FFB612)
Speaking of iconic, the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most iconic teams in the history of NFL, with a long tradition of on-field success and passionate fans. In fact, the black and yellow has been adopted by every team in the city (as we will soon see with the Pirates and Penguins).
The Steelers franchise reaches back to the 1930s, and still proudly utilizes the bright yet bold shade (terrible towel anyone).
Borussia Dortmund (#FDE100)
Borussia Dortmund, also known as BVB, is a German soccer team that has been around since 1909. The team’s yellow and black jerseys have become a symbol of the club’s success.
In fact, BVB has won multiple Bundesliga titles and has a passionate “Yellow Wall” fan base that fills the Signal Iduna Park stadium every week.
For those just getting acquainted, it’s a roster filled with stars including Gio Reyna, Jude Bellingham, Youssofa Moukoko, Sébastien Haller, and others.
Los Angeles Lakers (#FDB927)
The Lakers have been wearing yellow since the 1960s, when they moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. The winning color has become synonymous with the team’s success, worn by Kareem and now Lebron. (The yellow gold could also represent the glitz and glamour of Hollywood).
With James and Anthony Davis leading the way, the Lakers came up short in their 2023 quest for the NBA finals, but are always a threat in the Western Conference with the current roster.
Pittsburgh Pirates (#FDB827)
Back to Pittsburgh, the Pirates are a Major League Baseball team that first stepped onto the diamond all the way back in 1880s. The team’s yellow and black uniforms pay homage to the city’s official colors, just like the other Pittsburgh sports teams.
The Pirates have won five World Series championships and have been home to some of baseball’s greatest players, including Roberto Clemente. And I don’t know about you, when I think Willi Stargell, I think about those amazing yellow Pirates jerseys.
Pittsburgh Penguins (#FDB930)
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been wearing yellow since the 1980s, when they added it to what was only a blue and white uniform at the time (hard to imagine!)
The Penguins have now won five Stanley Cup championships in total, with superstar Sidney Crosby recently leading the charge, and a rich roster history including one of the game’s greatest, Mario Lemieux.
Nashville Predators (#FFB81C)
The Nashville Predators entered the NHL as an expansion team in the late 90s, but only started wearing yellow when they did so as an alternate jersey in 2011. (They are part of the many teams donning blue and yellow.)
Together with their bright yellow, the team’s logo features a saber-toothed tiger, making them one of the most unique teams in what is typically a more reserved NHL.
Oakland A’s (#FFB81C)
While they might not be able to call Oakland home for much longer, the A’s have been wearing yellow as a primary uniform color since the 1970s (when they added it to their classic green and white color scheme upon their move from Kansas City).
The team has won nine World Series championships, with legendary players like Reggie Jackson wearing the yellow jersey often in his time, and Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, and Mark McGwire seeing the Yellow jersey more intermittently.
LA Rams (#FFC20E)
The Rams have been wearing yellow as a color for decades, but NFL’s “color rush” is to thank for the emergence of yellow being a primary team look for at least a game here and there.
Indiana Pacers (#FFC633)
I debated adding this one in, as most people know the Pacers through the lens of Reggie Miller’s heroics in a navy blue uniform:
- 55 points vs. Charlotte in 1992 (blue)
- 1998 game-winner over MJ (blue)
- 17 points in 4th quarter vs. Knicks (blue)
- 25 points in 4th quarter vs. Knicks (blue)
- 8 points in 9 seconds (blue
But again, in a time where alternate jerseys are all the rage, you can’t look past the Pacers as a team of yellow.
Brazil National Soccer Team (#FEDF00)
Last, and perhaps the brightest yellow on the list, The Brazil national soccer team is one of the most successful teams in the sport’s history, with five World Cup championships to their name.
Their bright yellow jerseys were made famous by arguably the greatest player in the entire history of the sport, Pelé.
