Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Yep, we did a full episode talking about the Sounders’ new kit
87 Plays1 year ago
We don't typically devote entire episodes to new kits, but Jeremiah and Tim both really liked what the Sounders put together and had a lot to say about it. While it might not be universally loved, it is an impressive campaign that has a lot to unpack.
Sponsors
Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/
You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.
"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction by Seattle Sounders players
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, this is Christian Roldan. And Jordan Morris from the Seattle Sounders Football Club. And you're listening to NOS Arietes. This episode of NOS Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of NOS Arietes since 2011. Full Pull was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounders supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, the Pacific Northwest.
00:00:28
Speaker
A.O. Shen! Let's go! What a save by Fry! The Seattle Sounders have done it! MLS Cup win! Here come three years through the middle to crown it the vehicle! And now they truly can't stop the celebrations. It's the Sounders' MLS Cup! Niko Liddo leaves out!
Kit Release Day Overview
00:01:12
Speaker
Is that what you young people call twerking?
00:01:26
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of NOS Adiete, sponsored by Full Pool Wines. I am Jeremiah O'Shan. Today is Thursday, February 15th, and it is kit release day. Joining me to talk about the kit is our resident fashion expert, Tim Foss. Welcome to the show, Tim. Thanks. It's good to be back. Nice to be back on my old beat.
00:01:50
Speaker
right exactly this I know we we've moved away from the the weekly fashion commentary which I feel like was a natural like the the centers really kind of played it up for a little while and then they haven't been playing it up quite as much yeah I I think that's you know maybe a a
00:02:10
Speaker
uh you know a system that feeds into itself that the more commentary is the more people are dressing for it and yes eventually it you know those those columns took a lot of time to put together and yeah i kind of got that impression just at a certain point you gotta you gotta save it for something special i agree i agree so this is something special i think uh and it was it was funny i'll talk a little bit about the
Kit Leak and Initial Reactions
00:02:36
Speaker
The evolution of sort of the arc of the narrative around this kit is, you know, a couple of weeks ago, I think it was EAFC leaked. I'm going to put leaked in quotes because I don't I'm not sure I buy the idea that this was completely accidental. I don't know. I it feels like that's a big mistake to make if it was a mistake.
00:02:59
Speaker
But anyway, so EAFC puts out a bunch of kits, not all of them, but, you know, like half of them at least. And among those was the sounders. Of course, these are flat images. They're 2D. So you can only go off of like basic elements. And I would say the reaction was mostly pretty, pretty bad, right? Like people were not excited about this kit, I don't think.
00:03:24
Speaker
Yeah, I think it was mixed at best. Yes, that's largely pretty negative, I think. Yeah, like it wasn't as negative as the Jimi Hendrix leak, but it was like some loud negativity was out in the world.
00:03:41
Speaker
And then as it and then I think a lot of though people did learn something from the Jimi Hendrix kit leak and they said Well, I'm not blown away by this leak, but I am willing to hold my opinions until I see the whole thing and then today we got the whole thing and I have to admit I
Praise for Kit Presentation
00:04:03
Speaker
I wasn't sure how to feel about it until I saw it. And I was, I think I kind of loved it immediately. I loved the entire presentation, the way that they even, even in the photo shoot, the way that they paired it with streetwear or as streetwear, I thought was really effective. I think the whole kit works together really nicely. There is a distinct retro vibe, even though it is not a throwback jersey.
00:04:29
Speaker
And the kit or the shirt itself, you know, I'm not blown away by the shirt, but I think it works. Yeah, I think I am more.
00:04:43
Speaker
From the beginning from the 1st time we saw it in the EFC quote unquote leak. I have probably been farther on the like pro side of this design than most people.
Design Elements Discussion
00:04:57
Speaker
I am on the record as not having been particularly fond of most of the rape green kits we've seen.
00:05:05
Speaker
it's a low bar i think to compare it to the other low green green kits it it is uh and i i liked the idea of doing vertical stripes for a while i've wanted them to go back to like if they were going to do a true throwback i would much rather see them do the 1983 jerseys than any of the other
00:05:30
Speaker
in the
00:05:42
Speaker
It's a beautiful, beautiful thing. I think pinstripes, it is odd that it's not been grabbed hold of by American soccer teams. Like, it makes sense that. No one does pinstripes, do they? Yeah. I think NYA, NYA CFC have done pinstripes previously, which they should because they're, they live in Yankee stadium. They should embrace the fact. Kind of obvious.
