The Tampa Bay Rays as we speak unveiled their new Nike MLB Metropolis Join Sequence uniform, drawing inspiration from the area’s skateboarding tradition whereas incorporating some enjoyable nods to the crew’s historical past. These uniforms will make their on-field debut throughout a particular weekend collection Might 3-5, celebrating not solely the crew’s “Grit and Glow,” but in addition the colourful tradition of Tampa Bay.
Total it’s a black uniform – that is the ‘Grit’, a black cap, black jersey, very darkish grey pants and skateboard grip tape patterns. The “Glow” treats us to a spread of virtually neon-like colours: a number of blues, purples and greens utilized as each solids and gradients, principally used as a border sprinkled all through the predominantly black design.
The design of the Tampa Bay Rays’ new Metropolis Join uniform is deeply rooted in native tradition and takes important inspiration from the world’s vibrant skateboarding scene and different counterculture parts. That is mirrored in options such because the aforementioned skateboard grip tape textures on the jerseys and caps, which mimic the floor of a skateboard and the tactile really feel that’s central to skateboard tradition.
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Along with skateboarding, the uniform additionally options visible motifs that reference the Rays’ personal historical past and the historical past of Tampa Bay, such because the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The bridge is an important hyperlink to the world, connecting the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg.
“What actually touched us [while designing this uniform] is this concept of connecting with our group and actually utilizing that as a information by means of this course of,” stated Invoice Walsh, Chief Enterprise Officer of the Tampa Bay Rays, talking to SportsLogos.Web. “This has been a enjoyable course of. We actually wished to seize this unmistakable environment and artistic vitality of the Tampa Bay area. It has been a enjoyable course of.”
A welcome return to a Rays uniform is the phrases “Tampa Bay,” which hasn’t appeared on their uniforms since 2007 (though it was briefly on the uniforms in small letters). their “fauxback” alternate jersey within the 1910s). “Tampa Bay” seems on this shirt as a black wordmark, diagonally from backside proper to high left, in a mode similar to the wordmark on the unique 1998-2000 Tampa Bay Satan Rays highway jerseys. This new wordmark is stuffed with a griptape-style sample, trimmed with a teal gradient (one other acquainted ingredient) and accented with flames taking pictures from the highest of every letter.
“[The Tampa Bay wordmark] is such an essential a part of the story for us,” stated Warren Hypes, Vice President, Inventive & Model of the Tampa Bay Rays, in the identical dialog with SportsLogos.Web. “It’s the first time ‘Tampa Bay’ has been again on the uniform since ’07. [For the flame logo]we took references from skateboarding and its influence on hip hop, music, punk music and even trend.
The black base of the jersey incorporates a sample designed to resemble a black shirt that has been left within the Florida solar for a little bit too lengthy, a shirt that’s slowly fading to a lighter, grayish shade.
Personally, I like the brand new cap emblem; it ingeniously combines a beam with the Bay (rhymin’!) and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The brand is positioned on a black crown with a purple visor and a inexperienced button.
“We’re a crew that represents not one metropolis however a area, so connecting that group is so essential on this story. One of the vital iconic issues right here in Tampa Bay is the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. I feel it is a nice instance of connectivity and connecting the area,” stated Hypes. “We had a little bit of enjoyable with it. We put it collectively on this Satan Ray, and because the gradient goes down beneath the bridge, on this emblem you may see the water flowing beneath the bridge.”
It is nearly a Satan Rays model of the Minnesota Twins Minnie and Paul emblem, which reveals their two communities shaking palms throughout a river. It is sensible, and I hope the Rays discover a method to incorporate this into their mainstream identification one way or the other… perhaps as a sleeve patch?
The underside of the Rays Metropolis Join New Period cap incorporates the grip tape sample. The sweatband on the within has a 360 diploma gradient, from blue to inexperienced and again once more.
The participant names on the again of the shirt are curved and neon inexperienced. Beneath are the participant numbers, a brand new model primarily based on the TAMPA BAY wordmark emblem on the entrance (minus the flames). This numbering, which would slot in completely with the general look of the unique Satan Rays uniforms, contains the grip tape sample and likewise the gradient-like border round it.
Participant sleeves comprise the movement Rays “solar sparkle” emblem in inexperienced. Just one sleeve has a gradient stripe, whereas the opposite is clean. This similar model is utilized to the pants. Why? It is asymmetrical, one thing quirky and distinctive, identical to Tampa Bay, its residents and its Rays.
“We’ve got this nice accent on the best facet of the sleeve, and on the pants it runs down the left facet. It is the way in which we prefer to go towards the grain right here, each as a company and as a area, by merely doing issues otherwise,” stated Hypes. “Any such design not solely displays our spirit of innovation, but in addition visually represents the dynamic and numerous nature of Tampa Bay. The asymmetry is not only aesthetic; it symbolizes the stability between custom and progressiveness, which is central to the identification of our crew and the broader group. It displays our dedication to standing out and embracing distinctive approaches in the whole lot we do.”
