The San Jose Barracuda announced a new specialty jersey they will debut this upcoming season. Barracuda employee Steven Quintero designed the Del Mar Tigres or their Cultura jerseys. The design draws from several Hispanic and Latinx cultures and will be worn three times this season by the Barracuda. The first time is on Saturday, October 28, vs. the Coachella Valley Firebirds. A pregame block party will also take place before the game. The Barracuda will also dawn the jerseys again on Friday, January 12, vs. the Bakersfield Condors and on Saturday, March 2, vs. the Firebirds. The first 1,000 fans at each game will also receive special edition pins.
Several elements of Hispanic and Latinx culture influence the jerseys. The purple is from the traditional use of the color in Hispanic clothing. A distinct element is the armband on the left sleeve, and it is a nod to Jaguar warriors who would be given jeweled armbands in recognition of their feats on the battlefield. Floral patterns and sugar skulls are well-known elements of Latinx culture, and with the jerseys’ debut right before Dia de los Muertos, they should be a fan favorite.
The logo contains several nods to both hockey and Hispanic and Latinx cultures. The headdress on the tiger represents headdresses worn by Jaguar warriors. They would be dressed as Jaguars to help draw from the animal’s strength. The logo also has many hockey callbacks, including CUDA written within the headdress, hockey sticks for logos, and a goalie mask in the mouth. SJ is also on the chin of the tiger, of course representing San Jose.
The jerseys will be worn with black pants, helmet, and gloves and finished with purple socks. The gloves and pants are different than what the Barracuda wore last year with their normal black kits. Could this be part of the San Jose Sharks rumored third jerseys that have yet to be released? With the cuffs being white and what looks to be a white stripe on the pants, we could be looking at parts of a new stealth jersey to potentially go with the increased use of the fin that now graces the center ice of the SAP center.