00:06:08
Speaker
I feel like there's a lot of places where pinstripes would make sense. It's a cool design element. It is funny. I initially in the piece that I wrote about the pit had a long digression about the fact that this kid is not actually pinstripes. They do call out that it is a reference to the pinstripes of 1983 in the press release.
00:06:34
Speaker
the stripes on this are technically what is called a track stripe or a club stripe, sort of depending on the thickness and bleed of colors, but it's not a pinstripe. But I think the design is really cool. I appreciate that you went there only because I know the pet ants were like, we're getting ready to just jump if we call them pinstripes, but go ahead. But I think on the whole, the design is
Historical Influence on Kit
00:07:02
Speaker
It's a departure from anything we've seen from the sounders really, especially in the MLS era. I mean, yeah. It is, I think you made a really good point that it's not a direct like throwback or retro design, but the design is very retro from the, you know, the white color and cuff edges. That coupled with the stripe is a very like 70s,
00:07:32
Speaker
design. I spent a lot of time trying to find specific pictures of kids in the 70s wearing t-shirts with effectively those same things. Those elements exist a lot in fashion for youth in the 70s and 80s. The way they've tied
00:07:55
Speaker
historical elements like the white color and cuffs is a reference to the 1974 jerseys the stripes are a reference to the pinstripes from 1983 that jersey features two different greens in the stripes it's got the aqua blue
00:08:13
Speaker
and the new version of rave green but there's a darker green that they don't call out in the press release but is the dark green from the 1974 jerseys that is kind of a no touch thing because that's what the timbers use now but
00:08:29
Speaker
I yeah, all the all the like broader elements I think are really well executed and come together really well in a design that is really cool especially when you pair it with the aqua blue shorts and the white socks with the aqua blue stripes it all just looks really great together and the shirt itself looks awesome I think.
Kit Versatility as Fashion
00:08:47
Speaker
Yeah, you know, and I think because I saw that shirt and I was like, I don't know, I don't know. And then I just thought that they did a really good job of pairing it with, you know, sweaters, with jackets, with khaki pants with, you know, they paired it with real street, like genuine streetwear. Right. And
00:09:09
Speaker
I thought that was very clever because it did sort of drive home the point like, no, this actually works as a fashion piece in a way that I would argue previous Sounders kits really didn't, or primary kits really didn't. They were, you know, sure, you're wearing a, it's very obvious that you're wearing a soccer jersey and that works on some old, but this, you could almost buy as a shirt. Like you could buy this as a fashion piece, as a, you know, just part of your wardrobe.
00:09:38
Speaker
And I'm not going to sit here and say I'm going to run out and buy one and start wearing it everywhere. I mean, that's not really my thing. But I think if you are the type of person who wants to like, I would imagine this will be a very popular. Jersey among folks that just like to collect.
00:09:59
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. I think this lives well alongside the two most recent secondary kits they've released, the Jimi Hendrix and the Bruce Lee kit, just the fullness of
Fashion-Influenced Photo Shoot
00:10:15
Speaker
the design. It's not just a rave green jersey with some additional details. I think it looks really great. I do want to, just because I think the photo shoot is so good,
00:10:29
Speaker
I referenced the brand Kith in my descriptions of it, but shout out to Mark Kasner and Ryan Krasnow, who noticed that there is one of the pictures of Jordan Morris, where he's wearing the jacket.
00:10:49
Speaker
caramel color jacket just over his shoulders and his standing. They like directly referenced and I may lay on door. I am sure that I mispronounced that brand name, but it is a very like trendy high fashion brand. They like directly referenced a shoot.
00:11:08
Speaker
for this photo shoot like high fashion menswear was like the reference point and it's very like heritage brand stuff but yeah I think the styling of the shoot from the set to how they dressed the guys all comes together really well to make it feel elevated yes really cool
00:11:33
Speaker
Yeah, I would say as far as photo shoot again, and clearly, like the photo shoot is you're not buying the photo shoot. But that's a great photo shoot. Like I don't think I can overstate how much I love I and I don't think I've ever said this about any rollout the sounders have ever done on a kit. This is a great photo shoot. Like if you if this is in house people that did all this work,
00:11:59
Speaker
I'm blown away. I think I assume it is all in house. But this is this is exceptional work.