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Returning to the entrance, the jock tag emblem (the a part of the jersey that tucks into the pants) incorporates a pelican with the Rays’ solar glitter design on its eye. The pelican is positioned on an oval in a mode just like the authentic Satan Rays emblem, with three palm bushes behind them. The historic marker at Perry Harvey Sr. Park impressed the three palms, whereas the pelican is an emblem of St. Petersburg. It is usually a logo utilized in St. Pete baseball historical past and was beforehand utilized by the Florida State Negro League St. Pete Pelicans of the Nineteen Forties and Nineteen Fifties.
“The brand of the three palm bushes represents that feeling of subtropical airiness beneath the palms of Florida as you fall into the bowl. It’s an ode to the historic marker at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, the primary skate park ever on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations, and it’s also a Florida Heritage web site,” Hypes explains. “All markings point out that each one Florida Heritage websites use this three palm tree emblem. This emblem not solely honors the park’s wealthy historical past as a group gathering place, but in addition symbolizes the laid-back but vibrant environment of the Tampa Bay space. The palm bushes, synonymous with Florida’s scenic magnificence and recreation, are depicted in a approach that invitations followers and gamers alike to attach with the essence of our native setting.”
A brand new skateboarding Satan Ray emblem, one other considered one of my favorites, is positioned within the again collar of the jersey and on the higher left entrance of the pants. The design is meant to attach skateboarding and baseball with the crew’s general identification. The brand reveals a satan ray performing a skateboard trick known as an “previous fish” (get it? Is it a fish?). When you take a more in-depth have a look at the beam, you will see purple baseball stitching on the entrance. It is also price noting that one other identify for a stingray is a skate, one other intelligent tie-in to this general design.
“My favourite little Easter egg right here is that it reveals the ray doing the trick known as an previous fish – whenever you go up and seize the plate from behind,” Hypes stated. “If you do not know skateboarding you may not get it, however for individuals who do, I feel it is a very nice Easter egg.”
In fact, new Stance socks are a part of the set. Breaking the darkness, the socks are vibrant blue with the brand new Satan Ray bridge emblem in black and the brand new flaming TAMPA BAY wordmark on the edges.
The Rays will maintain a public Metropolis Join Launch occasion at Tropicana Discipline as we speak at 2 p.m. to mark the “official” unveiling of the brand new uniforms. To proceed the festivities, a particular celebration will happen on the St. Pete Pier on Thursday, Might 2 at 5 p.m. As well as, the Rays will host Metropolis Join-themed Watch Events over the following two months, starting on Might 18 at 2:30 PM at Pier 60 on Clearwater Seaside, adopted by June 1 at 3:30 PM in Midtown Tampa after which on June 15. at Payne Park in Sarasota at 3:30 p.m. Every social gathering will characteristic reside broadcasts of the Rays’ video games, permitting followers to cheer on their crew in a festive setting celebrating native landmarks.
TAMPA BAY RAYS 2024 CITY CONNECT UNIFORM SCHEDULE
The Rays will put on their new Metropolis Join uniform 15 instances this season, 13 of which will probably be at Tropicana Discipline. They are going to be in common dwelling Saturday uniforms after the opening weekend of Might 3-5. The Rays will proceed to put on their throwback model Satan Rays uniforms for Friday’s dwelling video games.
Friday, Might 3 vs. New York Mets
Saturday, Might 4 towards the New York Mets
Sunday, Might 5 vs. New York Mets
Saturday, Might 11 vs. New York Yankees
Saturday, Might 25 vs. Kansas Metropolis Royals
Saturday, June 8 vs. Baltimore Orioles
Saturday, June 15 on the Atlanta Braves
Saturday, June 29 vs. Washington Nationals
Saturday, July 13 vs. Cleveland Guardians
Saturday, July 27 vs. Cincinnati Reds
Wednesday, August 7 at St Louis Cardinals
Saturday, August 10 vs. Baltimore Orioles
Saturday, August 17 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Saturday, August 31 vs. San Diego Padres
Saturday, September 21 vs. Toronto Blue Jays
It is price noting that for the highway video games (sure, they’re taking it on the highway!) on June 15 in Atlanta and August 7 in St. Louis, each golf equipment will probably be sporting their Metropolis Join uniforms. No, the Cardinals have not revealed theirs but, however they’ll now and again.
Followers should buy the brand new Tampa Bay Rays Metropolis Join caps, jerseys, shirts and extra now on-line at MLBShop right here.
The Rays are the third crew to unveil their new Metropolis Join uniform through the 2024 season, following earlier releases of the Philadelphia Phillies And New York Mets. There are six extra of those uniforms coming this season: Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minnesota, St. Louis and Toronto.