COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew today unveiled its newest secondary jersey, The “VeloCITY” Black kit by adidas, in advance of the 2023 Major League Soccer season.
The inspiration for the VeloCITY kit was movement and speed as the Club looks to take the energy and passion of its home city of Columbus with them on the road. As the Crew looks to continue to be first movers, its focus continues to be not just on being first with speed - but also progressing, unified with a clear direction on and off the pitch.
“We are proud to launch the new VeloCITY kit and a special capsule collaboration with the Columbus Fashion Alliance,” said Kristin Bernert, President of Business Operations at Columbus Crew. “The inspiration of the kit reflects Columbus as a City on the rise and makes a nod to the energy of the neighborhoods we are proud to call home. We are thrilled to be collaborating with the Columbus Fashion Alliance and local emerging designers to highlight the incredible creative talent that exists in Columbus, one of the top fashion communities in the country.”
This season’s VeloCity kit puts the Crew’s two most identifiable colors, the Black & Gold, on display – donning visual elements that are synonymous with the team’s hard work and determination, as well as the passion of its supporters as the club aims to never stand still. Pairing with the VeloCITY black kit will be the Club’s Gold Standard kit which debuted in 2022. The front and center of both jerseys will proudly feature the Club’s official jersey sponsor, Nationwide. The Club’s right sleeve partner will again be Tipico Sportsbook.
The Club additionally announced that it has partnered with a local non-profit, the Columbus Fashion Alliance, to secure local fashion designers, photographers and videographers to create and showcase a small capsule of merchandise inspired by the Club’s newest kit. As part of the collaboration, the Club is proudly working with CFA to provide access to opportunities for the city's creatives to dive deeper into their craft. Both organizations look forward to telling and championing the stories of Columbus’s up and coming creatives throughout the 2023 season. The capsule project will be deeply rooted in Central Ohio with additional content to be released that showcases the stories of the up-and-coming individuals that make up our City. Notably, Columbus is home to the third highest concentration of fashion designers in the country, behind only New York and Los Angeles.
"At first, just having the opportunity to collaborate with The Crew was dope. But once we got our eyes on the new VeloCITY kit, we really started to get excited. Just like The Crew, Columbus is a city on the move, and the fashion scene here is on the move too,” said Yohannan "Yogi" Terrell, Founder of Columbus Fashion Alliance. “We wanted to use this moment to shine a light on the people of the city. Those who are making moves in Sports, Fashion, and in the Community. We appreciate The Crew supporting local fashion creatives and we cannot wait for this limited-edition capsule to drop. Crew fans and fashion fans will love it. "
Featured on the kit is black on grey that uses the Club’s isometric checkerboard design through the lens of speed and velocity. The further use of offset and grain gives the visualization of movement.
Embossed on the yellow tape down the side is "Never Stand Still” a mantra reflective of the Club’s role as a team of firsts and commitment to growth. Fans will see "The Crew" italicized and transformed to be rising as one reads it on the jock tag position at the hip to bring movement to the Crew’s brand font.
“As the official jersey sponsor since 2021, Nationwide is proud to have our brand incorporated into the fabric of this team which represents our city across the MLS community and beyond,” said Ramon Jones, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Nationwide. “The Crew’s creative approach to launching the new VeloCITY kit in partnership with our local fashion community is a great example of the collaborative spirit that makes Columbus so special.”
The new kit is currently available for purchase at the Crew Shop located at Lower.com Field (96 Columbus Crew Way, Columbus, OH 43215) and online here.
The Crew are currently training in Fort Lauderdale through Feb. 18 as the Black & Gold march towards the start of the 2023 MLS season.
Partial plans and single-game tickets for Crew matches at Lower.com Field are on-sale for the general public and are available here.
Soccer fans looking to experience Crew matches have a number of options as Season Ticket Membership for the 2023 season, which are currently on sale, includes benefits such as a subscription to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, exclusive, member-only events, a discount at the Crew Shop, monthly, interest free payment plans, the ability to purchase discounted parking, pre-sale access to all events at Lower.com Field, Historic Crew Stadium and FirstEnergy Stadium, and a dedicated account manager and service representative. Fans interested in purchasing Season Ticket Memberships are encouraged to call 614-447-2739, email seasontickets@columbuscrew.com, or visit www.columbuscrew.com/tickets/memberships to get connected with a Season Ticket Member representative.
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