MLS 2007 Uni Changes

[kewp80]

And perhaps the best team name in all of sports is in the MLS (even if its singular)

The Chicago Fire

What should the MLS do? They get bashed here for Americanizing the sport too much...they wrongly tried to go after the non-soccer fan at the start. Then, realizing their mistake, they started marketing to soccer fans. They justified the league with team names and logos that soccer fans would be familiar with. But lets bash them for that too!

I'll never understand the outright hatred for a league you don't ever have to see unless you want to.

I like the new team names, with the exception of Real Salt Lake, that just seems weird to me. It makes MLS a more legitimate league, and true to the sport. Personally I think the other teams with nicknames should change. Except for Chicago Fire, that is a great name. And I love their shield.

[Brian in Boston]

For the sake of contrast, I must also remind you of the Jacksonville Tea Men.

Who, in point of fact, were owned by the Lipton Tea Company and originally based out of Foxboro, Massachusetts as the New England Tea Men. As a result, the team's name was said to be a reference to the club's owners, as well as the Boston Tea Party.

In my opinion, an outstanding - and truly distinctive - kit:

New England Tea Men Home Kit

New England Tea Men Away Kit

As for the decision by Los Angeles Galaxy ownership to completely abandon their team's signature color palette... yet another indication that when it comes to a successful branding strategy, Major League Soccer and it's member clubs don't know their collective ass from their collective elbow. Tradition be damned! Who needs tradition? Let's see... apparently, the home jersey breakdown will be as follows for MLS in 2007:

Black/Navy Blue/Deep Blue

Columbus Crew

DC United

Los Angeles Galaxy

New England Revolution

Red/Claret

Chicago Fire

CD Chivas USA (Red & White stripes)

Colorado Rapids

FC Dallas (Red & White hoops)

Real Salt Lake

Toronto FC

Orange

Houston Dynamo

Light Blue

Kansas City Wizards

White

Red Bull New York

Wow! Such variety! And to think that the breakdown for road jerseys is, at this point, as follows:

White - 6 clubs

Grey - 2 clubs (1 is Grey & White hoops)

Deep Blue - 1 club

Red - 1 club

Light Blue - 1 club

Yellow - 1 club

[DGivens87]

For the sake of contrast, I must also remind you of the Jacksonville Tea Men.

Who, in point of fact, were owned by the Lipton Tea Company and originally based out of Foxboro, Massachusetts as the New England Tea Men. As a result, the team's name was said to be a reference to the club's owners, as well as the Boston Tea Party.

In my opinion, an outstanding - and truly distinctive - kit:

New England Tea Men Home Kit

New England Tea Men Away Kit

How cool would it be to see the Revs sport these today as a throwback?

[Titanole]

I'm of two minds on this.

On the one hand, I wouldn't miss the Galaxy color scheme. And with the Rapids changing, there's an opportunity.

On the other, one of the things I love about European teams (and college sports) is that they never change their colors. They change the uniforms, they change the logos, but the colors endure.

Or at least very rarely. Crystal Palace went from claret and light blue to their current blue and red in the 1970's and Brentford changed to a previous yellow and blue scheme from around the turn of the century (in a failed effort to change their luck) in 1960. But you are right. Most of the current clubs have been wearing the same colors for decades, if not for more than a century. When you think of Liverpool, you see red. Chelsea is blue and Newcastle Utd. is black and white.

I think the only place you can see tradition in American soccer is in the Pacific Northwest clubs in the USL First Division. The Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers both use the names and logos of their NASL predecessors that date back to the 1970's. The Vancouver 86ers even changed their name to the Whitecaps in 2001 to capitalize on the previous club's tradition.

[RichardWitham]

and remember, san jose's colors are royal/white/black , so the galaxy will most likely clash with them when we come in hopefully as soon as next season(2008)

[Gothamite]

I'm of two minds on this.

On the one hand, I wouldn't miss the Galaxy color scheme. And with the Rapids changing, there's an opportunity.

On the other, one of the things I love about European teams (and college sports) is that they never change their colors. They change the uniforms, they change the logos, but the colors endure.

Or at least very rarely. Crystal Palace went from claret and light blue to their current blue and red in the 1970's and Brentford changed to a previous yellow and blue scheme from around the turn of the century (in a failed effort to change their luck) in 1960. But you are right. Most of the current clubs have been wearing the same colors for decades, if not for more than a century. When you think of Liverpool, you see red. Chelsea is blue and Newcastle Utd. is black and white.

True enough for Crystal Palace. There is an exception to every rule (such as Wimbledon FC and the lack of franchise relocation in the UK).

