‘It adds character to the game:’ Royals players assess new City Connect uniforms
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals unveil ‘Forever Fountains’ City Connect uniforms honoring Kansas City heritage.
- Players praise new fuchsia-purple gradient and city symbols, debuting Friday night.
- Team schedules themed giveaways including flags, scarves and player bobbleheads.
The Kansas City Royals will look a little different on Friday nights.
On Thursday, the Royals revealed new City Connect uniforms that are meant to encapsulate the city’s heartland location and link to franchise history.
The uniforms are uniquely KC. Several players the Star spoke with ahead of Thursday’s series opener against the White Sox sounded excited about wearing them.
The Royals will debut the new threads for Friday’s game against Chicago.
“It definitely adds character to the game,” Royals second baseman Jonathan India said. “It makes you feel a little swaggy out there. It gives you a confidence edge. You just kind of feel that.”
The Royals unveiled the uniforms in a special way Thursday. They first shared a look on social media, with multiple City Connect items available in the team store at Kauffman Stadium.
Dubbed “Forever Fountains,” the City Connect uniforms are said to be a tribute to Kansas City and a nod to the future generation of Royals fans.
The white uniforms feature multiple accents. There are bold and vibrant colors — such as a new purple and blue letter ensemble. The color gradient is described by the team as the “swirling fuchsia tones” of a Midwestern sunset. There is also a tribute to the more than 200 fountains tucked inside KC’s city limits.
“I’m trying to find something to wear tomorrow,” Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia said. “I’m trying to wear something pink or purple, but I don’t have anything.”
The City Connect uniform also pays homage to the club’s original 1969 logo. A heart logo is incorporated as a nod to the city’s geographic location in America’s heartland.
Another cool feature will celebrate both Kansas and Missouri. A white line separates two stripes running down the uniform. The idea was to celebrate both locales and their respective influences on the Royals organization.
“Anytime you get to wear a big-league uniform, it’s an honor,” Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. said. “Just being able to see and show a lot of Kansas City itself and show it off a little bit is really cool. I think they look great in person and it will be fun to mix it up a little bit and have some different colors.”
New Royals outfielder Isaac Collins agreed. He never got a chance to wear the original City Connect uniforms but sounded excited to usher in the new appearance Friday night.
“It’s always cool to rock a new jersey and represent for the city ...” Collins said. Of the design, he said, “It’s a little out there, but not too crazy. So I think they’re cool.”
The Royals will have specific City Connect giveaways throughout the season. They’ll be handing out a City Connect flag to the first 10,000 fans through the gates on Friday.
Later-season offerings will include a City Connect scarf, a Bobby Witt Jr.-and-Salvador Perez bobblehead and a City Connect beach towel.
“I like them and they’re different,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the colorful new uniforms. “I think when you drive around Kansas City and see the fountains, you see the sign out by the airport, and the one off (Interstate) 435, I think it really encapsulates a lot about the city. And I think it’s really cool.”
This story was originally published April 9, 2026 at 6:58 PM.
