What's in a Name?

As the person who answers most of the messages sent to Purple FTW!, I have received a lot of messages asking me to explain what the heck a Jerome is. Often people mistakenly think that our host Andy is actually named Jerome because Andy no longer introduces himself in the videos. Yes, folks, this is why I get paid the big bucks.

The quick answer to the Jerome question is to say that Jerome is simply a nickname for Purple FTW!'s viewers. But that's hardly a satisfying answer and tends to leave people with more questions than answers, namely, why choose the random name Jerome as a nickname for the show's fans?

That's why I generally have to give a longer answer to this question.

Way back in the year 2017 (or somewhere around then), Andy developed the habit of saying that, "everyone's middle name is Jerome" on the show. He probably told me where he picked up this goofy phrase, but I have since forgotten. While we still dub players with a Jerome middle name, like Kirkua Jerome Ezekiel Cousins, the Jerome gradually morphed into a nickname for Purple FTW!'s fan community.

This is why one of the first products we ever offered was a purple t-shirt with Jerome printed across the front in big, bold, yellow letters. That t-shirt had the distinction of being some of the only merchandise that Andy would ever wear. And, when it was time to refresh our designs for the new online store, it was the only design he specifically requested.

It was a challenge, how was I going to stay true to the show's vibe and yet give the design an update of which Andy approved? The answer came via a font.

When I was in school I never imagined how much of my time in the work world would be consumed in the never-ending hunt for the perfect font for a given project. My Jerome re-design was no different, I tried the design with font after font trying to find the right look. Some of the typefaces had no personality which seemed pointless, but others had too much personality or a personality that didn't really match the Purple FTW! vibe.

Finally, I hit a winner that had the right blend of bold readability and personality. And, even better, Andy approved the design. In fact, if you've been watching Purple FTW!'s videos through the preseason, the new Jerome shirt has been part of Andy's regular wardrobe. This is good because it's our design and I think it's a serious upgrade over some of the shirts he's been wearing lately.

This is a long, drawn-out way of saying that we take our designs seriously because the Jerome Army has taken us seriously, supporting the show since it's inception back in 2013. We're proud to have such a great fan community and we hope that this is a design you'll be proud to own.

Producer Allie