Washington D.C. is known for its cherry blossoms that bloom each spring and are a main attraction and symbol of the capital city. On Tuesday, MLB's Washington Nationals and the NBA's Washington Wizards unveiled new cherry-blossom-themed jerseys.
The Nationals' jerseys, part of Nike's MLB City Connect line, have pink on the trims along with a cherry blossom print on the hat and jersey. Take a look:
The uniforms will first be seen on the field during baseball's opening weekend. The Nats will suit up in the cherry blossom uniforms at home against the New York Mets on April 9 and April 10.
Nationals managing principal owner Mark D. Lerner explained the meaning behind the uniforms, saying:
"Washington, D.C.'s cherry blossoms represent hope and new beginnings, making them the perfect symbol of this Nationals team. 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 front of the jerseys say "WSH" as a representative of the power and strength of the neoclassical architecture in the city. The jerseys will also feature the District of Columbia flag on the left sleeve and on the socks. The print will be incorporated on souvenir cups and ice cream helmets at the stadium as well.
The Nike MLB City Connect uniform series was launched in 2021 and is meant to reflect the community of each team. Seven teams will get City Connect uniforms over the course of the 2022 season, per Nike, with the Houston Astros (April 20), Kansas City Royals (April 30), Colorado Rockies (June 4), Los Angeles Angels (June 11), Milwaukee Brewers (June 25) and San Diego Padres (July 8) joining the Nationals.
The Wizards' jerseys, meanwhile, will be their 2022-23 City Edition jersey. Here's a look:
"We are excited to announce our Cherry Blossom jersey today and look forward to seeing them on the court next season," Monumental Sports & Entertainment Chief Marketing Officer Hunter Lochmann said in a statement. "Our great partnership with Nike and the Nationals and the timing of D.C.'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."
