For more than 26 years, Uni Watch has been the go-to destination for sports fans obsessed with uniforms and athletic aesthetics.
The popular website’s run, however, is coming to an end, with founder Paul Lukas announcing on Friday that he is shutting it down.
In what he promised would be Uni Watch’s final post, Lukas said he arrived at the decision on Thursday due to a “perfect storm” of negative developments. Those developments include the website’s revenue being cut in half since May as a result of an industry-wide ad slump, web developer and part-owner John Ekdahl dealing with a serious chronic illness and Lukas feeling that his “head and heart are no longer in Uni Watch mode.”
“Obviously, I love Uni Watch and am very proud of what we all created here, but my passion for this passion project just isn’t what it used to be,” he wrote. “In short: We have a declining financial situation, an absentee owner (me), and a compromised developer/tech guy (John). That’s not sustainable, and Uni Watch deserves better than to limp along under those conditions.”
Lukas said that he attempted to sell the website via the online brokerage Flippa and had conversations with several potential buyers. Ultimately, he was unable to reach a deal, with many suitors concerned about how responsible a single person — in this case, editor Phil Hecken — was responsible for the website’s day-to-day operations.
According to Lukas, who retired from blogging in 2024, the website and its archives are expected to totally disappear by the middle on next week. The website’s social media feeds have also been deleted.
After originally launching as a weekly column in The Village Voice in 1999, Uni Watch moved to Slate.com in 2003 and ESPN.com in 2004, with the independent website launching in 2006 (the ESPN column remained until 2019). News of the website’s demise will certainly be met with disappointment across the blogosphere, as well as for many sports fans who are aesthetically inclined.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.