2013-14 Soccer kits

[Gothamite]

Indeed...

The home looks rather smart.

Yeah, except for the "UNDER ARMOUR" wordmark on BOTH sleeves. Chest logo is enough.

[Conrad.]

another:

also seems the away might have that sublimation:

[thedizneyboy]

I just can't get over how un-smooth the HP logo looks on the home kit.

[Billy B]

I just can't get over how un-smooth the HP logo looks on the home kit.

Yeah, I'm not going to get one for that reason. Think I'll just go with last year's home shirt. I think it looks really good other than the sponsor logo though.

[marble21]

How difficult is it to match the HP logo with the Navy on the home shirt?

Also, looks like the HP logo on the away is black... so the same goes. Makes small economical sense too.

[BroadSt_Bully]

Any idea when the World Cup kit for the United States is typically released? I can't remember the timing from the 2010 cycle.

I'm awaiting that to decide whether to buy it or this year's centennial home shirt. If the '90s streaking ball crest is on next year's kit, I'm going centennial.

[thedizneyboy]

Here's a preview of the color section from HP's Graphic Standards publication in 2006:

I can't tell if they applied the "corporate" guidlines for the new Spurs kits or if they decided on one of the "dominant" colors. Either way, they approved the black logo fro the away (and keeper?) kit, but went with an unmatched color logo for the home kit.

The bottom line: it looks bad

[Jaffa]

Meanwhile, in Belgium...

New kits for Zulte Waregem, one of the country's two Champions League qualifiers.

As well as a gingham pattern that looks more than a little Manchester United 2012-13, a notable detail is that the shorts will feature the Twitter username of the player wearing them. Hmm.

They also have sponsors on the back of the socks as well. Egads.

[Atom]

Logo ruins the shirt.

[GeauxColonels]

is that a sublimated pattern on the sky blue away kit for Spurs?

I don't think it is. There's another picture on the site and it doesn't have a pattern, it seems. We'll find out for sure in 15 minutes anyway.

It definitely appears to have a sublimated pattern:

[Berlin Wall]

I don't like the blue socks for the Spurs, even though it's traditional.

[Saintsfan]

The more I look at the Spurs set the more I like it. As good as any other set in the Premier League. Yeah there are a few minor little gripes, but its straightforward, simple and clearly says 'Spurs'. Well done Under Armour.

[illini1]

is that a sublimated pattern on the sky blue away kit for Spurs?

I don't think it is. There's another picture on the site and it doesn't have a pattern, it seems. We'll find out for sure in 15 minutes anyway.

It definitely appears to have a sublimated pattern:

I'm not sure what it is, but it kind of looks like a houndstooth pattern.

[RyanMcD29]

I think I'm in love with the aways, even with the sublimated pattern. The home uniforms are straightforward and are typical Spurs. HP actually using themselves instead of one of their products for the sponsor working much better (though I agree the home kit needs a navy HP logo). UA didn't go all Warrior (well.. there's always the third kit to do that). All in all I'm happy with this set.

[lightning25]

Better views of the new Spurs kits (also a clearer look at the sublimation on the away):

[Foxxtrot44]

Best view yet of this summer's worst kept secret.

[Brian in Boston]

How difficult is it to match the HP logo with the Navy on the home shirt?

Also, looks like the HP logo on the away is black... so the same goes. Makes small economical sense too.

As this graphic illustrates...

... HP has specific standards regarding what colors their marks can be rendered in in corporate communications applications. As can been seen, a dark Navy exactly matching that used by Tottenham Hotspur is not amongst these hues. Therefore, in selecting a color in which the HP logo can be emblazoned on the Spurs' jerseys (which HP obviously considers a corporate communications application), a complimentary - rather than matching - hue must be chosen.

Frankly, utilizing "HP Dark Blue"/"HP Blue" would look worse next to the Spurs' Navy, as it would look as if a "close-but-not-close-enough" effort was made to match the hues. Therefore, it appears that one of the lighter shades of blue in the HP corporate palette was used on the home kits so as to make it clear that a conscious decision had been made to go with a complimentary hue. Similarly, black was chosen for the HP logo application on the clash and goalkeeper kits because none of the darker shades of blue match the Spurs' navy, the lighter shades of blue wouldn't provide enough contrast with the pale blue of the clash kit, and the reds in the HP corporate color palette - though possibly matching the keeper shorts - wouldn't provide enough contrast with the orange of the keeper jerseys.

