Just like the rest of the region, it looks like cherry blossom-fever has taken over the Washington Nationals and Washington Wizards. Both teams announced today that they will be trading in their red, white, and blue regalia for cherry blossom-themed uniforms for select games during the upcoming season.
The Nationals’ City Connect jersey will hit the field first, as the team takes on the New York Mets on April 9 and 10 during Opening Day weekend. Wizards fans will have to wait until the start of the 2022-23 NBA season to see the City Edition jersey in action. The uniforms for the two teams mark Nike’s first campaign where MLB and NBA teams from the same city have collaborated on a limited-edition design.
“We’re excited to unveil these beautiful uniforms as the embodiment of our historic organization’s hopeful future as we lead the District of Cherry Blossoms celebration with our friends at the Wizards,” rambled Mark D. Lerner, managing principal owner of the Washington Nationals, in a recent press release.
Forgoing the usual red and white curly W design, these baseball jerseys put spring in the forefront with the pink and ivory color palette. In addition to the pink blooms featured on the front of the jersey, fans will also notice the subtle cherry blossom print throughout the gray top and the blowing petals emphasizing the W logo on the cap.
On the other hand, the Wizard’s jersey is all about color. You won’t miss the bright pink hues that resemble the beautiful blooms tourists flock to near the Tidal Basin each spring. The special digs will also feature white blossoms cascading down the side panels of the jersey and shorts and pink-to-blue ombre shorts that represent “the blossoms on the water of the tidal basin.”
“We are excited to announce our Cherry Blossom jersey today and look forward to seeing them on the court next season,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment Chief Marketing Officer Hunter Lochmann in a recent press release. “Our great partnership with Nike and the Nationals and the timing of DC’s Cherry Blossom Festival have allowed us to be the first NBA team to announce our 2022-23 City Edition uniform. We know Wizards fans have been asking for a Cherry Blossom jersey for some time, so we are glad it’s come to fruition.”
To kick off the debut of the new jerseys, the Nationals will be hosting a launch party on March 30 at the Nationals Team Store. At 10 a.m., the Budweiser Clydesdales–never missing a chance to insert the Budweiser brand into an otherwise unrelated context–will deliver the merchandise to the center field gates, where fans can take photos, pick up gear, and enter to win tickets to the Nats’ Opening Weekend series.
For fans looking to get their hands on one of these jerseys, you’re in luck. The Nationals’ City Edition merch goes on sale on Wednesday, March 30 at the Nationals Team Store and neweracap.com; with full online and in-store distribution starting April 10. Wiz fans will have to wait until the start of next season, in November 2022, to rep their cherry blossom jerseys.
Feature image courtesy Washington Nationals
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