The new MLS season has finally begun and I can't wait to spend far too long catching up on late night games and follow another league closely. My team is Orlando City however, I will happily sit and watch any games and now I have the SkyGo app on my Macbook I can watch games from anywhere which is fantastic. For me though it isn't only the excitement of a new season it is also the excitement of seeing the new shirts in action. Once again Adidas don't seem to have disappointed with the majority of kits they have produced for the season and here is what I think to them...
Atlanta United
So first up we have the two shirts from Atlanta United, I absolutely love the black and red shirt with the gold sponsor and Adidas badge the colours just work well and it looks like a really smart shirt. Similarly the simple white and gold shirt for them looks fantastic just down to how basic it looks with just the two colours across the whole of the shirt. I was never really a fan of gold on shirts but this is definitely an exception.
Austin FC
It is Austin FC's first season in the MLS and to be honest their first shirts aren't too bad. The green and black bold stripes look great but what I aren't too keen on is the size of the sponsor on the front of the shirt, doe it really need to look so big? The white shirt with the green sponsor, Adidas badge and 3 stripes looks pretty good too but again that size on the sponsor is putting me off from liking it that little bit more.
Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire are a team I have never paid much attention to so I honestly don't really know much about their past shirts however, I quite like this seasons options. I love the dark blue with red detailing for the home shirt and it is definitely my favourite of the two however, I do like the away shirt too mainly due to the seemingly light blue pattern detailing that actually makes up the shirt. The home shirt definitely seems simple compared the away one which is probably why I like it that bit more however, maybe if I had a closer look at the away one in person it could change my mind.
FC Cincinnati
I aren't sure why but the Cincinnati shirts just look like something Lyon would possibly where due to the style and colourway but they are pretty nice shirts that again seem nice and simple. I really like the home one with the pretty thin stripes in alternating colours which just work really well. The sponsor on the shirts look pretty big however, it doesn't bug me as much as with other shirts. I like the away short too as it looks very simple and like it has a bit of a subtle pattern in the shirts design which again I would love to take a closer look at, it is this away shirt that really makes me think that it is something Lyon could definitely wear.
Colorado Rapids
What I love most about the Colorado Rapids shirts is the lack of sponsor. It just goes to show you can have a good looking shirt without having a sponsor filling up the front of the shirt which is what seems to be happening too often lately, you want your club badge as the main focus not just a company logo. My favourite of the two shirts is definitely the home one with the maroon shirt and light blue 3 stripes again the colours work well together and the lack of sponsor draws your attention to the details on the shirt which is great. The away shirt is a pretty smart looking shirt with the lack of sponsor and just the white and green colours on the shirt, there is no need to add anything else to the shirt as the simplicity of it makes it as good as it is.
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew home shirt is really giving me BVB vibes with the colour-ways but what I love the most about it is the pattern detailing on the shirt I love it. I love how the pattern stops below the shoulders white are left black with just the 3 yellow stripes on them. The away shirt is quite nice too and the colours work really well together but I think the actual shirt colour might be like Bradford's where is is an off white / grey which I aren't too keen onto be honest. The actual pattern built into the shirt does look good though.
FC Dallas
I actually really like the FC Dallas home shirt and I aren't too sure why. I love the red and blue and the fact the blue horizontal stripes get bigger as they work their way down the shirt. I also like how instead of blue 3 stripes they have used a white so they fit with the sponsor and Adidas badge and don't make them look out of place. I think it could be the stripes that make me like this shirt more than I should. The away shirt is quite nice too with the light blue shirt with just a bit of red and dark blue on it. The shirt also has little spots built into its pattern which from the image you can't really see but I think it does look quite good again I would love to see this away one closer up.
DC united
I have never really been bothered by DC United or their shirts and to be honest I still aren't too bothered. The home shirt looks nice and simple with just the solid colour shirt white 3 stripes and a block of red at the bottom of each sleeve for me though it just doesn't do anything for me. The away shirt is quite nice though with the white and blue and just a hint of red instead of the big block of it, again this shirt seems to have a pattern in the detailing too.
Houston Dynamo
I love the orange home shirt for the Dynamo as it is nice and vibrant making it really stand out plus it works really well with the Houston Dash jersey which is one of my favourites in the NWSL (post on those shirts will be coming soon). This shirt is definitely eye catching and although it is nice and bright it also looks really simple. The away shirt design could very easily send my eyes funny but I love the orange pattern on the black shirt with the 3 bold orange stripes on the shoulder, this shirt is definitely an eye catching one.
LA FC
I can't make my mind up on the LA FC shirts, I quite like the simplicity of the black home shirt with the stripes blending in and just the small amount of gold detailing to make the shirt pop a bit, I do seem to have a bit of a soft spot for black and gold shirts. It is the away shirt that I aren't too sure about the colour just doesn't seem right to me and I aren't too sure about the Los Angeles on the sleeves as I think it could be a much nicer shirt without them as it would just be nice and simple.
