Wizards, Nationals unveil new Cherry Blossom-themed uniforms originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Cherry blossoms are an integral part of the culture and history of the nation’s capital, and now, two of Washington’s biggest franchises will celebrate them via their uniforms.
The Washington Wizards and Washington Nationals have collaborated on city edition cherry blossom-themed uniforms, unveiled via hype videos and press releases on Tuesday.
While the Wizards’ new jerseys won’t be donned until next season, the Nationals’ new threads will be worn this year, first during opening weekend against the New York Mets. It’s the first uniform campaign ever joining NBA and MLB teams from the same market.
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Per the Wizards' press release, “The 2022-23 Wizards NBA City Edition uniform will emphasize one of the primary colors of cherry blossoms, with pink as the base color of the jersey as well as silhouettes of cherry blossoms on the side of the jersey. The uniform will also include white accents throughout and features a deep blue ombre on the shorts, the gradient from pink to blue symbolizing the blossoms on the water of the tidal basin, home of the most iconic cherry blossom trees.”
The Nationals' jerseys won’t be as radiant pink, but will feature the color as a secondary theme in the anthracite-colored threads.
“Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossoms represent hope and new beginnings, making them the perfect symbol of this Nationals team,” Nationals owner Mark Lerner said via a press release. “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.”
The Nats’ cherry blossom jerseys will be available for purchase beginning Wednesday at the Nationals team store, MLBShop.com and neweracap.com through April 4 before hitting Nike online and select retail locations April 5, and full online and in-store distribution April 10. There will also be a launch party on Wednesday, featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales delivering the City Connect merchandise to the Team Store at around 10 a.m.
The Wizards’ city edition cherry blossom jerseys won’t be available for purchase until November at shop.monumentalnetwork.com and at the Capital One Arena Team Store. In addition to the jerseys, the Wizards will “unveil a City Edition thematic court which will be used concurrently with the City Edition uniform.”
The Nationals will also feature cherry blossoms well beyond their on-field uniforms. “The cherry blossom motif will also be featured in a variety of ways throughout the season at Nationals Park, including on souvenir soda cups and ice cream helmets at concession stands,” read the press release.
Cherry blossoms not only represent the city of Washington, they also represent new beginnings and endless possibilities. Will the new jerseys spark season-long success for the Wizards and Nationals?
