KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- Sporting Kansas City unveiled the team's new primary jersey for the 2015 season on Wednesday during Sporting EVOLUTION at the Uptown Shoppes Event Space as part of Major League Soccer's third annual Jersey Week.
The new uniform is available to buy in men's, women's and youth styles atshop.sportingkc.com, which offers free returns on all purchases and free shipping on orders over $50. In addition, the Sporting Style pop-up store in the Boulevard Members Club at Sporting Park will open from 10 a.m. through 7 p.m. CT from March 5-7 for local shoppers to purchase their team apparel before the season opener on Sunday.
"Kit design is an on-going project that we are very passionate about," said John Moncke, Sporting Kansas City's Vice President of Stadium and Brand Revenue. "Our brand team works very closely with our ownership group, technical staff and adidas with the goal of creating a kit that not only looks amazing, but also technically works well for the team."
Sporting Kansas City's new primary jersey will debut on Sunday when the club's 20th season kicks off with a nationally televised match against the New York Red Bulls at Sporting Park live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes at 6 p.m. CT. A limited number of tickets are available for the 2015 opener via Ticketmaster.com while supplies last and the first 10,000 fans will receive a Sporting KC schedule magnet courtesy of the Dairy Farmers of America.
The Sporting Blue primary jersey features a fashion-forward window pane pattern that incorporates the club's state-line element and will complement a matching primary anthem jacket to be worn by players on the field before matches. The new kit also includes the following imagery:
- Lenticular Sporting Kansas City crest -- introduced on the team's secondary jerseys in 2014 -- under two silver stars that represent the club's two MLS Cup championships
- Exclusive to charter members of MLS, a "Founding Team" patch behind the crest on the inside of the jersey to commemorate the 20 seasons played from 1996-2015
- Henley collar with button on front and Sporting Club shield beneath back collar
- Ivy Funds, Sporting KC's presenting jersey sponsor and official investment management partner, showcased prominently on center of uniform in indigo blue
- The Major League Soccer crest, launched as part of a new brand identity for the 2015 season, on both sleeves in Sporting Kansas City's quintessential colors
- The adidas mark on front and classic three stripes over each sleeve for exclusive uniform supplier of MLS and club's official jersey provider since inaugural season
"Fashion is an integral part of the Sporting Kansas City brand," Moncke said. "Due to the long lead time, we forecast trends several years in advance of rolling out a new look. Window pane is a strong fashion trend and it fits within the collection of jerseys that we've created in the past. The look is classic with a modern twist and we like to have a feature that we can make our own."
For the first time in club history, the 2015 season will see Sporting Kansas City wear a kit specifically designed for a light/dark/light color combination for the jersey, shorts and socks. Additionally, the new primary socks will feature "SKC" initials on the back for the first time.
The primary jersey utilizes adizero technology and is made of lightweight, moisture-wicking knit fabric along with stretch woven shorts. Follow @SportingStyle on Twitter for all the latest details on new Sporting Kansas City product releases and special offers in 2015.
