The Windsor Spitfires have released an alternate jersey commemorating 10-years at the WFCU Centre.
Every OHL team has a third jersey in rotation and Manager of Retail Operations Daniel Dobrich says the team usually mixes things up when a special occasion comes around.
The team last altered the jersey for the opener of their 2017 Memorial Cup Championship run, this time it's to show appreciation for an arena that's seen a renaissance for the team — the Spitfires hoisted the trophy at home in 2017, one of three cups since they moved to the arena back in 2008.
Dobrich tells AM800 News the alternate jersey will play off the design worn when Windsor clinched the 2009-2010 OHL Championships on home ice.
"It's similar to the design we had in 2007 to 2009 where it was the same logo but we tried to modernize it, we brought in the navy [blue] instead of the cream base," he says. "Loosely based off our Memorial Cup home-opener jersey, which was very popular and it wasn't available for sale or anything like that."
After the positive feedback from the Memorial Cup design, he says the team wanted to make the 10th anniversary jerseys available to fans.
"Honestly, we're just hoping that they love it. This is something that we've been working on for a while and we think we kind of touched all the boxes as far as what the fans have liked in the past and where the style of the team's going," he says. "Hopefully they're as into as we are and we hope to see them in the stands wearing them."
Dobrich says the team will unveil the jerseys against the Saginaw Spirit at the WFCU Centre on Dec. 16 — the alternate look will then make its way into regular rotation for weekend matchups.
The shirts are now available online and at the WFCU Centre.