The Tampa Bay Rays unveiled their new Nike MLB Metropolis Join Collection uniform right now, taking inspiration from the area’s skateboarding tradition whereas additionally mixing in a number of enjoyable little nods to the crew’s historical past. These uniforms are set to make their on-field debut throughout a particular weekend sequence from Might third to Might fifth, celebrating the “Grit and Glow” of not solely the crew but additionally the colourful tradition of Tampa Bay.
General, it’s a black uniform—that is the “Grit,” a black cap, black jersey, very darkish gray pants, and skateboard grip tape patterning. The “Glow” treats us to an array of just about neon-like colors: a number of blues, purples, and greens utilized each as strong colors and gradients and used principally as trim sprinkled all through the principally black design.
The design of the Tampa Bay Rays’ new Metropolis Join uniform is deeply rooted within the native tradition, drawing vital inspiration from the realm’s vibrant skateboarding scene and different counterculture components. That is mirrored in options just like the aforementioned skateboard grip tape textures on the jerseys and caps, mimicking the floor of a skateboard and the tactile really feel that’s central to the skateboarding tradition.
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Along with skateboarding, the uniform incorporates visible motifs that reference the Rays’ personal historical past and people who echo the Tampa Bay space—such because the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The bridge is a crucial hyperlink to the realm, connecting the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg.
“What really hit home for us [while designing this uniform] is this notion of connecting with our community and really using that as a guiding principle throughout this process,” mentioned Invoice Walsh, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Chief Enterprise Officer, in a chat with SportsLogos.Net. “This has been a fun process. We really wanted to capture this unmistakable vibe and this creative energy that the Tampa Bay region has. It’s been a fun process.”
A welcome return to a Rays uniform is the phrases “Tampa Bay,” which haven’t been featured on their uniforms since 2007 (although it did seem briefly in small lettering on their “fauxback” alternate jersey within the ’10s). “Tampa Bay” is introduced on this jersey as a black wordmark, angled from the decrease proper to the higher left, in a mode similar to the wordmark on the original Tampa Bay Devil Rays 1998-2000 road jerseys. This new wordmark is full of a grip-tape type sample, trimmed in a blue-green gradient (one other acquainted ingredient), and accented with flames capturing out the highest of every letter.
“[The Tampa Bay wordmark] is such an important part of the story for us,” mentioned Warren Hypes, Tampa Bay Rays Vice President, Inventive & Model, on this similar name with SportsLogos.Net. “It’s the first time ‘Tampa Bay’ is back on the uniform since ’07. [For the flame logo], we took references from skateboarding and its impact on hip-hop, music, punk music, even fashion.”
The black base of the jersey accommodates a sample designed to resemble a black shirt ignored within the Florida solar somewhat too lengthy, one which’s slowly fading to a lighter, grey-like shade.
I personally love the brand new cap brand—it ingeniously merges a Ray 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 team that represents not one city but a region, so connecting that community is so important in this story. One of the most iconic things here in Tampa Bay is the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. I think that’s such a great example of connectivity and connecting the region together,” Hypes mentioned. “We had a little fun with it. We merged it into this Devil Ray, and as the gradient goes down underneath the bridge, you see the water going under the bridge in this logo.”
It’s nearly a Satan Rays-ized model of the Minnesota Twins’ Minnie and Paul logo, which exhibits their two communities shaking palms over a river. It’s good, and I hope the Rays discover a method to incorporate this into their common id by some means… possibly as a sleeve patch?
The underbill of the Rays’ Metropolis Join New Period cap contains the grip tape sample. The inside sweatband has 360 levels of gradient goodness, transitioning from blue to inexperienced and again once more.
The participant names on the again of the jersey are arched and neon-like inexperienced. Under are participant numbers, a brand new type based mostly on the TAMPA BAY wordmark brand on the entrance (minus the flames). This numbering, which might have match completely into the general look of the unique Satan Rays uniforms, incorporates the grip tape sample and likewise contains the gradient-style trim round it.
Participant sleeves embody the present Rays “sun glint” logo in inexperienced. A gradient stripe is current on one sleeve solely, whereas the opposite is clean. This similar type is utilized to the pants. Why? It’s asymmetrical, one thing quirky and distinctive, identical to Tampa Bay, its residents, and its Rays.
