The Chicago Cubs will don new uniforms this weekend, inspired by the city's 77 neighborhoods and Windy City pride.
The team paired with Nike to unveil new "City Connect" jerseys Tuesday, displaying the name "Wrigleyville" across the chest of the dark blue uniform resembling the iconic marquee outside the ballpark.
The Cubs are set to wear the new gear at Wrigley Field for the Saturday game against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to officials. Fans can purchase the jerseys as early as Tuesday.
Cubs officials explained that the jerseys are meant to celebrate the ballpark's surrounding Wrigleyville and Lake View areas, but also all 77 neighborhoods of Chicago.
“One of the pillars of the Cubs organization is to ‘be a good neighbor,’” Cubs Vice President of Marketing Lauren Fritts said in a release. “We’re aware of the impact we have not only on the neighborhood surrounding us, but on all of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. Cubs fans don’t just reside on the North Side, and the work we do as an organization and through Cubs Charities isn’t specific to just one neighborhood."
On the jersey's left sleeve is the Chicago municipal device, which officials said is a historic symbol from the city intended to pay tribute to Wolf Point -- where the north and south branches of the Chicago River meet.
According to Cubs officials, the jock tag displays the phrase "Respect Our Neighborhood," meant to honor the city's neighborhoods. The jersey's navy blue color with the white, red and light blue elements are the color scheme of the Chicago flag, accompanied by one six-pointed red star in the center of the Cubs logo on the caps.
Chicago Baseball
Using the City Connect organization, the Cubs announced the team will nine local organizations and youth programs during in-game programming, social media and first pitches.
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The team's brand ambassadors will also be traveling across Chicago Tuesday through Thursday in search of Cubs fans to win a free game at Wrigley Field.
The announcement comes just as the Chicago White Sox and Nike also unveiled new jerseys and uniforms, which are inspired by the South Side.
According to the White Sox announcement, the design of the uniforms is intended to represent the hard-working nature of the South Side of Chicago and the identity of the team's fan base. There are nods to Chicago architecture and the legacy of the team's logo being involved in hip-hop culture.
“Every aspect of this collaboration is meant to connect with people who understand what the South Side represents. It's not just about where our ballpark is located or where people from the city or suburbs live. It's a mentality and a culture shared by many who love the White Sox," White Sox vice president Brooks Boyer said in the announcement. "The Nike MLB City Connect Series created a rare opportunity to transform a concept for all people who understand what it means to represent the South Side into an on-field look and style. We are grateful to Nike, who helped us create a uniform that embodies the team's historic legacy and connections to our fans and the mentality."
