The San Diego Padres ' collaboration with Nike on City Connect uniforms began about 18 months ago and took several divergent paths. Most of them, Padres CEO Erik Greupner said, represented safer, more conventional options.
The Padres created a binational theme that pays homage to the Hispanic culture prevalent in a city close to the border shared by Mexico and the United States.
They accentuated pink, mint and yellow, vibrant colors seen throughout the Baja peninsula, on a uniform that pays homage to a region with unique social dynamics.
"I think this will be really well received by a young and diverse fan," Greupner said to ESPN in a phone conversation. "We really view this as an opportunity to connect in a deeper and more meaningful way with young and diverse fans."
The Padres unveiled their City Connect uniforms on Friday, making them available through Nike's website, Major League Baseball's online shop and the Padres' team store at Petco Park.
The players will wear them for the first time on July 8, at home against the division rival San Francisco Giants, and for every Friday home game thereafter.
The Padres are the seventh and final team to unveil City Connect gear this season, following the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals, each of whom attempted to capture the vibes of their surroundings through styles that deviated from their traditional uniforms.
The result is a shared culture between Hispanics and Americans that might only be rivaled by Miami's close ties with the Caribbean. The Padres attempted to honor that with three colors that, according to the team's release, "mixes iconic California imagery with the vibrant colors of the Baja peninsula."
Yellow forms the collar, lines the sleeves and outlines the namesake on the front, which is written in a font aimed to depict weathered beach signs.
The Padres are averaging 36,551 fans at Petco Park this season, fourth-most in the majors, and have experienced the industry's biggest attendance growth since 2019, barely edging out an Atlanta Braves team that won last year's World Series.