Back for its second season in 2014, MLS Jersey Week is happening this week from March 3rd-6th. In the buildup to the start of the new season on March 8, 17 clubs will be unveiling 18 new kits.
Each day of the week, I’ll be evaluating and assigning grades to each new kit. For the official Jersey Week unveiling schedule, head on over to MLSsoccer.com.
On Monday I looked at the early kits that were unveiled prior to Jersey Week. Between Tuesday and Wednesday I graded 13 of the 18 Jersey Week releases. Today is the last installment of the Jersey Week series, where I’ll be assigning grades to the final five new kits that were unveiled between Wednesday and Friday.
WEDNESDAY
Kit #1: Colorado Rapids Home
This really isn’t a secret anymore: every kit to be unveiled during Jersey Week was leaked far in advance (except for Sporting Kansas City’s new away jersey, kudos to them). In simpler terms, I have known for a little while what would be coming out, and which kits would catch my eye.
Colorado’s new home kit was one of my early favourites. After arguably winning last year’s Jersey Week with two stellar shirts, it appeared to me that they would be the hands-down winner this season.
They aren’t. But their new home kit is still really, really nice.
Adding the embossed “C” from the state flag to the chest of the shirt worked very well with the away kit and looks just as nice with the home kit. It might just be a really nice way of diverting people’s attention from their lack of a jersey sponsor, but for now it is still working on me.
I also like the addition of the state flag on the jock tag as well as the re-introduction of the sky blue accents. Both help make this kit look as sharp and clean-cut as any. But I am still left wishing the Rapids would have gone a little farther outside the box.
That being said, they made steps in the right direction. A greater display of daring next time will see them at the top of the class.
Grade: A-
Kit #2: Vancouver Whitecaps Away
Hmmm. Hmmm hmmm hmmm.
I am only now realizing the difficulties of grading so many jerseys. In addition, I’m struggling for words to describe a kit without a great deal to it.
Vancouver’s new away kit looks much nicer than the previous one; without the flashy accents it actually stands out more. The wave effect created by the tiny embossed logos looks nice but at the same time doesn’t overpower. The darker blue accents on the edges of the sleeves and the neck are very sharp. The sponsor logo is gorgeous.
Apart from that, there isn’t much more to examine. Expect for the crest, which isn’t light blue on the bottom as it normally is. But if that’s the smallest flaw on this thing, the Whitecaps have not done too badly for themselves.
I’ll put them at the average, for putting an inspired effort into an uninspiring template.
Grade: B
THURSDAY:
Kit #1: Chivas USA Home
Chivas’ 2014 home kit will in all likelihood be the last one under the “Chivas” name. Talk about a classy exit.
No gimmicks, no flash, and a healthy dose of lenticulitis vaccination. No jersey sponsor either, but you can’t always have everything. What is left is a crisp, fresh update to the Chivas home kit, featuring dark blue accents on the edge of each sleeve and a new crew neck collar. This kit has tradition written all over it, and though this tradition mostly resides in Mexico, it speaks volumes nonetheless.
But that jock tag logo. It’s too bad nobody in MLS realizes that calling a team “The Goats” isn’t a good thing by North American standards.
Grade: B
Kit #2: FC Dallas Home
I find it quite funny how both the Chicago Fire and FC Dallas (formerly the Dallas Burn) poured gasoline over all of their previous home kits, threw a match and fled the scene. They try to hide the truth, but everything falls so perfectly into place that my story actually sounds believable.
Since 2005, FC Dallas have worn red and white horizontal stripes on their home kit. But in 2014 those white stripes have been usurped by a darker red. It looks bad. It is borderline terrible.
They can’t even fall back onto any tradition they had as the one-shade-of-red-wearing Dallas Burn. They might as well set a torch to those shirts too.
I don’t understand why both Dallas and Chicago are throwing tradition, and more importantly brand recognition, out the window. Especially for teams that have fallen behind in the “model franchise” table, they needed to do better.
Grade: F
Kit #3: Toronto FC Away
Guess what? There are Maple leaves on TFC’s new shirt.
Guess what else? The sky is blue.
At some point Toronto FC are going to have to find some other symbol of Canada to abuse through overuse. But more jerseys like this will only push that day farther and farther away.
A total design change isn’t a bad thing for Toronto, who have donned both light grey and white away kits in their seven year history. Considering their putrid on-field history, it should come as a shock that they don’t rebrand every second season.
The red accents look brilliant on this shirt. The socks are stellar, unlike many of the other socks released during the past week. The pinstripes are a great new look for a club only to channel their inner New York Yankee. Toronto looks like a winner this year, and these new shirts will only amplify that effect.
Grade: A-
That’s all for Jersey Week 2014. It’s been a lot of fun covering each new kit release, but as we all know the real fun it just about to get started. So many matches, so many storylines, but only one club will come out on top at the end of the year. It’s time to get this party started!
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