00:12:06
Speaker
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that it is all in house folks. And well, yeah, you don't buy the photo shoot. A photo shoot like this also is very instructional and how you can wear it. Like maybe you don't own those exact pieces, but it gives you really good ideas of like, you probably are not going to wear a full kit. That's just probably not that you're going to wear it. But it gives you an idea of like, Oh, I could wear this with
00:12:33
Speaker
whatever that knowledge makes it much easier to then justify like I'm going to buy a jersey because I could wear it beyond just when I go to soccer games or whatever.
00:12:43
Speaker
And, you know, even though we aren't probably going to go full kit wanker on this thing, although, man, I am actually a little jealous of whoever gets to wear the primary kit at the media game this year. Fingers crossed. Every year I've been primary kit, fingers crossed I get to be primary kit this year just because I want the picture of me in that whole kit. But.
00:13:05
Speaker
The way we consume the kit almost exclusively is by watching the team play. And this is going to look just iconic on the field. I think in 10 years, we're going to look back at this kit and be like,
00:13:20
Speaker
Like, why is that not a permanent thing? And then we'll have another argument about whether or not that should be a thing. But I think this is gonna be, I think this is gonna age really well. I think it's gonna look great on the field. I'm really excited to see what, I mean, that's really what we care about ultimately, right?
Potential Iconic Status of Kit
00:13:39
Speaker
Like, sure, you might buy a jersey. You're not gonna wear, even if you buy a jersey or how many times you're gonna wear it, but you're gonna watch them play, you know, 40, 50 games in this thing.
00:13:48
Speaker
And, and that's what's, I think that's what's fun about it is that it's going to look, it's going to look good in video games. It's going to look good on TV. And man, I got to say the Sounders have some really photogenic players that gel pal that picture gel pal carrying the.
00:14:06
Speaker
the Champions League trophy is about as iconic of an image. They had this image where a bunch of players and Schmetzer are sitting sort of like the panoramic of the photo shoot. Oh my gosh. Good stuff. That picture is great. It's also like, it's an incredible photo and it just is low key, very funny because you look through and it's all these like,
00:14:32
Speaker
you know, memorabilia from winning trophies and the game happening on the field. And then next to John Bell is Sammy Sounder's head, like the head from the costume. It just is, it's really wonderful. You know, your point that in 10 years, because this kit all together looks so good, it has the potential to be this iconic thing. Mark, again, gets another shout.
00:15:02
Speaker
had a couple of tweets where he was talking about like the checklist that he has for what he needs before he really forms an opinion on a new kit. And one of those things is like, does the team play well in it or not? And, you know, I think the Sounders have a history of playing well in pretty much all of their kits except for the Olympic whites. The curse of them doesn't need to be discussed any further.
00:15:30
Speaker
But, you know, assuming they win things and they lift trophies wearing this, there's absolutely that potential that this becomes an iconic thing and it feels very tied into. Yeah, some people are. Unavoidably going to be upset that this wasn't more of a direct throwback to. Or even a classic or even a more classic rave green look, I, I, I guess.
00:15:56
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like more of what I've seen has been because this is the 50th anniversary, this kit should have been more of a direct reference to that first season. Whatever you think of that from like the
00:16:14
Speaker
unveiling of the plan to redesign the visual identity to the rollout of the visual identity. The club's talking points have really been much more that we are not going to go back to the start of our 50 years.
Kit Pricing and Additional Elements
00:16:30
Speaker
This is not about
00:16:32
Speaker
The last 20 years, this is about the last 50 years and form where we are today. And today we start moving into where we are for the next 50 years. This feels like taking the last 50 years, synthesizing what the team has become and planning something for what the team can be 50 years from now.
00:16:56
Speaker
You know, the idea that like, yeah, this kit looks incredible. It by all means could be the thing that you think of in 50 years when the team is looking on their hundredth anniversary. Right. People are like, well, I hope they, I hope they go back to that in some way. I think it is, it is a really remarkable thing.
00:17:16
Speaker
Yeah, I really I've come around to be really into this. I will say that I put out a poll. It's not very old at this point, but I am. I am. This is going to be alive. I'm live checking the poll to see what people think.
00:17:32
Speaker
And so we're right now we got about 268 votes about we have 268 votes cast on our Twitter poll and 45% are saying they love everything about it. And then it ticks down from there. Only 17.5% say they really don't like it.
