Nike is launching a new series of jerseys for select MLB teams that take considered inspiration from the cities they’re based in. The “Connect” series begins with the Miami Marlins, who will wear a uniform invoking the city’s Latinx population and the culture’s contributions to the game of baseball.
Six other teams will be involved — the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants — with the other jerseys to be unveiled from now through August.
The Marlins jersey takes its design cues from the 1959 Cuban Sugar Kings, who wont the Junior World Series and opened the door for players from Latin America to play in the MLB. “Miami” is written in the hand-painted style from the city’s Little Havana neighborhood, while a redesigned sleeve patch channels the Sugar King’s historic logo.
Jerseys with some flair —
Nike says it put each of the MLB teams it worked with at the center of the process and asked the players to share their goals, mottos, and inspirations to help create a jersey unique to their team and community. Upon unveiling, the teams will wear their uniforms for several seasons to come — a refreshing deviation from the NBA trotting out new uniforms on a yearly basis.
After the Marlins, the next team to unveil their Connect uniform will be the Chicago White Sox ahead of the June 5 retail release. The launch dates for all seven teams have been chosen to coincide with key moments in the sport and for the teams’ respective cities. On August 20, the full rollout will come to a conclusion with the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ specialized jerseys.
The Marlins jersey is coming this week —
The Marlins’ inaugural Connect jersey, along with matching hoodies and T-shirts, will go on sale this Friday, May 21. Fans will have several outlets to purchase, including the Nike App, the MLB’s website and NYC flagship, and select other retailers.
Now, we just wait to see what all the other teams will play in.
