Astros officially launch new identity

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros officially revealed the club’s new uniforms, logos, color schemes and mascot for the 2013 season at a Launch Party held tonight on the field at Minute Maid Park. Over 5,000 fans in attendance witnessed as the club revealed the return of the blue and orange color scheme, the same colors that were worn by the franchise from 1962-1993.

MERCHANDISE SALES

The club’s new merchandise went up for sale at tonight’s Launch Party and will continue to be sold at the Astros Team Store, located inside Minute Maid Park’s Union Station lobby. The Astros Team Store will be open this weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Monday, the Astros Team Store will resume with its normal business hours, which are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday.

Earlier tonight, the club’s new merchandise was made available for purchase online at Astros.com, at all Houston-area Academy Sports + Outdoors stores and at the Astros store location at the Galleria Mall (Galleria 4, Second level).

LOGO, HAT AND UNIFORM COMBINATIONS

Tonight, the club introduced two logos, four uniforms and three hats, which will be worn in the 2013 season. For a comprehensive guide to the Astros new marks, uniforms and headgear, please reference the attached PDF document.

A popular return to the Astros identity is the full star logo with the block letter ‘H’ in the middle of the star, which was also worn on the Astros hats in the 1965-1993 seasons. The input that the Astros received from fans was instrumental in the design and colors selected for the new brand.

The Astros four uniforms include home whites, with orange piping, and road grays, with blue piping. The club will also wear an alternate orange jersey, with blue piping, in home or road games. As a tribute to one of the most recognizable jerseys in Major League Baseball history, the Astros will also wear a blue batting practice top with rainbow print down the side of the jersey. The rainbow print was part of the Astros jersey from the 1975-1993 seasons. The club wore their popular all-rainbow jerseys from 1975-79 and in home games from 1980-86. The club switched to the rainbow sleeve jerseys for road games from 1980-86 and in all games from 1987-93.

On hand tonight to model the new uniforms were current players Jose Altuve, Lucas Harrell, Jordan Lyles and Justin Maxwell, and future players Carlos Correa, Jarred Cosart, Jon Singleton and George Springer.

ACADEMY APPEARANCE TOMORROW

Two Academy Sports + Outdoors locations will host autograph signings tomorrow with Altuve, Correa and Harrell. The three will be at the Academy location near Kirby Dr. at 2404 Southwest Freeway (between Greenbriar/Shepherd and Kirby) from 11 a.m.-noon and at the Katy location at 9734 Katy Freeway (at Bunker Hill) from 1-2 p.m.

ORBIT RETURNS TO ASTROLAND

The finale of tonight’s Launch Party was the revealing of the new Astros mascot Orbit. The green space creature is a recognizable figure among a great portion of Astros fans, having been the club’s mascot for 10 seasons, from 1990-99 during the franchise’s final years in the Astrodome.

For more information on the Astros new identity, please visit the official website at Astros.com.