“We’ve got this great accent on the right side of the sleeve, and on the pants, it’s going down the left side. It’s how we like to be against the grain here, both as an organization and as a region, just doing things differently,” mentioned Hypes. “This kind of design not only captures our spirit of innovation but also visually represents the dynamic and diverse nature of Tampa Bay. The asymmetry is not just aesthetic; it symbolizes the balance between tradition and forward-thinking, which is central to our team’s identity and to the broader community. It reflects our commitment to stand out and embrace unique approaches in everything we do.”
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Spinning again round to the entrance, the jocktag brand (the a part of the jersey that will get tucked into the pants) exhibits a pelican with the Rays’ solar glint design on its eye. The pelican is positioned on an oval in a mode just like the original Devil Rays logo, with three palm timber towering behind it. The historic marker signal situated at Perry Harvey Sr. Park impressed the three palms, whereas the pelican is an emblem of St. Petersburg. It’s additionally been a logo utilized in St. Pete baseball historical past, used beforehand by the Forties-50s Florida State Negro League St. Pete Pelicans.
“The three palm trees logo represents that feeling of subtropical breeziness beneath the Florida palms as you drop into the bowl. It’s an ode to the historic marker sign at Perry Harvey Sr. Park, the first skate park that was ever on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s also a Florida Heritage site,” Hypes defined. “All the marker signs that all the Florida Heritage sites use this three-palm tree logo. This emblem not only honours the park’s rich history as a gathering place for the community but also symbolizes the laid-back yet vibrant spirit of the Tampa Bay area. The palm trees, synonymous with Florida’s scenic beauty and leisure, are depicted in a way that invites fans and players alike to feel connected to the essence of our local environment.”
A brand new skateboarding Satan Ray brand, one other of my favourites, is positioned contained in the again collar of the jersey and on the higher left entrance of the pants. The design intends to attach skateboarding and baseball with the crew’s general id. The brand exhibits a satan ray performing a skateboarding trick referred to as a “stale fish” (get it? It’s a fish?). A more in-depth take a look at the ray exhibits purple baseball stitching on its entrance. It’s additionally value noting that one other identify for a stingray is a skate, one more intelligent tie-in throughout this general design.
“My favourite little Easter egg about this is that the ray is shown doing the trick called a stale fish — when you go up and grab the board from the back,” mentioned Hypes. “If you don’t know skateboarding, maybe you don’t get it, but for those that do, I think it’s a really fun little Easter egg in this.”
In fact, new Stance socks are a part of the set. Breaking apart the darkness, the socks are vibrant blue with the brand new Satan Ray-bridge brand in black and the brand new TAMPA BAY flaming wordmark on the edges.
The Rays will maintain a public Metropolis Join Launch occasion right now at 2 pm at Tropicana Subject, marking the “official” unveiling of the brand new uniforms. Persevering with the festivities, a particular celebration will happen at St. Pete Pier on Thursday, Might 2, at 5 pm. Moreover, the Rays will host Metropolis Join-themed watch events over the following two months, beginning with Might 18 at 2:30 pm at Pier 60 at Clearwater Seaside, adopted by June 1 at 3:30 pm at Midtown Tampa after which June 15 at 3:30 pm at Payne Park in Sarasota. Every occasion will characteristic dwell broadcasts of the Rays’ video games, permitting followers to cheer on their crew in festive settings celebrating native landmarks.
TAMPA BAY RAYS 2024 CITY CONNECT UNIFORM SCHEDULE
The Rays are scheduled to put on their new Metropolis Join uniforms fifteen instances this season, 13 of that are at Tropicana Subject. They’ll slide in as an everyday dwelling Saturday uniform following the opening weekend from Might 3-5. The Rays will proceed to put on their throwback-style Satan Rays uniforms for Friday dwelling video games.
Friday, Might 3 vs New York Mets
Saturday, Might 4 vs 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 at 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
Value noting, the street video games (sure, they’re taking these on the street!) on June fifteenth at Atlanta and August seventh at St. Louis will characteristic each golf equipment carrying their Metropolis Join uniforms. No, the Cardinals haven’t unveiled theirs but, however they are going to have between every now and then.
The Rays are the third crew to unveil their new Metropolis Join uniform in the course of the 2024 season, following earlier releases by the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. There are six extra of those uniforms to come back this season: Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minnesota, St. Louis, and Toronto.
