The Detroit Tigers have recently stepped into the realm of the City Connect uniform series, unveiling their 2024 edition, dubbed the “Motor City” uniforms. This highly anticipated release, which was officially presented earlier this week, marks the Tigers as the fourth team this year to debut their City Connect (CC) gear, following in the footsteps of the Phillies, Mets, and Rays. While the initial announcement gave fans a good look, the team further excited enthusiasts by shortly after revealing team-specific batting helmets, adding another layer to the overall aesthetic.
For those keen on understanding the narrative woven into these uniforms and exploring the intricate details, a deeper dive into the design is warranted. This article aims to provide an extensive overview, dissecting each element of the Detroit Tigers City Connect uniforms for 2024.
Like the Phillies, the Detroit Tigers’ CC jerseys incorporate a sublimated pattern, set against a deep midnight blue backdrop that almost borders on black. This base is accented with two prominent vertical “stripes” rendered in a sublimated royal blue. The pattern within these stripes is where the “Motor City” theme begins to materialize – a tire tread design. These stripes are bisected by a solid midnight navy placket, creating a distinct visual break down the jersey’s center.
The concept of vertical stripes on a baseball jersey is intrinsically appealing. However, the Tigers’ interpretation presents a unique execution. The stripes feature a gradient effect, starting with a brighter blue shade nearest to the placket and gradually fading into the midnight blue as they extend towards the sides of the jersey. The tire tread pattern itself is arguably well-executed, yet its application across the jersey raises questions. Instead of distinct, singular tire tracks, the pattern repeats at varying angles across the entire fabric. This design choice dilutes the impact of the tire track motif, somewhat undermining the intended visual.
Moving upwards, the uniform features a solid midnight blue cap emblazoned with “DETROIT” across the crown. The font choice for “DETROIT” has drawn comparisons to the “Star Trek” typeface. While unique, placing a city name across the crown, rather than a team logo, feels unconventional for a baseball cap. Traditionally, caps are reserved for team emblems, and while the merchandising appeal of a “fashion cap” is evident, a classic “D” logo, even in the stylized font, could have elevated the cap’s design, maintaining a stronger connection to the team’s identity.
The chest logo, “MOTOR CITY,” presented in the same italicized font, was always going to face design challenges, particularly with the placket potentially bisecting the wordmark. This issue becomes apparent when the jersey is unbuttoned, disrupting the logo’s integrity.
Turning to the jersey backs, the tire tread pattern continues, uninterrupted by a placket. The player names (NOB) are displayed in a clean, white block font, ensuring legibility, while the numbers adopt the same italicized font as the front wordmark. Notably, unlike some other City Connect uniforms, such as those of the Rays, Reds, and Giants, both the numbers and the front wordmark on the Tigers’ jerseys are highly visible.
One of the more subtle, yet thematic, “extras” incorporated into the uniform is a diamond-shaped patch on the sleeve. This patch features the “313” area code, a significant identifier for Detroit. Interestingly, both “3” digits are rendered in a white reflective material. However, this reflective element is angle-dependent, often rendering the patch to appear as simply “1” from many vantage points. The patch also includes a small, classic Olde English “D” logo, a nod to the team’s heritage.
The pants continue the royal blue accent theme with striping down the sides. This stripe begins with the same “tiled” pattern seen on the sleeve hems. Midway down the leg, however, the stripe transitions into a dual stripe design, featuring a thick and a thin stripe running parallel to each other down to the hem.
Fortunately, the shift in the pants stripe pattern is subtle enough to be almost imperceptible from a distance. In practice, the pants appear to have a solid royal blue stripe, maintaining a clean and consistent look. Most players opted for a low-cuffed pant style, but for those who showcased the CC socks, they too were midnight blue, mirroring the jersey and cap. The socks featured the royal blue tiled striping pattern, which progressively thickened from top to bottom, and were completed with a blue Tiger head logo.
During the broadcast of the debut game on Bally Sports Detroit, the “Tiger Eyes” City Connect logo was integrated into the scorebug, a creative touch noted by fans. A key visual detail highlighting the uniform’s midnight blue color came from comparing the Tigers’ uniforms to the black attire of the umpires on the field, clearly distinguishing the two shades.
To further promote the new uniforms, the Detroit Tigers released a video showcasing close-up views of the jersey, both front and back, providing a detailed perspective of how the uniforms appear in motion on the field.
Fridays are about to be electric. #MotorCity pic.twitter.com/W79di8FKyO
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 10, 2024
In a unique field design choice, the Tigers even mowed the area code patch design into the centerfield grass for their debut game. This large-scale display may have been the most visible the “3” digits appeared throughout the game, contrasting with the subtlety of the sleeve patch.
Known to Detroiters as Woodward Avenue, M-1 unites neighborhoods in the 313. #MotorCity
Thank you for voting for our City Connect field design presented by @pennington! pic.twitter.com/6v0EzEOltk
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 10, 2024
The on-field debut of the uniforms presented a mixed visual scenario. While the uniforms themselves were noticeable, the opposing team, the Houston Astros, wore orange tops and gray pants, creating a less than ideal color contrast on the field.
Matty V gets us going 💪 pic.twitter.com/m19yo7GAjK
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 10, 2024
Even PAWS, the Detroit Tigers mascot, joined in the City Connect theme, sporting a CC cap and jersey. This full embrace of the theme across the organization underscored the Tigers’ commitment to the new uniform concept.
Evaluating these uniforms purely as baseball attire, divorced from the City Connect narrative, they stand out as one of the more successful iterations within the series. While not unequivocally “good,” they avoid being overtly negative. The pairing of royal and dark navy, or midnight blue, is inherently challenging, yet this attempt is commendable. The tire tread pattern, largely imperceptible at a distance, effectively renders the vertical “stripes” as more of a gradient effect. The “DETROIT” on the caps and helmets remains a point of contention for traditionalists, and the “MOTOR CITY” chest wordmark may not appeal to all. However, in the context of City Connect uniforms, the Tigers’ version is relatively restrained in terms of excessive embellishments. The tiled stripes on the sleeve hems are a positive detail, even if the pants stripe pattern diverged slightly. Crucially, unlike some other CC designs, both the logo/wordmark and numbers maintain good legibility, fulfilling essential uniform functionality.
In conclusion, the Detroit Tigers City Connect uniforms for 2024 present a modern and thematic take on the team’s identity, drawing inspiration from the “Motor City” moniker. While certain design elements, like the cap logo and chest wordmark, may divide opinions, the overall execution is relatively well-considered within the City Connect program. The uniforms offer a fresh visual direction for the team while incorporating subtle nods to Detroit’s automotive heritage and local identity.
