s far as Lafayette-Lehigh trash talk goes, it’s difficult to find a more rivalry-defining tradition than the annual t-shirt battle.
But the 2013 set of Laf-Lehigh shirts will see a decline in variety.
Four organizations—field hockey, Alternative School Break (ASB), the Marquis Student Players, and the Lafayette Initiative for Malagasy Education (LIME) will be selling and distributing the same “Lights Out Lehigh” t-shirts during Rivalry Week.
One senior, who wished to remain anonymous for the online edition, feels like there needs to be more color in the Lafayette side of the stands this Nov. 23.
Her shirt, which is long-sleeved and is being promoted via Facebook, bears the slogan “You bleed our colors, we poop yours.” She said that her objective was not to cut into the “Lights Out” business, but that she felt that the shirts needed to be more “fun.”
“While I think that ‘Lights Out Lehigh’ is a fine shirt, I wish there were more of them,” she said. “They aren’t as funny; I’m doing it for the humor.”
ASB President Mary Higgins ‘15 believes that instead of watering down the variety, the “Lights Out” shirts will promote school unification.
“We thought it was a good way to contribute to the school unity aspect,” she said. “While it was nice in past years to design our own t-shirts, we also thought it was beneficial to provide a more unified front at the game.”
The Lafayette Alumni Relations group, headed by Abby Williams ‘15, provides the shirts, which cost $10. Of that $10, $5 goes straight to the organization’s fundraising efforts, and the other $5 goes back to Alumni Relations to cover the cost of the t-shirt’s production.
The payment counts as a school donation, something Williams hopes will translate into continued giving over a longer period of time. However, the donation will only be funneled towards a “restricted account,” which means that the college cannot access the funds unless it’s to benefit the specific organization.
“All $5 is counted as a donation to the organization,” she said. “The school isn’t getting any of the money.”
The shirt slogans are more toned-down than previous iterations, which include a 2011 shirt with a simple “#F**kLehigh” emblazoned on the front.
But with the chance to fundraise with minimal production costs and overall effort, club leaders felt that there was very little reason to question the tamer message.
“I couldn’t care less about what was on the shirt,” LIME participant Edwin Liriano ‘14 said. “Considering the deal we’re getting.”
Lafayette Wishmakers and the sorority Delta Delta Delta, who both designed their own t-shirts to sell in anticipation of Rivalry Week, will also attempt independent ventures in lieu of the “Lights Out” shirt.
