By Sophomore Oliver Martinez
In one of my most recent posts, I talked about the best sports jerseys. And, in doing so, I mentioned City Edition jerseys and had them in my list. But what do “City Jerseys” even mean? And, what’s so special about them?
What is a sports City Edition jersey?
In the NBA, a City Edition jersey is a jersey made to express a feeling or remember something memorable about the city in which they are located. In other words, their purpose is “to represent the stories, history and heritage that make each franchise unique” (NBA) .
When were they introduced?
City Edition jerseys have been in production since 2017 when Nike took control of the NBA jerseys. So for the past seven years, every team has had its own City Edition jersey–updated yearly.
Examples of City Edition jerseys—
So, for example, look at this 2022 Atlanta Hawks City Edition jersey:
The meaning for this one is easy to figure out; the letters stand for Martin Luther King, Jr., and since Atlanta is the city where he was born, it makes sense this City Edition jersey commemorates him. It perfectly represents what a City Edition jersey should be. By having a jersey like this, the Hawks make tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and also to Atlanta.
However, there are other jerseys that make it hard to understand what the meaning is.
For example, look at this season’s Grizzlies City Edition jersey:
Can you guess what it’s supposed to represent?
Me neither. I had to look it up. According to NBA.com, “The Memphis Grizzlies 2023-24 City Edition uniform represents the joy growing up playing basketball.” I have no idea how nine lines that look like strips of bacon represent joy and basketball, but apparently that’s what it means.
What’s next for City Edition jerseys?
Typically, people enjoy the City Edition jerseys; however, this season people are really having mixed feelings about them.
I’d say a little over half of this season’s jerseys are terrible.
As an example of a bad jersey, look at this season’s Miami Heat City Edition jersey:
The problem I have with this is that “CULTURE” is bigger than “HEAT.” It doesn’t make any sense, the team is called Miami “Heat” not Miami “Culture.” It’s a shame because there is potential with the whole Heat/Culture thing. It’s also super plain and boring; it has the same color as their base jersey. It’s just generally a bad jersey.
One more example of a bad jersey this season is the Washington Wizards City Edition; just look at it:
This is single-handedly ruining NBA basketball for me. It’s an extremely ugly jersey. The gradient on the shoulder part is super ugly. Is that supposed to be rust color with turquoise? This jersey has managed to become one of the worst jerseys of all time. It does nothing right. The colors don’t go well at all, and the font is ugly as can be. I don’t even want to know what the meaning of it is.
Due to jerseys like this, I’ve heard some people say we should take a break from City Edition jerseys for a year so that Nike can reflect on the monstrosities they have created. But, one bad year of jerseys doesn’t mean they are terrible. I would say that to have a good City Edition jersey it has to first of all look good (obviously) but also have a deep meaning behind it that isn’t impossible to figure out.
A good example of a meaningful City Edition jersey came out in 2018-19. We had this Chinese New Year Warriors jersey:
This is a stunning jersey with great meaning, representing San Francisco and its Bay while also paying tribute to the Chinese New Year and the local population that celebrates it.
Major League Baseball City Connect Jerseys
The MLB also has these City Connect jerseys. Baseball isn’t really my thing, but I still appreciate their meaning and looks. According to MLB, “The MLB launched the Nike City Connect program during the 2021 season to celebrate the bond between teams and their home city. This year’s City Connect uniforms explore ‘the personality, values and customs that make each community and their residents unique.’”
A quick example of a City Connect jersey is this Washington Nationals jersey:
According to CBS, “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.’”
In conclusion, I think City Edition jerseys are a great staple of sports. They’re very memorable and help us celebrate and cherish different cultures from different areas in the US. They are something I look forward to every year.
Now do you understand the concept of City Edition and City Connect jerseys? Did I miss a sport that also does City Edition jerseys? If I did, let me know in the comments.
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