The Union’s new alternate jersey is a nod to one of the best they’ve ever had

Four years ago, the Union unveiled a secondary jersey that took not just their own fans, but all of MLS by storm. It was bright sky blue with almost-brighter-yellow trim and had a lightning bolt pattern all over it.

The jersey immediately became the most popular one in team history, selling in huge numbers, and it’s still seen often at Subaru Park. But because jerseys in MLS only run for two years, it was retired at the end of 2022.

After a different style of secondary jersey for the last two years — light blue and tan, with a camouflage style — the Union have gone back to their lightning inspiration. The new “Voltage” kit, unveiled Wednesday, brings back sky blue and light yellow as the main colors, with a more organic style of lightning bolt across the front.

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As with any jersey launch, the Union’s announcement was full of platitudes about how the design was created. What matters most, though, is that it stands out.

Historically, Union fans and others across MLS have liked to have one traditional jersey and one that’s unusual. The Union’s primary jersey takes care of tradition, with its navy blue base, gold and light blue trim, and snakeskin-style stripe down the middle. Now, the new secondary jersey takes care of standing out.

It also will matter to some fans that the Bimbo Bakeries logo isn’t on the front of the jersey. Instead, one of the company’s sub-brands is as Thomas’ English muffins made it onto a jersey cycle for the second time. Though this will be Bimbo’s 15th season as the Union’s jersey sponsor, some fans still don’t like wearing the word “Bimbo” on their chests.

The Union’s sponsorship deal with Bimbo (its U.S. headquarters is in Horsham) is in its third chapter and runs through 2028. Bimbo’s global conglomerate has a long history of sponsoring soccer jerseys, especially in Mexico and Costa Rica, and its current partners include Spanish giant Barcelona’s women’s team.

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By the way, if you’re wondering why jerseys are called “primary” and “secondary” instead of “home” and “away,” it’s because soccer doesn’t use that kind of split. In MLS as in Europe and beyond, you’ll see teams always wear their primary jerseys on the road. The main goal is to have the jerseys on the field not look too similar to each other.

The Union’s last lightning-themed jersey happened to coincide with their most successful era on the field, back-to-back Eastern Conference finals, and the only MLS Cup appearance in team history in 2022. That championship game was the last time the players wore the previous lightning jersey.

Pundits suggest that this year’s squad isn’t expected to replicate that success. But it has one of MLS’s most-marketed players in teen phenom Cavan Sullivan, and he’ll be wearing the new jersey for two of his three years before joining the English Premier League’s Manchester City in 2028. So this jersey is likely to sell a lot, especially the ones with Sullivan’s familiar No. 6 on the back.

Fans can buy the jersey at MLS’s official online store, MLSStore.com, as well as through Fanatics and manufacturer Adidas. The Union are scheduled to host a jersey launch party at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Subaru Park. It’s free to attend, with registration available on the team’s website.

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