LA Galaxy
For some reason I have always liked the LA Galaxy shirts but this year I honestly only really like 1. I really like the home shirt as it is nice and simple and the silver across the front just adds a bit of detail to it which is great as it doesn't seem to be too in your face even with the bold silver stripe. The away shirt just reminds me of this seasons Leeds shirt and I just aren't too keen on it for some reason, I would say this is my least favourite shirt this season.
Miami
Ah David Beckham's team that have gone without a sponsor on their shirt. I love how nice and simple this shirt is as it doesn't have anything other than the club badge, Adidas logo and the 3 stripes. Both colours are nice and simple but my favourite has to be the black and pink away shirt as the colours just work well together. To be honest these shirts are that simple they could easily be mistaken for training shirts and not official match day ones.
Minnesota United FC
I really like the light blue home shirt for Minnesota but again does the sponsors logo really need to be as big as it is, to me it just looks like a hit the ball here target and really distracts from what could be a nice simple shirt. The light blue really works well but I think I prefer the away shirt with the grey and light blue and the pattern rising from the bottom of the shirt. The light blue and grey compliment each other really well and the pattern just adds a little bit to an otherwise plain shirt again though I just wish the sponsor was smaller.
CF Montreal
I wasn't too bothered with the CF Montreal shirts but the more I look at the home shirt the more it appeals to me. I originally just though this was a plain shirt however, it does have a pattern built into it which looks great again though the sponsor does ruin it for me as it just seems to look huge on the front of the shirt in images. The away shirt has been kept nice and simple which is great to see and the sponsor is also a little bit smaller on this shirt too which is great. The use of just white and a little bit of black with the white stripes blending into the design looks great and it is a nice simple clean looking shirt.
Nashville SC
The Nashville SC home shirt definitely stands out with the vibrant yellow but it stands out in a good way i. my opinion as it doesn't look too in your face due to the simple 2 colour design. I even believe that the sponsor fits the shirt design well on this shirt too which makes a change. The away shirt is definitely my favourite though with the dark blue shirt with a pattern built in and the vibrant yellow of the home shirt added to make the shirt stand out and give it a bit of something extra instead of it just being a blue shirt with a bit of a pattern.
New England Revolution
The New England home shirt could have potential to be a good shirt but why do I feel like the design is only there to highlight the clubs sponsor? The colours work well on it but the white across the chest to me just feels like it is there to draw even more attention to the already big sponsor on the front of the shirt. I do like the away shirt though as it is a lot simpler and the sponsor doesn't draw too much attention like the home one does. I like the use of the light blue and dark blue on the opposite sides of the sleeves as it just makes it that little bit different.
New York City
Every time I see a New York City home shirt I just think it is a Manchester City shirt with a different badge. I do love the light blue of it though and the white on the neckline and bottom of the sleeves. I would love to have a closer look at this shirt in the future though as it does look like it has a bit of extra detail too it. I quite like the away shirt too though as the colour of it looks really nice and the pattern of the shirt looks really nice from images, I love how they have added a pattern but it doesn't necessarily jump out at you like the Houston away shirt does.
New York Red Bulls
I never really know what to make of the New York Red Bull kits because again the sponsor really distracts me. However, I am absolutely loving this away shirt with the black shirt and red details, I don't know why but I just really like black and red shirts and this one has been done really well, even the sponsor looks like it is actually meant to be there. The home shirt isn't too bad either with the white checkerboard design and red detailing. It is nice and subtle and even the sponsor doesn't really bother me as much on this either as it looks like it belongs there.
Orlando City
I might be a bit biased due to me supporting Orlando but I do love their shirts and this season is no exception. I love the purple home shirt and how it starts off as a dark purple before descending into a lighter purple, I really like the button detail on it too as it just makes it look a little smarter and different to a lot of other shirts in the league as not many others have this little detail. I love the away shirt too with the purple pattern radiating from the badge as if to show that is where everything begins. I think this is just a nice touch and different to what other shirts have done as it really draws your attention to the start of the pattern which is the badge.
Philadelphia Union
I quite like the Philadelphia home shirt as it looks very simple but the dark blue and gold work really well together I just think it is a shame the sponsor is in white instead of the gold colour the rest of the details are in as it just stands out the bit more than other aspects of the shirt, I quite like how the shoulders are a different shade to the rest of the shirt too as it just makes it that little bit different. I really can't make my mind up on their away shirt though as it just doesn't go in my eyes. Don't get me wrong I quite like the pattern of the shirt but the yellow details including the badge just seem to get lost in it. I really do think that for this pattern a darker colour should have been used instead of the yellow as it would be more visible and look more in place. This shirt definitely has potential that yellow just needs changing, who knows it may look better in person but for not I aren't a fan.
