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Chris Wright, writer for Two Books
Atlanta United are the latest Major League Soccer club to unveil a memorable third jersey ahead of the 2023 season, one that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible for a Major League Soccer kit.
Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls and New York City FC also released unique third kits this summer, and now Atlanta has joined the party.
All four kits share a common theme as they all pay homage to the city and culture of each club’s origin. The results are wild and fantastically diverse, inspired by themes as diverse as hip-hop culture, carnivals, street art and urban green spaces.
It’s fair to say that the designs on display are among the most eye-catching seen in some time – in the NFL or elsewhere – and run the gamut from stark neon colors and graffiti to green graphics that evoke the serenity of the game. lush gardens.
All four kits are sure to divide opinion among fans and neutrals alike. We’re sure at least some of them will make future rankings of the best and worst jerseys in Major League Soccer history.
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Toronto FC created a sensation last month when they unveiled their third kit as a tribute to the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, which has been held annually in the Canadian city for more than 50 years.
The T-shirt is a festival of color with flashes of tropical blue, pink and yellow forming a graphic feather-like costume synonymous with the infectious rhythm of Caribana festivities.
The New York Red Bulls’ latest outfit was revealed earlier this month, to mark the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop, when DJ Kool Herc threw a “Back-to-School Party” at 1520 Sedgwick Street in the Bronx.
The T-shirt is affixed with an eye-catching graffiti tribute to all the MCs, DJs, artists, bands and beatboxers who have collectively pioneered the scene from the early 70’s to the present day.
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New York City took a totally quieter approach to publicizing its home city last week by releasing a toolkit highlighting the vital role parks play in the Big Apple’s sprawling urban downtown.
Like dappled foliage, the leaf print is used to highlight the nurturing role New York’s various public spaces have played throughout the city’s long and often frantic history, from Central Park in Manhattan to Flushing Meadows in Queens.
Taking its name from the Atlanta area code, the 404 is perhaps the most eye-catching kit of the bunch thanks to the graffiti graphic covering the entire jersey.
The design is a tribute to the ’90s, Atlanta’s golden age when the city transformed into a bastion of art, music and the “Dirty South” hip-hop culture, propelled by the likes of Outkast, Goodie Mob and Arrested Development.
Later this week, the club will release a documentary about the city’s global impact in collaboration with Atlanta Influences Everything called “Inside the 404” with interviewees including Big Boi, Killer Mike, and Shanti Das.