HP is paying a significant sum of money for the sponsorship placement on the Tottenham Hotspur kits. As such, whether supporters like it or not, it shouldn't come as a surprise that HP is going to get to call the shots with regard to how they wish they're corporate mark is applied to the kits. It doesn't matter whether there are instances of other corporate sponsors allowing more leeway in how their marks are rendered on the kits of other professional soccer clubs. It would appear that HP has chosen to stick within their branding parameters and, frankly, given that they're paying for the privilege, that's their right.

Honestly, given that a true Navy doesn't appear to exist within HP's corporate color palette, I think the choices they made are perfectly reasonable... and to my eyes the home kit looks gorgeous, pale blue HP logo and all.

[marble21]

[A whole lot of sense]

When you look at it that way it does make sense. I guess the initial gut reaction being a fan of the team was "omg the sponsor is sticking out like a sore thumb".

Having had a few hours to take in the new kits I have to say I don't find them too bad at all. I would maybe prefer if UA had matched the secondary colour on the away kit to the black of the logo. Something about navy and black appearing together bugs me.

I am also not a massive fan of the navy socks but given the premier league rules about clashing colours it is possible we might see white-blue-white once again. Especially if we go for an all white option in Europe again as we have done in previous seasons.

[GeauxColonels]

How difficult is it to match the HP logo with the Navy on the home shirt?

Also, looks like the HP logo on the away is black... so the same goes. Makes small economical sense too.

As this graphic illustrates...

... HP has specific standards regarding what colors their marks can be rendered in in corporate communications applications. As can been seen, a dark Navy exactly matching that used by Tottenham Hotspur is not amongst these hues. Therefore, in selecting a color in which the HP logo can be emblazoned on the Spurs' jerseys (which HP obviously considers a corporate communications application), a complimentary - rather than matching - hue must be chosen.

Frankly, utilizing "HP Dark Blue"/"HP Blue" would look worse next to the Spurs' Navy, as it would look as if a "close-but-not-close-enough" effort was made to match the hues. Therefore, it appears that one of the lighter shades of blue in the HP corporate palette was used on the home kits so as to make it clear that a conscious decision had been made to go with a complimentary hue. Similarly, black was chosen for the HP logo application on the clash and goalkeeper kits because none of the darker shades of blue match the Spurs' navy, the lighter shades of blue wouldn't provide enough contrast with the pale blue of the clash kit, and the reds in the HP corporate color palette - though possibly matching the keeper shorts - wouldn't provide enough contrast with the orange of the keeper jerseys.

HP is paying a significant sum of money for the sponsorship placement on the Tottenham Hotspur kits. As such, whether supporters like it or not, it shouldn't come as a surprise that HP is going to get to call the shots with regard to how they wish they're corporate mark is applied to the kits. It doesn't matter whether there are instances of other corporate sponsors allowing more leeway in how their marks are rendered on the kits of other professional soccer clubs. It would appear that HP has chosen to stick within their branding parameters and, frankly, given that they're paying for the privilege, that's their right.

Honestly, given that a true Navy doesn't appear to exist within HP's corporate color palette, I think the choices they made are perfectly reasonable... and to my eyes the home kit looks gorgeous, pale blue HP logo and all.

Well said. I actually think the light blue logo looks fine on the chest. Using one of the other darker hues would look as bad as the Premier League numerals and surnames not quite being dark enough.

[rcb05]

How often are corporate graphic/logo standards applied to these corporate sponshorships though? Many of the logos you see on professional kits are in the teams colors, and I highly doubt that the team colors just happened to align with that companys graphic standards. Oh well, it is what it is.

As a spurs fan, I kinda wish they'd kept the traditional collar, but this one is still simple/clean and distinctive, so I don't mind it. Also wish they'd kept the white shorts at home, but that's just a personal preference. Overall a great kit, good job UA.