Seattle Sounders FC has unveiled “The Anniversary Kit,” kicking off the club’s 50th anniversary season with the introduction of a dynamic new primary kit and announcing the launch of the club’s official 50th-anniversary campaign, a season-long initiative to celebrate and honour the first 50 years of Sounders soccer while laying the foundation for successes to come.
Joining the team to prominently highlight the momentous season ahead, the Western Washington Toyota Dealers Association (WWTDA) renews its partnership with Sounders FC in a multi-year deal with Toyota serving as Presenting Partner of the 2024 Season. Fans will be able to see the partnership reflected across multiple team platforms throughout the year.
“Celebrating our 50th anniversary – a milestone reflecting decades of determination and perseverance – while launching our refreshed brand identity – built to reflect the next 50 years for the franchise – along with a new state-of-the-art home in Renton creates a generational moment for the club,” said Sounders FC President of Business Operations Hugh Weber. “The 2024 campaign will be a singularly unique time to celebrate with longtime supporters while engaging new fans to the sport and club.”
The Anniversary Kit serves as a striking and tangible springboard into Sounders FC’s anniversary season – a design that blends old with new, serving as a homage to the team’s humble beginnings and enduring legacy while nodding to the bright future ahead. The kit’s design philosophy was built upon a modern interpretation of a vintage Sounders look and feel, encapsulating 50 years of the club’s history with a design that still feels fresh and all its own.
The jersey features a colour palette of Sounders FC’s new Rave Green as its base colour, set off by charming striping in Heritage Aqua. These colours were introduced last fall as part of Sounders FC’s official brand evolution, as the club’s classic Rave Green and Pacific Blue tones evolved and Heritage Aqua was instituted to hearken back to the original colour palette of the club in 1974.
The stripe pattern on the jersey also pays respect to Sounders FC’s roots and the classic NASL pinstriped jerseys of the 1983 season, with thick white trim around the jersey’s neck and sleeve edges additionally lending to the overall retro feel.
The kit’s jersey and shorts are both emblazoned, for the first time, with the club’s evolved primary crest, which was designed to retain core elements from the MLS-era mark while answering the call from the club’s fans and supporters to embrace the club’s entire history. The crest’s shape remains unique across MLS, adopting a more robust form while maintaining a style inspired by the MLS-era badge’s distinctive outline. At the heart of the crest sits a modernized Space Needle design flanked by 1974, an ever-present reminder of the club’s birth and place in America’s soccer history.
The jersey’s unique jock tag is a sleek and modern interpretation of the classic NASL logo, featuring a new “wavemark” to represent Sounders FC’s connection to the water’s edge and Puget Sound. The neck hit features the club’s popular new Orca tertiary mark. Inspired by the APSL and A-League Sounders logos, it celebrates the unconventionality and quirkiness of Seattle in a way that is both retro and modern.
Completing the kit are its shorts and socks. The light blue shorts add a freshness that plays against the striped jersey, while classic white socks provide a clean finish that ties together with the jersey’s trim.
“Our 50th anniversary is a moment to celebrate our past while stepping fearlessly into the future,” said Sounders FC Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer Taylor Graham. “The Anniversary Kit captures this moment perfectly. It provides a modern interpretation of vintage with a pinstripe motif connected to our original NASL kits but also showcases our evolved crest and a spectrum of blues and greens built for the future. We’ve heard from the players directly that this is the most wearable primary kit we’ve ever had, which was the goal. Whether you started your eternal journey with the Sounders in 1974, 2009, or more recently, this club is a lifestyle where all are welcome and everyone belongs.”
Born in 1974, Sounders soccer has built a legacy based on ambition, perseverance and success. Sounders FC’s anniversary campaign is designed to embrace the rich history and the journey of the franchise from its inception to the modern day – a journey that has spanned generations and stands the test of time. With fans and player alumni across the globe and spanning all iterations of the Sounders franchise, the 50th anniversary season will be filled with different ways to connect and celebrate the unique Sounders story and family.
Over the course of the year, the 50th-anniversary campaign will feature current players, player alumni, coaches and fans to represent the eternal connection between the club and city to its history and heritage. Anniversary-themed giveaways are available at select matches along with many ways for fans to interact and be a part of the revelry.
While there are different special events planned throughout the season, fans looking forward to immersing themselves in anniversary festivities can already mark their calendars for two specific matches on the calendar: March 2 vs. Austin FC and June 15 vs. Minnesota United FC.
The Rave Green’s 2024 MLS home opener on March 2 marks not only fans’ opportunity to set home-field advantage for the season, but it also offers special 50th Anniversary Season elements. Further specifics regarding matchday activities for the home opener are forthcoming.
On June 15, Sounders FC hosts its official 50th Anniversary Celebration Match, with an entire matchday centered around a grand celebration of the milestone, giving everyone in attendance unique and unforgettable ways to honor the achievements of the club’s first 50 years. For Sounders fans, June 15 is a can’t-miss matchday experience.
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Information about all Sounders FC ticketing products and more can be found at SoundersFC.com/Tickets.
Sounders FC’s single-match tickets and other ticket offerings are currently available, though fans are encouraged to secure their needs without delay due to limited seating and increased demand for the 50th anniversary season.