00:17:51
Speaker
So, you know, you got 80 plus percent that love at least something about this kit. And I don't know. I just I really do. I really do like it. I love that baby blue, aqua blue, whatever we're calling it. I think that is a good look. I've long wanted. I heard some people say that they would have rather seen white shorts with this. I'm glad they didn't go with white shorts. I think the blue shorts.
00:18:14
Speaker
break it up really nicely. I am the one element of this kit that I am curious about and again this is one of these things where no one and I mean literally no one like I don't think anyone owns green sounder shorts even though the sounders wear green shorts semi-regularly when they're on the road
00:18:32
Speaker
Uh, but I am wondering if there's going to be a, like a second pair of shorts that go along with these for, cause I guess there's a few teams that they need to, they, there's some reason they need to have a full green kit for some opponents. So I'm curious if there's going to be a green short that goes with these or some other white short or something else that goes, that goes with these.
Anticipation for More Merchandise
00:18:57
Speaker
Yeah, I would kind of hope that it's a green short. I feel like a white short would feel stark. Yeah, I don't love white shorts with colored tops. I actually don't love white shorts period with anything.
00:19:14
Speaker
Yeah, I think it would feel weird, especially because I feel like they'd have to do different socks if they did white shorts, because white shorts and then the white socks would be a lot. Suddenly, it's a predominantly white. Yeah, good point. Yeah. I guess it could go because usually what they do when they have green shorts is they also wear green socks.
00:19:37
Speaker
So I think green shorts would make more sense personally, but you know, I don't make those decisions.
00:19:46
Speaker
It'll be curious to see if that comes out. Uh, the other thing that's cool about this is that we should, and we've started to see a little bit more actual streetwear coming out. Like I saw simply Seattle had a bomber jacket, a blue bomber jacket with, that looks great. I don't know if I can pull it off, but I think like a lot of the stuff that comes out, I don't know that I will ever wear it, but it looks good on the, it looks good on others.
00:20:14
Speaker
And I appreciate that. And I just like that there's a variety of stuff that's out there. And so I'm really curious to see the way that this new branding is used because that new color palette is just so much more flexible. It's obviously a much wider spectrum. A lot of people have been asking, is this our new blue? And I just keep telling them it's, there is no, it's like, there's not necessarily just a blue. It's a.
00:20:41
Speaker
range range. Yeah. And this is within that palette. Yeah, I do think we're going to see a lot of the aqua. I mean, we've already seen that's what they wear for their training stuff. The warm ups. Yeah, I I am really excited to see. I guess specially to see what more comes out from the team themselves, the like official
00:21:08
Speaker
brand lines. But I'm going to buy one of the jerseys very soon, I think. Have you seen and have you had a chance to form much of an opinion of the other jerseys that have been released at this point?
Review of Other MLS Kits
00:21:26
Speaker
There are some really sharp ones. What's a bunch of them?
00:21:33
Speaker
Um, I'm pulling up the list from MLS just so that I can be sure I don't miss any. The DC United one is really great with like the art deco. Um. Like square pattern is really cool. Um.
00:21:57
Speaker
What do you think of the red? I like that one. I think one of the more controversial is the wrong word. One of the ones that I suspect there will be more spread opinion on is the RSL kit, which has the certain mountain range and stripes. Did you see this one? I did.
00:22:23
Speaker
I kind of like it. I think I liked it more when it was the version that came out from the AFC. That's not funny. I had the same reaction. I think in that version, the stripes were a little bit thicker, it seemed like. For whatever reason, it just...
00:22:48
Speaker
And I personally, internally, every time someone has been like, oh, the Bruce Lee kit doesn't look like a sounder's kit, have kind of scoffed. But this RSL one doesn't feel like an RSL kit. For some reason, it feels like a RSL. Even though it's all their colors.
00:23:04
Speaker
Yeah, but it feels like a design that should be on a rapids jersey. Yeah, that's a great one for some reason. Well, not for some reason. I think it's, I think now that I look at it, I agree. I think it's partly because the logo, the rapids logo is looks like it was just printed on a RSL jersey.
00:23:26
Speaker
Yeah, it, you know, it's a cool design though. It is a cool design. I like it. I just don't know that. And in fact, I would say most of these, so for what's come out, which are, you know, maybe a dozen ish jerseys, the only one I really don't like, I think is actively bad is probably the, the, uh, TFC one, which I think has to win the award for worst community kit. Uh, it's nothing.
