2016 MLS Jerseys

Most of the commentary I see on soccer jerseys are arguments between artist and graphic designers, questioning how lay people can know anything about design. I have a different view. A friend who is a SCAD grad, who now lives in Florida, once asked me for my opinion on a logo he designed. I said, "What do I know? I'm not a graphic designer." He said, "No, you're exactly the person I need to hear from. We design for consumers not each other," or something to that effect. So, I offer my altogether unfashionable critiques of the 2016 MLS jerseys.

1) NYCFC Nailed it! It's creative, something I haven't seen before, really sharp, and it pops. 

 

2) Vancouver I enjoy when Vancouver plays with mountain "peaks". The multiple peaks, subtle designs, and shadings make this kit very nicely done. I am also a fan of the snap/button placket on soccer kits.

 

3) SKC This is another kit that implements the snap placket. It is really classy. (I wish Crew SC would wear striped socks!)

 

4) Seattle I love teal. I also really like the heathered look, I haven't seen a soccer jersey with that pattern before. I'm not a fan of the rave green, though, but that doesn't take away from the solid kit that looks good in action on TV, too. 

 

5) Orlando There's just something about purple. Last year's beautiful jersey was my second overall favorite. I realize that this is just the adidas template (fake flat collar, sleeves a different color from the torso), but purple is one of the few unique colors in the league like Crew SC Yellow and Dynamo Orange. I also like different color sleeves "baseball shirt" style, and wish more soccer jerseys implemented them.

 

6) Montreal This shirt again utilizes one of adidas's standard templates, but the kit works because of the crisp color scheme. The really weird fake flat collar doesn't stand out as much on this one. Solid. 

 

7) RSL This is just the right amount of simple. I continue to dislike the fake flat collar, but I really like what they did here. 

 

8) Columbus Crew SC I don't hate this kit, I don't love it. I enjoy the effort. My first thought when I saw the baby blue shorts was of UNC. I am unable to hate on the shorts after seeing these Tweets:

I don't think these kits would have had such a negative response if it wasn't for the club having literally the best soccer jersey ever created in 2015. I am excited to see how it looks on the pitch. An A for effort. 

 

9) Houston The orange and black combo is beautiful, but this is just another adidas template (see Germany World Cup kits). 

10) FC Dallas The Dallas kit is a good example of using a club's primary colors, adapting elements of the old jerseys, and elevating it. 

11) Portland This is sharply designed. It would have looked much, much better and would have appeared higher on the list if it was green, though.

 

12) Toronto I actually really like Toronto's gray/red kits. The red shade was distinctive, and I don't know any other team that had a solid gray kit. I like this shirt with the red shorts much more than with the blue shorts. Another solid effort/attempt at honoring a local flag that just barely misses the mark.

 

13) DC Black jerseys are almost always sharp. There are subtle design/pattern elements here, but maybe too subtle.

14) New England This is a simple kit with two parallel vertical lines that are kind of distracting. 

 

15) Colorado To my knowledge, the new kit from the Rapids doesn't go official until March 10. However, there was this leak.  There is not much of a change from the previous year's kit, but the burgundy always looks solid.

16) Bridgeview This kit is just boring. There's nothing special about it. I would have preferred that the sponsor appear on the red instead of a white strip.

 

17) Red Bulls This has way too much branding for me to enjoy. It almost looks like a Liga MX jersey. The colors are bright but the rear-end billboard is annoying.

 

18) LA I have never seen a sash look good on a jersey, except for Tottenham Hotspur. This jersey is a much too simple and boring update for the club with all the money.

19) San Jose This shirt is awful. The vertical sash looks out of place. The black and blue kit that the Quakes have is so beautiful and is easily one of my all-time favorites that this one pales in comparison. 

 

20) Philadelphia I cannot figure out what change they made, other than putting the adidas stripes on the side (like all of the others). Yet another jersey with one of those flat fake collars. Unfortunately, I don't think any jersey will ever look good with the Bimbo sponsor emblazoned across the front