I don't advocate this. I simply ackowledge the reality of the footy shirt industry. This typical scenario in Europe goes like this.... The home shirt changes every 2 years. The away shirt changes every year, and is relegated to the 3rd shirt in the second year. Obviously there are lots of excpetions, change in kit supplier or sponsor, change in club crest or colors, etc... However there are also teams that try to not completely $$ rape the supporters..... the home shirt lasts 2 years, and the away shirt last 2 years, but alternates years between the home shirt change. In Adidas MLS, the pattern has been similiar. The home shirt lasts for 2 years, and the away shirt changes every 2 years but in the odd year. The Nike MLS pattern has been to change both the home and away shirt at the same time every 2 years. Although from 2000, 2001, and 2002 the Nike Metro home and away shirt stayed the same. There are lots of different combinations of this.... But based on the Adidas MLS business pattern, starting in 2006...... the home shirt willl last 2 years, and the away shirt will last 2 years but change in the alternating year.
What I meant by my post about keeping the unis the same, is that it would be nice if teams in the MLS would stay with the same basic design for a home shirt. Changing a little is fine, but continually changing colors and design prevents the teams from creating a shirt that everyone will recognize. For instance, the Clash went through a different color combonation every year they were around. (Thank God that they changed from the first year) LA has gone though a few changes as well. Would it be too much to ask to keep one shirt consistant, change collar, piping, etc. but keep slash, hoops, vert stripes whatever. Also, does the league acutally sell enough jerseys every year to actually make drastic changes (new unis) worth while?
As far as I know, the Metrostars (excpet '96), Fire, Crew, and DC United have kept their uniforms somewhat similiar (recognizeable) since their inceptions. Maybe you could throw the Revs (down the well) onto that list. Teams that have had drastic change are: San Jose Clash / Earthquakes - change in team name, logo, colors Denver Rapids - change in team colors Dallas Burn / FC Dallas - recent change in team name, colors, logo KC Wiz / Wizards - change in team name, colors LA Galaxy - change in team colors to coincide with new stadium
Unless you're a freakin' Newcastle fan, where they've decided to have a new brand new European jersey every year that is impossible for anyone to obtain, unless you're actually in Newcastle. We're very lucky over here in MLS. Well, most of us at least.
How many MLS teams had a third shirt this past year? The Crew haven't had a third shirt in a while. We wore a 5th Anniversary shirt for Crew Stadium, but that was a one-time only deal, not an actual third shirt. I saw the Fire's 3rd shirt in person. (What cocky SOB's! I can't believe they wore yellow in Crew Stadium.) Did DC have a 3rd jersey? Any other team?
I would not include the Revs in that list. If you lined up the jerseys year by year, you would see a drastic difference, and if you were say, from another country, you might think they were different clubs entirely. 1996-The Reebok sash with a red/white/blue sunburst on the shoulder. Surprisingly, not the ugliest of the MLS jerseys that year. The Revs started wearing blue at home, then switched to white at home for the second half of the year. 1997/8-The Reebok jersey with the strange loops going up over the shoulders and sleeves. The Rapids wore an idetincal green version of this. Revs wore white at home, and since most teams wore dark colors at home, we hardly ever saw the blue/red version. Revs also introduced a third jersey, a dark blue one with stars and stripes. 1999-Reebok Navy blue with a white stripe going down the shoulder/sleeve. Almost no red in the jersey. White version had a red stripe on the shoulder. 2000-Atletica jersey had white panels on the side, and a collar with white and red trim. Unfortunately, Atletica stopped supplying jerseys and the team had to pull shirts off the rack of the pro shop. This was the last year fans could actually buy the jersey. 2001-3-Umbro jersey was a lighter, royal blue and had red panels down the sides. In 2002 and 03 the Revs wore red socks with this jersey. 2004-Reebok kit is all navy blue and has no red in it at all. White away kit is completely devoid of any stripes, piping, trim, etc. of any color. If you lined up these uniforms side by side, the only common elements are the font for "Revolution" going across the chest. Several different shades of blue have been used, and some versions had no red. I would be happy if they went back to the 2002-3 uniform with the red socks. Even if it is slightly different as an Adidas design, the basic idea of a blue jersey, wide red stripe on the side going down the shorts and red socks should be the look they should stick with from here on in. Change the collar, thin stripes here and there, etc. but leave the basic design the same. Tom
Our good friend The Magpie has come up with a mockup of the 2005 Nike Metrostars home shirts, based on the T90 design club design that is used in Europe (think Juve and Inter) Short Sleeve shirt Long Sleeve version So what are your thoughts of the shirt? Thanks one again to The Magpie for his efforts.
Fire used their 3rd this year in one league match, every US Open Cup game, and at least one exhibition. So that's 6 times. The Juniors wore it on their trip to Morelia, as well.
Direct from the LA Riot Squad boards The 2005 Nike Total 90 Galaxy kits http://www.the onion bag.com/php/boards/index.php?showtopic=3458 edit..... just remove the space between the letters....
Take out the Metrostars on the front and just leave the crest and you'd have a decent uniform. Same crap team, though. Sachin
On Chicago's third jersey, do the four stars represent anything? I like the color scheme of that jersey. Maybe they can bump it to the away jersey
I think all of our clubs should drop the team name across the front of the kit they look really crap. plus they make the top look really crowded and down market..like some lacrosse or indoor soccer "franchise"...(i hate that word)...its a club not a franchise. Peter Wilt says that he was going to talk to MLS about getting that installed as our permanent away kit. But i seriously doubt the MLS will go for that. anyway.. the stars and design Chicago's 3rd kit design is taken directly from our city flag. The 4 Red stars on the Center White Stripes represent something as well as each of the points on the stars themselves: The First Red Star represents Fort Dearborn (added in 1939). The Points of the First Red Star Signify: transportation labor commerce finance populousness salubrity The Second Red Star represents the Chicago Fire of October 8-10, 1871. The Points of the Second Red Star Signify: religion education esthetics justice beneficence civic pride The Third Red Star represents the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. The Points of the Third Red Star Signify History of the Area: France 1693 Great Britain 1763 Virginia 1778 Northwest Territory 1798 Indian Territory 1802 Illinois Statehood 1818 The Fourth Red Star represents the Century of Progress Exposition of 1933 (added in 1933). The Points of the Fourth Red Star Signify: World's Third Largest City City's Latin Motto I will Motto Great Central Market Wonder City Convention City The 3 White stripes: Top White Stripe represents the North side of the city. Center White Stripe represents the West side of the city. Bottom White Stripe represents the South side of the city. The 2 Blue stripes: Top Blue stripe represents Lake Michigan and the North Branch of the Chicago River. Bottom Blue stripe represents the South Branch of the Chicago River and the Great Canal.
So is Chivas going to have CHIVAS plastered across its jersey? That would be kind of dumb. I can't imagine the fans of that team being that enthused about something like that. Is FC Dallas going to have FC Dallas across its jersey? Or just Dallas? Both these names seem a little awkward if MLS continues to mandate the city / team name on the fronts of jersey. And there is no reason to think MLS will break this unimaginitive habit this season despite any good reasons to stop.