The Braves new City Connect uniforms throw it back to their TBS roots
It's not just the powder blue. It's the Superstation sleeve patch.
The Atlanta Braves became one of America's most popular teams not just because of their success under manager Bobby Cox or the presence of Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron or Dale Murphy. They got there because their games were one of the first to be broadcast nationally. The Braves' 7:05 start times on TBS beamed Atlanta's pride and joy into the homes of millions with the cash to afford cable or a satellite dish.
Weeknights provided the opportunity to flip on console TVs and watch Murphy, Phil Niekro and, eventually, the powerhouse teams that ruled the NL East. Those broadcasts went national starting in 1977, an idea ahead of its time that helped turn a franchise that had moved twice in the previous two decades into a sigil of its city. While the cable landscape has changed (and regional sports networks have fumbled their local broadcast bags), the Braves haven't forgotten the network that served as the fertilizer to turn roots into a mighty oak.
The team's new City Connect alternate uniforms are a throwback to the Aaron-era impeccable blue jerseys of the 1970s. But there's a loving tribute to the Superstation itself on the sleeve. "ATL" is spelled out according to the old TBS logo, harkening back to an era of Braves games, WCW Saturday Night and a long list of syndicated TV shows.
It's not only a connection to Atlanta, but to every bored child who got sucked in to watching Ron Gant, Chipper Jones or any one of a number of devastating pitchers who took the mound under Cox's watchful eye. In a year where the early leaks for this year's City Connect uniforms have been underwhelming , the Braves nailed theirs. This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Braves new City Connect uniforms throw it back to their TBS roots