Brewers' nature-inspired City Connect unis a statewide effort
MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers play in the city of Milwaukee. But they belong to the entire state of Wisconsin.
The club kept that broader geographic footprint in mind for its second-generation City Connect uniforms, with “Wisco” splashed across the chest and design elements inspired by a blaze orange sunset or a brightly colored fishing bobber bouncing in a Wisconsin lake.
The Brewers will debut the new look this weekend at American Family Field for all three games against the Nationals, starting with Friday’s 6:40 p.m. CT series opener.
“Even though the official branding is City Connect, we call it ‘State Connect’ internally,” said Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger, who has good reason to think beyond the boundaries of the 414 area code. “We are top five in group sales in Major League Baseball, and we are always, consistently, in the top five. There’s no question that the roof [over American Family Field] is a big part of that, because for people to make the commitment to drive a couple of hours for a game, to know the game is being played is a huge reason.
“We have a lot of account executives who focus exclusively on group sales. We make it a priority. I think Wisconsinites, they are social creatures. Whether it’s the tailgating before the games, the social clubs, rotary, scouts, even taverns, they love the group experience. We really try to cater to it.”
This is the second iteration of a City Connect uniform for the Brewers. The first, introduced in 2022, were a throwback to the team’s past in powder blue and focused on the city of Milwaukee – from the 414 area code hidden within the letters MKE on the cap to a grill logo for the pregame tailgate culture outside Brewers games.
Now the grill logo has been reworked into a fishing bobber, one of the many small touches that help expand the scope of the new “City” Connects to the whole state.
Here are some of the explanations, direct from the Brewers and Nike, about those design choices:
Base Blue: Inspired by Wisconsin’s endless shorelines, lakes and rivers -- from the Milwaukee River to Eagle River to Lake Mendota -- symbolizing a state constantly in motion.
Accent Cream: The cream accent color recalls the sandy shores of inland lakes, the beaches of Door County on Lake Michigan and the state’s iconic sandstone bluffs.
Sunset Gradient: Oranges, yellows and blues flow through the wordmark, sleeve patches and number trims, reflecting beautiful summers and watercolor sunsets across the Northwoods, Lake Michigan’s shoreline and the Driftless Area’s sandstone bluffs. (And for the record, the letting on the back of players’ jerseys is not orange, it is “wild mango.”)
Typography & Number Set: The custom “Wisco” wordmark reimagines tradition, blending script influences from the early 20th century American Association Milwaukee Brewers, classic supper clubs and vintage brewery labels.
Wheat & Barley Braid: Featured on the shoulder sleeve and pant braid, this detail pays homage to Wisconsin’s agricultural roots and the brewing industry that inspired the club’s name.
Sleeve Patch: A revitalized Barrelman paired with a full Wisconsin state outline highlights Brewers fandom spanning every county while offering a fresh take on an iconic symbol.
Inside Neck Graphic “Forward”: Wisconsin’s state motto is proudly displayed inside the collar, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to progress while honoring its past.
Jocktag with Fishing Bobber Icon: A reinvention of the original City Connect grill patch, this new mark combines a bobber and a baseball resting on a Wisconsin lake -- celebrating fishing as one of the state’s favorite pastimes.
The Brewers’ in-house video production team is showing off the new look on Brewers.com/CityConnect and their social media channels with music from Grammy Award-winning band Bon Iver, fronted by Eau Claire, Wis., native Justin Vernon. And a complete collection of merchandise with the new City Connect theme went on sale Thursday morning at the team store at American Family Field.
The Brewers said that as part of the evolution, the original City Connect uniform unveiled in 2022 will be officially retired. But the Brewers will play on in powder blue thanks to the new road jerseys that were introduced this season.
“We were very, very pleased with the results in terms of merchandise sales and just the reaction and fan opinion about the original,” Schlesinger said. “Is it a hard jersey to replace and top? Sure. Everybody has their own opinions about jerseys. We were really pleased with the original version, and I think fans are going to like the new one.”