Brotherly Game Archive
The Best and Worst of the 2016 New MLS Kits
First Kick is looming this weekend and 2016 will see no less than 19 new kits grace MLS fields. Here is one contributors look at the best and the worst of those new kits.
The Best List
5. Houston Dynamo Secondary Kit
Despite my despise for Houston's awful hashtag game, these kits are nice. Sleek, simple design, but with enough to make them interesting and classic. All black is a great look and the orange V on the chest is enough to let everyone know the team wearing them, without even seeing the crest.
4. Portland Timbers Secondary Kit
Just in: pre-sale for these new Rose City Red kits begins Friday at 12 noon PT at https://t.co/WF6KqfVom0. #RCTID pic.twitter.com/kokYfCFGw0
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) January 28, 2016
Portland is always one of the top teams in the kit game. Each time they release a new kit there is enough difference and excitement around the design to inspire fans to go out and pay good money for another kit. The faded horizontal stripes from black through 4 shades of red is a nice detail that will show well on the field.
3. Seattle Sounders Primary Kit
Seattle has built an image on their kit colors and while this kit design is a bit of a different look for them, it still continues the legend of the rave green. The contrasting sleeve color plays well with the rave green of the body and Adidas' decision to move the three stripes from the sleeves to the side of the body show well with the design.
2. New England Revolution Secondary Kits
The Revs usually will wear an all navy kit and last season’s plain navy kit was boring and overly simple. This year’s kit is miles better than that one. The middle stripe is a classic look (i.e. Ajax, Philadelphia Union), but their take on it looks fresh and new. The dual stripes with the break for the sponsor is a nice touch. There are always bonus points for incorporating a logo into the design (hint hint Philadelphia).
1. Sporting Kansas City Secondary Kit
The amount of top notch kits that Kansas City gets to unveil make you wonder what their relationship with Adidas is. There really isn't anything I can say bad about this kit and the best part is it won't just look good on the field, but is a kit that can be worn around town with style. I only feel bad for the wallets of SKC fans who once again will be adding to their personal kit collections.
The Worst List
5. New York Red Bulls Secondary Kit
The new look for away days.
2016 SECONDARY KIT: https://t.co/TvPtN2MzkE#OurHomeisRED#RBNY pic.twitter.com/p8GnjOSpCW
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) February 13, 2016
This isn't the absolute worst kit I've ever seen in the world, but it just doesn't work in my opinion. As a West Ham fan I am a fan of the solid color body with an alternate color sleeves, but it's the yellow of the sleeves that doesn't seem to work. Although the coloring seems off, the main reason this kit has dropped into the worst section is the large NEW YORK RED BULLS "tramp stamp" that each player will wear. For some reason the designers have seen fit to add advertising to the lower back of the kit, which, if properly tucked in will not show the full logo. Just doesn't seem to be a good design.
4. New York City FC Secondary Kit
The city of New York isn't representing well in the new kit department. The City kit is, well, for lack of a better word, interesting. While I am a fan of the navy and orange color combo, it is the swirl design that is a bit head scratching. The pattern looks more like a warm up kit than a kit. Hopefully they're able to wear their light blues most of the season.
3. Vancouver Whitecaps Kit
There are elements that I like of this kit. I do like a kit with buttons or an open neck. I do like the "broken" pattern at the top of the kit. I do like the fading of the blue from navy at the bottom to white at the top. I do not like all of it together though. Throw in that the back of the kit is a solid blue in the back and abruptly meets the faded front at the shoulders and it just seems like a bit much. Even just two of these designs would have meant a better design.
2 Real Salt Lake Primary Kit
New 2016 #RSL home kit on sale February 6th at both team store locations. Open 10-5. Player appearances from 11-2. pic.twitter.com/OER8z4vC3J
— Real Salt Lake (@RealSaltLake) February 4, 2016
Plain and simple, this kit is overly…plain and simple. There's just nothing to make these kits more than a generic template from Adidas. This is less a fault of Salt Lake as it is another lack of imagination from the Adidas design department. I feel bad for Salt Lake fans having to be stuck with such a boring kit for the next two years.
1. Columbus Crew Secondary Kit
Do I need to say anything?
