2005 Kits

That's the 03/04 away kit.

 

Late Jan / Feb..... my guess
We already have a general feel for what the shirts will look like. But it will be interesting with Adidas taking over 8 of the 12 teams this year in 2005.

Nike - Metrostars, Galaxy
Puma - Fire
Reebok - Revolution
Adidas - Chivas, RSL, Earthquakes, Wizards, FC Dallas, Rapids, Crew, United

And of course in 2006 ALL the teams switch to Adidas.

 

Here's what the Fire jersey's will look like in 2005:
http://www.section8chicago.com/images/05ChicagoLG.jpg

 

Not unless they're planning to wear the same unis in 2005, which they very well may be.

 

The Revolution will never have any product for the general public. Doesn't matter what supplier we have.

Oh, actually, that's not true - everyone already has our away kit...
...it's a plain white T-shirt with plain white boxer shorts.
It's our "Chariots of Fire" look.

 

Good stuff.

Unfortunately it applies to 8 other MLS teams as well.

And oddly enough, you can't buy team boxers at mlsgear.com

 

In the past Nike has redesigned LAG uniforms at two year intervals. If that schedule were to hold, we would expect a new kit next year, as we have gone two years with the yellow kit with green diagonal stripe.

But, since Nike is on a lame duck contract and Addidas takes over the following year, I can't imagine them spending a buck to redesign the kits. I expect LAG will (for better or worse) look the same next year.

 

Expect both Nike MLS teams to switch to the Total 90 look for 2005. Even for just the one year.
Remember there was a stretch from 2000, 2001, 2002 where the Nike Metro jersey stayed the same. This would have been the teal shirt for the Galaxy right?

 

Pertaining to the idea of outdated uniforms. Would it be too much to ask for each team to have a main shirt that pretty much stayed the same forever? Sure change some minor details, but leave the shirt relatively left alone. Change the away and 3rd shirts all you want, but keep the home shirt consistant.

 

If the home shirts are kept too consistent, then there is less justification to buy the new home shirt each time it changes. It's all about the $$

 

Kits = baby animals (foxes?)

 

MLS is not in a position to nickle and dime fans. Keeping the shirt consistent means those walking advertisements last longer. For those who absolutely need the latest version, well, buy the updated main shirt with a similar look, or purchase the radically new alternate/third shirt (might I add the Chicago 3rd shirt looks bad ass.)

Additionally, even teams that are in a position to exploit extreme loyalty don't alter the main shirts that much. You'll always know that Milan has the red and black stripes, Barca is blue and red, Liverpool is red, etc.

 

Wow, I hope they wear their third often.

TS.

 

Except the yellow kits were smokin'. That should be the away uniform. Red, Yellow, Sky...

 

I like little furry, cute animals.

 

Wish the Fire would just do away all together with the away kit and make the third kit their away kit, getting away from the white jersey theme...

 

I'll do my part.

 

Ha. MLS is in the business to make as much $$ as possible. MLS kit suppliers are in the business to make as much $$ as possible.

Your analysis on the Euro teams is false as well in regards to exploitation. In many cases, both the home, away, and 3rd shirt change every single year. That's not complete exploitation?

If you are referring to teams chaning colors completely, like Denver Rapids going from Green to Blue & Black, that change stems from a corporate decisions on the part of the Rapids and their supplier.

 

I thought MLS was going with all Adidas and Nike "baby animals" next year.

 

In your original post, you advocate changing the home shirt significantly in order to increase sales.

I counter that MLS isn't in this position yet. It's not easy to buy MLS merchandise at this point -- why alienate fans by rendering their jersey completely outdated within a year?

Teams like DC and Chicago have done a fantastic job with this -- when you see a black jersey with three stripes across the front, you know it's United. When you see a red shirt with one white stripe across the front, it's the Fire. Although teams make slight updates to the shirt, you could wear a Fire jersey from a few years ago and still have the same general look as those with latest jersey.

As I also wrote, for fans that really want the latest jersey, they can purchase either:

1) The completely new away jersey
2) The slightly updated -- but not radically different -- home jersey
3) In some cases, a third shirt

Concerning Euro teams, I only said they don't alter the main jersey much at all.

Look at Milan this year:



and look at Milan from 1989




If you saw somebody walking down the street in either jersey, you'd know it's Milan from the red and black stripes.

 

On your planet, are words only allowed to have one definition?

 

I noticed on the Columbus Crew 2005 kits at the BigSoccer Shop, that the words "Columbus Crew" have been removed from the front of the jersey, and only the village people crest remains. Have the crew removed the team name from the front of their jersey? I checked around the shop to see if it was a fluke, and all the other MLS sides had their team name on the front as always...didn't see if there was a DCU jersey there.....