00:23:55
Speaker
It is, it's, I mean, there is things on there that they don't come out real good in this photo, but it's, it's not, it's a, it's effectively a white shirt with some like light printing on it.
00:24:06
Speaker
Yeah, it's got like a very light gray shield, I think. It's a weird design, I think. It feels like it's out of like, what's the game that when EA was getting big, there was another game that had all the fake names. Pro Evo. Yeah, it's like a knot. Exactly. That's what it feels like to me.
00:24:32
Speaker
What did you think of the Timbers kit, which I have decided to call the Galifianakis kit? I think that's great. It is.
00:24:42
Speaker
100% between two ferns. The idea of it is really cool. I really like that going from like floral patterns to a like still botanical, but it's like greenery is really cool. I don't like centered crests on kits. And especially the layout of like white with the bluish
00:25:07
Speaker
pattern along the sides and then centered stuff makes it look like a training top to me. It also I also the thing it's tough about patterned kits like this is that if the if the if the two what's the so there's the chest piece and then the arms so however you describe the way those come together like for instance like in a really high end Hawaiian shirts
00:25:32
Speaker
The big thing is that when you button it up, it makes they meet, right? They complete. Yeah, they complete. And these do not do that, which makes it gives it a cheap feel to me.
00:25:43
Speaker
I agree. I think it's also, I don't know. And this is like an Adidas templates thing, but that the pattern only exists on the front and the sleeves and like the sleeve joining over the shoulders. Cause it's, I guess technically a raglan sleeve. Um, it exists on that part, but stops where the shoulder connects to the back.
00:26:13
Speaker
Um, yeah, it feels like it could have been really, really cool and instead just has cool elements. Yeah. Like, so the, I think this is a universal thing on at least this version of the, of the Adidas kit is that they, they keep a, uh,
00:26:34
Speaker
they don't put any patterns on the back, right? And for the most part, I think, I think it's not just, I'm sure that's partly them being cheap, but I don't think it's just them being cheap. I do think there's a legibility issue, especially when you have, you know, like stripes or whatever, like that can make reading the numbers harder. So I'm willing to like see the ground on that. But in this particular kit, it's set up almost explicitly to allow for legibility
00:27:02
Speaker
in between, why not have that pattern? It would look a lot better, I think. I would think it would really change the feel of that jersey if they had the pattern on the back. Yeah, I think it's also, you know, the legibility is a big factor. There's also, if you look at pretty much any of the authentic kits, including the Sounders one, the material used on the back of the jersey, that back panel is a different material. Oh, it's a bit more breathable.
00:27:32
Speaker
like a looser mesh so that it is more breathable. Sure. It seems like the kind of thing that progressively replica jerseys seem like they just get worse. Yeah. The authenticity get more expensive. Yeah. It seems like they could, you know, I think they charge something like 75 or $80. $100 for the replica.
00:28:01
Speaker
If you're going to charge that much, you could do a full printing on the back. Yeah. If you're charging $100 for a replica, it wasn't that long ago that the Authentics were $100. Yeah. So I will say that's another element that I do like about the Sounders kit is I do like that they have this, and I think that's pretty across the board, but I do like the stripe that runs all the way along the side.
00:28:29
Speaker
like I like that I just think that adds a level of completeness to make it feel like a you know like a full like a fully designed thing what do you where do you fall though on the pricing of this stuff I don't think the sounders one is among the more expensive I think it was in the
00:28:47
Speaker
if I'm correct, I believe they're 165, which is certainly not, I'm going to sit here and say that's cheap, but that's on the cheaper end. It's 159, 160 we'll call it. But some of these jerseys are pushing closer to $200.
00:29:07
Speaker
Yeah I was looking just to try to see if like this is an MLS thing or if it's an Adidas thing or what and if you buy from the MLS store the jerseys are like 10 or 15 dollars more than if you buy them direct from Adidas. I think they're typically like
00:29:30
Speaker
Authentics from Adidas are 150 doesn't matter if it's an MLS team or a yearly team like a Manchester United kit and a Sounders kit costs the same if you get the authentic or the replica. It is just
00:29:46
Speaker
Like if you buy directly from the MLS store for whatever reason you are buying from them rather than other people, maybe there's an affiliate link from a blog that you subscribe to and are a big fan of. Right. That would be a great reason. Just, you know, if you're considering it.
00:30:06
Speaker
There's some degree of like, I don't know, I work adjacent to this industry and like stuff is expensive. It's expensive to make things. You like, I get it.
