By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
The WNBA Orange Hoodie, which took the sports, social media AND the fashion world by storm, was named Best Fashion Statement of 2020 by the Sports Business Journal.
The publication, known for its annual Year End Awards, chose the 2020 winners to celebrate achievements and impact in the year in different sports categories.
The Orange Hoodie became a surprise hit last year. Believed to have been worn publicly first by the late Kobe Bryant, it grew in popularity as NBA players like LeBron James, DeMar Derozan and Jayson Tatum, WNBA players like Sue Bird and A’ja Wilson, and other sports stars, musicians, entertainers and more began to sport them. They soon became a household, must-have item with teenagers, housewives and more ordering them then quickly posting selfies on social media as they became members of the “Secret Orange Hoodie Society.”
Other winners of the 2020 Year-End Awards include
- Arlington’s Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, which was named Best Facility Debut
- Jason Wright, an African American businessman who was named president of the NFL’s Washington Football Team (Best Hire)
- Patrick Mahomes, quarterback of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs (Sports Business Athlete of the Year)
- 10-part Chicago Bulls documentary The Last Dance (Best Content)
Additional winners list:
- Best Creative: NFL’s The Next 100 and Nike’s You Can’t Stop Us (co-winners)
- Best Deal: Steve Cohen buys the New York Mets
- Best Reinvention: Las Vegas Raiders
- Best Sports City: Los Angeles
- Best Esports Content: NASCAR’s iRacing
- Best Pivot: Sports in a bubble
- Best Community Effort: Sports venues as polling places
- Best New Brand: Seattle Kraken
