2017 MLS Kit Matchups

[Brave-Bird 08]

ATLUTD vs. NYCFC is my pick for best looking matchup of the season so far. 

[Digby]

16 hours ago, Gothamite said:

 

 

That looked great.  Red & black against blue & white.  A real sense of opposition between bold colors.  That's what the Hudson River Derby ought to look like. 

 

Too soon.

 

[Gothamite]

Exactly.  

 

But if my friends across the river don't want to wear their best look, even as an alternate, then they really can't complain when the new kid in town borrows it.

[aawagner011]

Considering they are now in their 12th season as the Energy Drink FC and haven't even attempted to recall any Metrostars imagery, they've given up their claim to that look.

[Gothamite]

5 minutes ago, aawagner011 said:

Considering they are now in their 12th season as the Energy Drink FC and haven't even attempted to recall any Metrostars imagery, they've give up their claim to that look.

 

I agree completely.  But it's a damn shame.

 

I know that MLS doesn't really like alternates, but something like this fan concept would have been a great way to keep the old look alive:

 

[aawagner011]

9 minutes ago, Gothamite said:

 

I agree completely.  But it's a damn shame.

 

I know that MLS doesn't really like alternates, but something like this fan concept would have been a great way to keep the old look alive:

 

That would be good and there's no reason you can't have two similarly striped clubs in the league. I absolutely despise the sponsored team name and honestly think I would struggle to support them if they were my club. I've had a vision in my head about rebranding them as Metro New York FC or something similar. It would call back to the Metrostars but in a more dignified way and ditch the heinous sponsorship. Might be time to do another concept.

[Gothamite]

I'm pretty confident that when Red Bull GmbH decides to sell, the next owner will adopt something like "Metrostars FC".  Grab the old name, maybe leave out geography altogether, but with a spin more fitting for MLS 3.0.  Or 4.0, or wherever we are by that point.

[njdevs7]

I don't understand the hate for the Red Bulls name. I get that it is different but really not that big of a deal. And probably unpopular opinion but I think if the team ever is sold they should still keep the current white/red/white look. They were horrible as the MetroStars. They have established a new identity with the new arena and actually being a good team as the Red Bulls.

[Digby]

Doesn't even need to be an alternate, that mashup concept works great as a home or away for me. Too bad about adopting the corporate scheme. I actually don't mind the navy and yellow away, but would prefer those stripes -- and would rather they give up on any shade of blue in this "NY is blue/red" era.

[upperV03]

SKC announced they'll be wearing these throwback-inspired tops in pregame warmups on May 17th:

https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/05/08/sporting-kc-celebrate-retro-night-may-17-against-seattle-sounders-fc

[Gothamite]

They should so totally go back to "Wizards."  Such a great name for Kansas City. 

[Gothamite]

2 hours ago, Digby said:

Doesn't even need to be an alternate, that mashup concept works great as a home or away for me. Too bad about adopting the corporate scheme. I actually don't mind the navy and yellow away, but would prefer those stripes -- and would rather they give up on any shade of blue in this "NY is blue/red" era.

 

Me, too.  

 

And I wouldn't think it would be such a hardship for them to give up navy blue in favor of black.  

[-kj]

I was at that KC/Minnesota Open Cup game; KC came out in light blue training tops in the second half.

 

Those throwbacks are so ridiculous... and I wish they were going to wear them in the actual game.

[Digby]

I love all of it. The rainbows, the Wizards name... sigh. Nostalgia.

[upperV03]

25 minutes ago, Gothamite said:

 

Me, too.  

 

And I wouldn't think it would be such a hardship to give up navy blue in favor of black.  

Unfortunately it seems like Red Bull is insistent on the white/red/white and navy/yellow/navy kit combinations since all of the Red Bull clubs (RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig, NYRB, etc.) use them. They all have nearly identical identities, and it seems like Red Bull is set on keeping it that way. 

[Gothamite]

Oh, yeah.  It's pretty clear that they've put the corporate colors above maintaining any semblance of a link with the club's history. Shame, because it's a great look. But if the Red Bulls won't use it, I'm glad Atlanta does.  

[zigbazah]

19 hours ago, Gothamite said:

They should so totally go back to "Wizards."  Such a great name for Kansas City. 

I think re-branding to Sporting was a smart decision by the ownership group. The team never raised much of a profile as the "Wizards" and the "SKC" brand has firmly taken hold, with trophies to boot. With that said, "Wizards" as a nickname still lives on, especially among long time supporters. I've always loved the Wizard tifos.

[Digby]

I always wonder how much of that is attributable to branding and how much is attributable to the team finally getting a smart ownership group and a gorgeous stadium. At any rate, I always thought the Wizards identity was kinda fun (in the rainbow days, not the blue template days) and I just can't get over how sterile everything about the current identity is, despite its success.

[zigbazah]

I think it's safe to say the new brand helped generate even more buzz to go along with the new stadium. I remember Robb Heineman saying on the first night Sporting Park was open, they sold more jerseys than all off the previous season. The team wasn't good at that point, so I'm not sure how many people would buy a Wizards jersey just because of a new stadium. 

[Red Wolf]

While there are often still references to the Wizards name (the supporters section is still called the Cauldron), I don't get the feeling that any of the fanbase would actually want to go back to that name. It's fun to have the ability to go back to some wacky rainbow-themed Wizards gear, but the overall branding under the Sporting banner has been far superior to anything from before then.