Economics of Jersey Sales
00:30:21
Speaker
It's a lot of money to spend for jerseys though, especially if you're like a person who supports multiple teams. Like the rain are going to drop to new jerseys this year.
00:30:32
Speaker
If you are contemplating like, well, do I want to get two new rain ones or do I want to like, it, it gets to be a lot if you want to buy jerseys and more and more, there is no incentive to buy a replica because you get an ugly looking shirt. Yeah, it does seem like they have purpose. It's like they keep doing the replicas as a sort of.
00:30:59
Speaker
we we've promised that we will make a cheaper version of this but they used to be a slightly different material but basically had all the same design elements but maybe we they didn't have all the patches or whatever but now they just they they fully uh
00:31:18
Speaker
cut corners on basically everywhere they can cut corners. Like it's a, you know, it used to be like, it's a different patch. Okay. It's a different patch, but you know, now they, they cut corners everywhere. I, and as they look more into it, I think everyone's are, looks like everyone's around 160. It's where you get the 200 is where you get the personalization on the, on the Jersey, but
00:31:38
Speaker
That's, I mean, it's a lot of money. I would never, I'll be honest. I would, I would never, I've never paid that much for a jersey. I have only bought jerseys on discount. Like that's just, I, I can't not do it. Like that's my, it's in my DNA. I suppose if you're someone who was going to spend $150 on a kit, spending $165 on a, or on a shirt.
00:32:01
Speaker
isn't that like isn't that different but it does feel like this is getting out of control I mean you can go out and buy a Ballard FC jersey for what 75 and that's like the authentic that's got you know it and those are those are pretty cool looking kids yeah they look great it is you know
00:32:24
Speaker
The big manufacturers charge a premium for their products. You add licensing on top of that from teams and leagues and it all adds up pretty fast and it doesn't benefit anyone except for
00:32:42
Speaker
Like Adidas teams don't even get that much of a cut of Jersey sales. Like they know that's a little bit right there. Like we sold the most on MLS soccer shop.com. But that's.
00:32:56
Speaker
That's basically it. You get justification to get a third kit sometimes, maybe. Yeah. Speaking of which, so a lot of people have asked if the sounders are getting, if this is like, there's been a legitimate question people have asked, is this the sounder's third kit or is this the new primary kit? This is the sounder's new primary kit, just to be totally clear. And all the reporting I've done is
00:33:16
Speaker
2025 is when sounders are most likely to get a third kit. Now, I guess there's two ways of thinking about this. On one hand, you go, wow, 2024 was your 50th anniversary. Why would you not just go all out and design and have a, isn't it obvious to have a 50th anniversary kit, right? As your community kit. I think what the sounders did, and I honestly think I agree is
00:33:45
Speaker
We're already putting new crests on the jersey. We're already reselling the Bruce Lee kit with the new crest, which is also available. We have this new jersey coming out. We have all this new clothing line coming out. It would be a little hat on a hat to put out a third kit this year as well. And so that's something that they can do next year. And I frankly think that makes more sense.
00:34:10
Speaker
I think a notable factor here is like a lot of stuff in the last year from like a marketing and design side. And not that they like dropped the ball on marketing stuff, but they only have so many people on staff. A lot of things had to like.
00:34:35
Speaker
be put on pause while they focused on the rebrand and ramping up for 50th anniversary. You do the design for this kit and preparations for, you know, there's going to be a ton of stuff that happens over the course of this season for 50th anniversary celebrations. There's only so many people like in the club who do this work.
00:35:00
Speaker
At a certain point, adding another jersey on it is like spreading people too thin and you start to, you know, they don't get a ton of revenue from selling jerseys, but there are benefits to how well individual jerseys sell. You start to cannibalize some of those skills if you drop two jerseys in the same season.
00:35:27
Speaker
there's a lot of stuff that goes into it. And yeah, it would have been cool to have a special 50th anniversary third kit that is like a full retro design. But at a certain point, decisions have to be made of which things can we do and which things cannot do. And I think ultimately, it's probably a good decision to, in my opinion, knock one Jersey design out of the park and crush the elements for
00:35:57
Speaker
your 50th anniversary celebration, rather than possibly like having to sort of half ass a few different things so that you drop an extra kit in one season. Yeah, I would, I would agree with you there. Uh, there were, and there were, uh, some other, at least from the leaks that the leaks, I keep putting leaks in quotes cause I just, I'm skeptical, but, uh,
Retro Kit Designs and Anniversaries
00:36:21
Speaker
There were three teams that went like full retro. The quakes are going to use like their original and ASL logo and go with a red kit. They've done a red kit before, but this is like full blown. I think a replica of their.
