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Retailer apologizes for leaking Astros' new T-shirts

HOUSTON -- Sports apparel retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors issued an apology Friday for inadvertently leaking small quantities of shirts with the Astros' new logo, which won't officially be unveiled until next week.

In a statement released through the team, the retailer admitted a limited quantity of the new Astros product was released early to the sales floor of select Academy Sports + Outdoors store locations in Houston. The product was removed from the sales floor and is no longer available for sale.

"We express our apologies to Houston Astros fans, our partners at the Houston Astros ballclub, along with Major League Baseball for inadvertently releasing the new Astros T-shirts in limited quantity," Academy CEO and president Rodney Faldyn said in a statement. "We take pride in our ongoing partnership with the Astros, and this oversight is not our standard business practice. We are looking forward to celebrating the official jersey launch with the Houston Astros on Nov. 2, 2012."

The Astros will reveal the club's new uniforms, logos, color schemes and mascot for the 2013 season at a launch party next Friday on the field at Minute Maid Park. The party begins at 6 p.m. CT, and fans with vouchers can arrive at 5 p.m.

More than 5,000 vouchers have been distributed for fans to see the new uniforms modeled by current Astros players Justin Maxwell, Lucas Harrell, Jordan Lyles and Jose Altuve, along with rising stars Carlos Correa, George Springer, Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton.

Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Tag's Lines. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter.
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