"Major League Soccer's 31st season is nearly upon us, and fans across the league are busy offering takes. Takes on roster building, on relevance, on playoff potential. And, of course, on kits. It at times feels like there is nothing soccer fans across the globe like more than discussing kits and kit culture. Supporters, even those entirely bereft of any fashion sense to speak of, start offering up terms normally reserved for the catwalk come release day."
"The design evokes memories of the Grateful Dead's previous venture into sports design: their partnership with the Lithuanian men's basketball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The cash-strapped team ended up being largely funded by the Dead and sported some Dead-themed, tie-dyed warmups in return, going on to win a bronze medal. San Jose's new look can also be read as a completely unintentional throwback to another iconic American soccer look, the infamous denim kit sported by the USMNT."
"the infamous denim kit sported by the USMNT at the 1994 World Cup. That jersey, designed by Peter Moore the same man who designed the first Air Jordan shoe has long been considered among the most outlandish in the history of the sport but it was very nearly tie-dye. Moore favored denim but his partner, Nike executive Rob Strasser, pushed hard for tie-dye. It's a good thing he didn't win out."
Major League Soccer enters its 31st season amid active fan debate about rosters, relevance, playoffs, and kits. Kit culture drives passionate conversation, with supporters invoking fashion terminology at releases. The San Jose Earthquakes' 2026 Dead Kit references the Grateful Dead through a colorful tie-dye pattern, the band's logo, and its wordmark on the collar. The design recalls the Grateful Dead's 1992 partnership with the Lithuanian men's basketball team, which wore tie-dyed warmups and won a bronze medal. The kit also evokes the USMNT's controversial 1994 denim-era jersey, linked to designer Peter Moore and internal Nike debate over tie-dye.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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