Still, I love the relative stability of the colors. Arsenal can change the uniforms every two years - some times I hate them, most times I love them. Regardless, I know they'll always be red shirts with white sleeves.

[Discrim]

heh, yall forgot about Leeds (admittedly, that's easy to do nowadays...sorry leedsfan. eh well, it was their own fault), they used to wear yellow shirts and socks with blue shorts, but either in the 60s or 70s a new manager decided to change the kit to all white to mimic Real Madrid.

[cyandlux]

Does anyone have a pic of that new Colorado badge?

[Titanole]

Does anyone have a pic of that new Colorado badge?

[-kj]

(such as Wimbledon FC and the lack of franchise relocation in the UK)

*obligatory finger in the direction of Milton Keynes*

As for the Galaxy changing colors (again)... bwuh?!?! Bad idea. Bad bad bad idea. You've developed an iconic look, and now you want to ditch it? The fark?

Then again, I liked the Rapids' previous color scheme, though the logo was horribly bland. (The new one doesn't exactly rock my world either.)

[CZzyzx41]

SI says that Galaxy are changing colors to "black and/or dark blue"

I'll be damned if the Galaxy are gonna start looking the same as the Rapids and Earthquake used to look. ARGH!

As a Canaries fan I must protest. Green and Gold are my football colors. This just won't do at all.

[roxfan00]

Does anyone have a pic of that new Colorado badge?

[cyandlux]

I likey, but no water? The mountain looks like the Nuggets secondary, though

[kewp80]

yeah I was gonna say: theres no rapids! Would of been cool if they put rapids coming around the side of the mountain. And is anybody getting a Colorado Avalanche feel with the colors? I like the light blue. They should have a light blue alt. Never mind I just saw the pic, very nice, but the red one looks like the Avalanche!

[Brian in Boston]

CARSON, CA - The Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer announced today that the team will introduce new kits in time for the 2007 MLS season.

The uniforms will be a collaborative effort between MLS apparel and equipment partner adidas - who will manufacture the kits - and Victoria Beckham's newly-launched DVB Style fashion label - responsible for designing the garments.

Reportedly, the uniforms will feature sleeveless camisole-like jerseys and ultra-slim, low-waisted denim shorts. It is expected that both the jerseys and shorts will be an overdyed indigo in color.

Authentic 2007 Los Angeles Galaxy uniforms will be available for purchase on-line at www.dvbstyle.com and www.mlsgear.com, as well as in-store at Los Angeles-area retailers Fred Segal and kitson.

lol...jk

[cubbies06]

CARSON, CA - The Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer announced today that the team will introduce new kits in time for the 2007 MLS season.

The uniforms will be a collaborative effort between MLS apparel and equipment partner adidas - who will manufacture the kits - and Victoria Beckham's newly-launched DVB Style fashion label - responsible for designing the garments.

Reportedly, the uniforms will feature sleeveless camisole-like jerseys and ultra-slim, low-waisted denim shorts. It is expected that both the jerseys and shorts will be an overdyed indigo in color.

Authentic 2007 Los Angeles Galaxy uniforms will be available for purchase on-line at www.dvbstyle.com and www.mlsgear.com, as well as in-store at Los Angeles-area retailers Fred Segal and kitson.

lol...jk

I just spit out my soup laughing...thanks....

[AJM]

We'll have to wait to truly judge them, but until then...

[Saturn]

SI says that Galaxy are changing colors to "black and/or dark blue"

I'll be damned if the Galaxy are gonna start looking the same as the Rapids and Earthquake used to look. ARGH!

As a Canaries fan I must protest. Green and Gold are my football colors. This just won't do at all.

Agreed completely. It is official. The Los Angeles Galaxy are a JOKE to me. I can't believe they're going to throw away their identity like that w/o a second thought.

[Krona]

How lame is Lalas in saying the Galaxy name is fine but the colors are wrong? Soccer tradition is in color, not nicknames. i like the direction MLS is going, but to have a campaign about team colors and switch them up every year doesnt make sense. i'm hoping this is the real start to the MLS and the first dozen years will be a distant memory of getting off the ground. why galaxy? why not LA City? or LA FC? If your goal is to be recognizable around the world, an american style name doesnt seem to work, no matter what color.

[oddball]

I'm looking at Fox Soccer Shop and they have the '06-'07 jerseys. I love the Galaxy colors and their look. I hope that they don't change just for change sake. I actually think the only reason they are changing is because they got Beckham (sorry if I killed the spelling), it's kind of like when the Kings got Gretz and happened to be changing the colors at the same time. It's an opportune time to change, but that would be like the Yankees changing because they got A-Rod or the Rangers because they got Messier.