WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Even more kits: Chicago Fire FC, Sporting Kansas City, LAFC, Nashville SC, LA Galaxy, D.C. United, FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake all dropped their new kits. Take a look here.
- Charlotte FC acquire Tuiloma in trade with Portland Timbers: Charlotte FC have acquired veteran defender Bill Tuiloma in a trade with the Portland Timbers. For the 27-year-old New Zealand international, Charlotte sent Portland $800,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM); an additional $100k in 2025 GAM will be sent as well if certain performance metrics are met. The center back has 10 goals and six assists in 107 regular-season appearances with Portland.
- MLS integrates Apple TV into updated website and mobile app: Major League Soccer has updated their website and mobile app. The new layouts will now feature streamlined MLS Season Pass integrations, full schedule access from the scoreboard section, and more. Read the full list of updates here.
SMALL-SIDED: MORE NICE THINGS ABOUT KITS (AND SOME OTHER NOTES)
We've got more kits to be nice to after being nice to a bunch of them yesterday. We've also got to talk for a second about a couple of actual soccer things. And, in true Daily Kickoff fashion, we're going to throw it all together in one big mess. Enjoy.
1. Being nice to more kits
Seriously, I would have felt bad if I left the new kits out after addressing Wednesday's wave. Or, at the very least, I would have gotten a sternly-worded letter from someone politely (but disappointedly) asking why I didn't say anything about their kit. Here we go, starting with…
Nashville SC - The Man in Black Kit
I'm a simple man. You connect something with your team back to a notable part of your city and I'm probably going to appreciate it. As a kit itself, it's straightforward, but the connection is undeniably cool. Also, very important to note Nashville SC's hype video accompanied by "God's Going to Cut You Down" absolutely rules and is one of my favorite MLS things I've seen. It's also even more important to note some covers of Cash songs go along with the kit and you can listen to them right now.
LA Galaxy - LA Kit
As always, we love to see a team look like themselves. The green kit just feels appropriately Galaxy. On top of that, the best part of the kit, the collar design, has a direct connection to the LA city flag. If they'd somehow connected it back to a famous LA citizen or designer, they would have gone three for three on my criteria checklist for "things that automatically make me appreciate a kit a little more."
D.C. United - The Cherry Blossom Kit
The colorway here is outstanding, as is the idea behind it. It looks great and I hope they build off it going forward. I don't know what a "D.C. United Secondary Kit" is supposed to look like, but this feels really close. Maybe they could combine the cherry blossoms with D.C.'s very, very good city flag? Telling y'all, I'm a sucker for flag-based kits.
Chicago Fire FC - A Kit For All Jersey
Not going to lie, I got excited when I saw Chicago's for the first time. It was equal parts me thinking it looked pretty good and me being amazed at how much they just went for it here. The geometric designs and centered logo all pay off really nicely and, counter to my normal thinking, should look even better with a finalized sponsor. Oh, I guess the colors are based on the state flag, aren't they? Dang, they got me again. I'm powerless here, y'all.
Sporting Kansas City - Hoops 4.0 Kit
All you really have to do with a primary kit is look like yourself and not mess everything up. SKC didn't suddenly decide to make the whole thing black with light blue stripes for no reason or something like that, so this is a winner. They have one of the best visual identities in the league; there's no need to veer from that.
LAFC - Smokescreen Kit
No matter what I say about it, every kit looks great if you win Concacaf Champions League, Leagues Cup and MLS Cup with it.
FC Dallas - Burn Baby Burn Kit
The absolute most surefire way to get me to appreciate your kit is to put the Dallas Burn's "Trogdor the Horse-inator" electric fire horse logo literally anywhere on your kit. He's on the back of the collar. Therefore the kit is perfect.
Real Salt Lake - The Beehive State Kit
It's just pretty. RSL are another team that really only needs to stick with their excellent colors and they can turn out great kit after great kit. They have one of the best kit combos in the league and they didn't need to do anything special. You've either got it or you don't sometimes, ya know?
2. Let's talk about that trade…
Actual soccer discussion here for a second. Stay with me.
Charlotte sent up to $900k in GAM to Portland and Portland sent starting center back Bill Tuiloma to Charlotte. That feels like a no-brainer for Charlotte and a risk for the Timbers.
The Crown could use some quality and experience at the back, and Tuiloma provides that along with a penchant for being a comically good aerial threat. He scored six times in 2022 and, in general, metrics like American Soccer Analysis' all-encompassing Goals Added loves how Tuiloma affects games in attack and defense. Goals added had Tuiloma rated as its most effective center back in MLS last year. Is that a perfect measure? No, Goals Added has real limitations when it comes to how it measures center backs. But it certainly doesn't mean Tuiloma was doing anything wrong.
Meanwhile, Portland are now likely turning to 25-year-old Zac McGraw at the back just a few days before the season begins. Maybe a move for another defender is on the horizon, but for now, the Timbers' depth has thinned out. We'll see if that risk pays off for Portland in the long run and if Tuiloma can continue his outstanding form for Charlotte. It's the kind of move that could quietly shape the season for both teams.
AND OTHER THINGS
THE READING RAINBOW
FULL TIME
Good luck out there. Make someone's day.
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