There will be a new, Canadianized look to the Raptors this season but the good folks in Canada will only get to see it in person one time.

The team will introduce a second road jersey just before the season, a predominantly red look with a Maple Leaf emblazoned on the shorts that will be on display at the Air Canada Centre only on opening night.

The new jersey will be used a minimum of 12 times in 41 regular-season road games with no definitive schedule yet established. The team will continue to wear its white jerseys at home and the black and purple-panelled road jerseys for the majority of away games. It is unclear who will determine at which road games the Raptors wear the new jerseys.

The move to include a Maple Leaf on the shorts ? the first time the basketball team has displayed the country's symbol on any uniform ? has nothing to do with a response to the Blue Jays dropping all Canadian icons in their latest uniform alteration, says the team. And the new uniforms will have Raptors on the front, instead of Toronto.

"I think it's something like more than 20 NBA teams that do that," Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Richard Peddie said of the name-city switch. "We want to capitalize on our proud Canadian sports roots, where our teams are historically in red, white and black."

The switch has been in the works for almost a year, he said.

"It was all part of the plan with the demise of the (Vancouver) Grizzlies, we wanted to stake out our spot as Canada's team," said Peddie.

The new uniforms will be officially unveiled just before the start of the regular season but there's already a sneak peak out there. With the team always willing to cross-market its brand, the new jerseys can be seen in video game format since Vince Carter, the cover boy for EA Sports NBA Live 2004, is depicted wearing the new look.