Portland Timbers
Again I really like the Portland Timbers away shirt with the gold 3 stripes but then the white shirt with the Timbers green. I love the horizontal stripes across the which seems to make the shirt more sectional, I actually like how the sponsor seems to just fit nicely into one of these sections as it doesn't look out of place. I am a bit undecided on the home shirt though, I do like the button detail like the Orlando shirt has but I aren't too sure about the seemingly half and half body with the two tones of green. To me it just seems a bit random especially as both sleeves are the same shade. I think I will reserve judgement on this shirt until I have seen them play on it when they are on TV as it might look better actually on a player.
Real Salt Lake
It is safe to say the Real Salt Lake shirt is a standout shirt and honestly it has the ability to send my eyes funny just looking at it. The blue pattern on the red shirt definitely catches your eye immediately and honestly I quite like it, I aren't sure what it will look like in person or on TV but it is one that is bound to stand out for the full 90 minutes. Compared to the home shirt I think the white away one looks a little boring however, when you look at it a little closer it does have a nice subtle pattern in the actual shirt itself. The white with just a little blue for the 3 stripes look great especially with the red details for the badge and Adidas logo. At first I thought this away one looked too basic but after looking closer it seems like a good simple shirt.
San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes are another team that I have never really paid attention to and to be honest I aren't too keen on their shirts for the season either as compared to others in the league they just look a bit boring which I know in some cases can be a good thing but when I look at other shirts in the league there is nothing that draws me to San Jose's shirts over other ones. The home shirts is just a simple blue and white shirt with a little bit of black on the neckline and once again the sponsor seems to draw all the attention. I aren't too keen on the away one either as the yellow above the badge and below the neckline just seems very random and I aren't keen on the placement of the sponsor on this either.
Seattle Sounders
To be honest I have always quite like the Seattle Sounders green home shirts and once again I am quite enjoying this seasons home shirt too as I like the different shades of green in the horizontal stripe pattern and the bold bottom of each sleeve. The white detailing looks great too and not out of place. The away shirt for the club is definite a stand out shirt with a very bold design. I absolutely love the purple on this shirt and the little bit of orange and yellow, I believe it stands out in a good way and not like other more daring shirts we have seen in the past.
Sporting Kansas City
I quite like the Sporting Kansas City home shirt and I think it is literally just down to the two shades of blue complimenting each other really well The dark blue hoops look really good on the light blue shirt and it is just kept nice and simple, they could have easily gone overboard with this shirt but they kept it simple and it has worked well. As for the away shirt though I aren't keen the spotty design just reminds me of a pair of socks I had and I think it would have been nicer just as one block colour or a better pattern like on other shirts. The sponsor is once again too big for me on the away shirt, why couldn't it be smaller like it is on the home shirt as they are clearly capable of having it so it isn't too in your face.
Toronto FC
I quite like the Toronto FC shirts as they have kept the patterns bold across both the home and away shirts. I have to say the home shirt is my favourite as I love a good red shirt, the lined pattern in what looks like a blue colour really makes the shirt catch your eye and they way they seem to create sections is fantastic, it catches your eye without looking too crazy. I like the white and red away shirt too as all the details stand out just as much as they are needed and the silvery pattern on the shirts stops it from just being plain white and makes it a bit more interesting than if it was just a plain white shirt.
I quite like the Toronto FC shirts as they have kept the patterns bold across both the home and away shirts. I have to say the home shirt is my favourite as I love a good red shirt, the lined pattern in what looks like a blue colour really makes the shirt catch your eye and they way they seem to create sections is fantastic, it catches your eye without looking too crazy. I like the white and red away shirt too as all the details stand out just as much as they are needed and the silvery pattern on the shirts stops it from just being plain white and makes it a bit more interesting than if it was just a plain white shirt.
Vancouver Whitecaps
The Vancouver Whitecaps shirts could be great looking shirts but again for me the sponsor is unnecessarily big, take the size down a bit of the sponsor and you will have some pretty good looking shirts. The home shirt looks great with the white, little bit of light blue and then the block of dark blue however, I just don't like how the sponsor takes up most of this colour block, like I said even if it was just a bit smaller it would still look good. The away shirt also looks great with the different shades of blue working well together and the darker blue creating a bit of a wavy pattern in the shirts design. The details being in the light blue also look great and just stand out that bit more too but I just wish the Bell sponsor didn't take centre stage.
The MLS have definitely produced some great shirts this season and I would definitely love to add quite a few into my collection. The ones I would love to add are:
Orlando - Home & Away
Columbus Crew - Home
Atlanta - Home
Toronto - Home
Miami - Away
It would be fantastic to own these shirts and I just wish I knew a way to get them in the UK at reasonable prices as Adidas don't seem to stock them all on the UK site and shipping from the USA really makes the shirts costly. There are also quite a few shirts that I would love to see in person as I think by doing that I might enjoy them a lot more than just seeing them in the images. Adidas really do produce some great shirts these days but out of these MLS ones which would you pick up?
