CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) - The Cleveland Guardians era has officially begun.
The franchise unveiled its new team store on Friday as part of a full rebrand for the franchise's new nickname and image.
A plethora of fans lined up early Friday morning to get first looks - and purchases - of the Guardians' new merchandise, including but not limited to shirts, caps, bats, balls, and toys. Much of the for-sale items included the club's new "Diamond C" logo, script "Guardians", and the "Guardians Fastball" logo, as well as the team's traditional red, white, and blue colors.
Team jerseys and fitted caps were not available to purchase yet, though both products are expected to go on sale before the start of the 2022 MLB season. The team shop is currently the only physical store in Northeast Ohio selling the new gear before the collection will arrive at other local retailers on Nov. 23.
The team will also continue to sell gear with its historic name (Indians) and logos (Chief Wahoo) and will donate profits from the sale of "to support youth organizations and causes," according to the club's press release.
The store's re-opening was part of an official rebranding that took place through early Friday. Changes included the club's website (on which new gear may be purchased) and social media accounts.
“Today marks a major step in our transition to the Cleveland Guardians, launching a new era in Cleveland baseball at Progressive Field that embodies the pride, resiliency and loyalty of Clevelanders,” said President of Business Operations Brian Barren. “We know this will impact our fans in different ways, and we will always remember and appreciate our history as the Cleveland Indians. We look forward to taking the field as Guardians on Opening Day in 2022 and living up to our new name by working to unify our fans and city.”
The team also set its new outdoor sign for the store, though the sign unfortunately only briefly sat alongside the Progressive Field outer wall before seemingly smashing on the ground.