00:36:36
Speaker
1974 kit. The whitecaps are also going with a full retro kit, including a retrocrest. And then Orlando City, who I don't know if this is an anniversary for them or not, I guess maybe it might be their 10th anniversary from when they launched the USL. I'm not totally sure if it's an anniversary for them, but they're using their USL logo, their old USL, the three headed lion, which is a
00:37:01
Speaker
choice to go with. Like, it just seems very funny to do it in the same year that three teams are celebrating their 50th anniversary and you're going to go and celebrate your U.S.L. anniversary. I mean, it's an anniversary for them. Again, I think that I could have swore they started in 2013. Yeah, I do not know. It's an interesting, interesting choice for them, for sure. And I also thought it was a neat
00:37:28
Speaker
Acknowledgement, the Sounders could have gone with the full blown retro jock tag, which I think they did in 2014 when they did their 40th anniversary. Right. I believe. And then this year they decided to use that space is reserved for the updated word mark, which I'd like. I really liked that word mark. I think it, it really accomplishes a lot of what they were hoping to accomplish.
00:37:54
Speaker
It hits the mark. It looks retro, but it feels updated. It's updated, but it has this retro vibe. It's very evocative of the original logo. And frankly, the old logo wasn't that great. I don't think that would have looked so great as a crest. Their old logo was literally just a word mark. Yeah, I think that would have looked weird. One of the other things that I really like about the overall design of the jersey for the sounders is that
New Sounders Crest Complements Kit
00:38:22
Speaker
It feels appropriate to feature the new crest on it. Like the new crest looks like it is right at home there. The word mark looks great on it, but it's also not like such a serious design that the Orca as an Ekkit feels out of place. Right. The design itself feels like
00:38:46
Speaker
fun and playful enough that the orca also looks like it belongs there um yeah just it's a good turns out turns out the people who designed it were real thoughtful about how they designed it right you know it's it is funny because a lot of the times i think adidas in the past has been accused of sort of mailing it in on jerseys and whatever you think whether you love them or hate them i don't think you can argue you can
00:39:11
Speaker
viably argue that these are boring like they are these all have real design thought now are they all home runs i don't i think we can agree they're probably not all home runs and even on the sounders one i i think there's room for disagreement here but i i like someone someone responded that's boring af and i was just like you can say a lot of stuff about this kit but i just don't think that that particular adjective works like it's
00:39:41
Speaker
You can argue that you don't like it. You can say we all have taste, but to say it's boring, I don't think that doesn't pass the smell test for me. Yeah, I would agree. I think there are definitely some boring hits that got released this year. That TFC one is pretty boring. That one is pretty bad, yeah. New York City's is pretty boring. Although, it's funny, I've heard a lot of people really like that New York City one, but it's just black, right? Yeah.
00:40:11
Speaker
Right. It's black with the light blue and orange aren't any like special design elements or anything. No. I will say that they got rid of dude wipes as a as a sleeve sponsor, which is a real shame.
00:40:32
Speaker
Dude wipes. Right. I know. I know. Well, I think we've done like 45 minutes talking about kits. Uh, I feel like that's probably, uh,
00:40:46
Speaker
I think we covered a lot of ground.
Upcoming Events and Content
00:40:49
Speaker
Yeah. So Tim, I appreciate you coming on and doing this real quickly. We will have lots more preseason content soon. In case you don't know, we are planning to do a live
00:41:04
Speaker
podcast next Tuesday. We were supposed to do it this previous Tuesday, but it got moved. I hope too many people didn't show up expecting to see us there. But we're going to do a live podcast next Tuesday at Project 9 Brewery in Maple Leaf. We're going to also be raising funds for my kids.
00:41:23
Speaker
science camp, which will be, you know, great, I suppose. So, but if you want to come out and hang out, we would love to see you. Uh, with all that said, Pam, uh, thanks for doing this. We will have lots of written and audio content for you to consume that is not kit focused, but today you did kit talk. I hope that's okay with you. I'm Jeremiah Shan. This is no side yet. This remember you'll never get alone.
00:42:47
Speaker
We love you. Let's win another one!