It’s a new era in 2022 according to the FC Dallas sales, social media, and promo material. We know there are changes at Toyota Stadium and in the transfer market, but what about the visuals?
Us kit nerds have needs!
2022 Primary Jersey
This feature has been where I’ve put together a series of mock-up kits for FC Dallas over the past eight years. My design predictions are based on teasers, the adidas process with other clubs, and information we hear from sources.
This year is no exception as we have once again been putting the pieces together for our mockup reveal ahead of the official jersey unveiling which should take place in approximately two weeks.
For the most part, FC Dallas has minimized leaks the last few years but this year another mock-up beat us to the punch, a mockup by Jonah Henderson. If you’re not familiar with his scoops, see the Jimi Hendrix-inspired Seattle kit last season.
Henderson’s mockup is based on a description posted on Chris Creamer’s Sports Logos forum and a little more, judging by the mavQ logo replacing MTX’s main brand. It also closely resembles what we at 3rd Degree had been working on ourselves over the preseason.
Hendersons’ version above largely lines up with the information we’ve received from a number of sources, including the info that the logo for MTX’s mavQ AI platform would adorn the new jerseys. Our mockup is below.
As you can see, not a lot of differences.
Henderson’s mock-up was the first I heard of the cuff and collar details, in a season where adidas is really emphasizing decoration of those.
We had actually been told they were plain, which is understandable given the minimal decoration. The same thing happened with last season’s powder blue jersey where the thin line on the collar was spotted by some sources and not others.
Very early on we received word of hoops, but not in the traditional sense. Plus, more blue trim and a brighter red (than the slightly pink shade of 2020) were highlighted to us several times.
FC Dallas seems to be building a new visual hoop identity nearly a decade after ditching the red and white hoops. Consecutive red jerseys with a form of blue hoop is a step in at least a direction.
We at 3rd Degree all personally love the direction. Having a consistent look that is instantly FC Dallas rather than a generic red team should be appreciated in any case.
Buzz is still holding on to the dream of white shorts, though.
Like Henderson has done in his mockup, we’ve worked under assumptions with the color of the shorts and socks in the styles that are commonly being used in the recent 2022 adidas releases. We decided on red socks for ours since FCD has alternated between red and blue of late, with a blue sock used last season.
Shorts and socks are more difficult to obtain information on since sources tend to only see the jersey and both are subject to very late changes. For example, FC Dallas was supposed to wear blue socks in 2020 before a late switch to red.
In 2016, FC Dallas was not supposed to wear white shorts but after Fabian Castillo was spotted wearing them at an MLS media day, FC Dallas decided to move away from the planned red shorts.
Dan Hunt talked to me about the kit process in 2019 and said that while jerseys go through an 18-month process with adidas, shorts and socks are usually pulled out of a catalog late on.
Incidentally, FC Dallas wore the exact shorts from both mock-ups in the scrimmage with Orlando City on Saturday along with the reverse of the socks. The latter item can be explained as they are the socks for the powder blue away jersey, but the FCD shorts for both previous kits last season used a different cut than will be seen in 2022.
The Hoops
The main difference that we between Henderson’s layout and ours is in the hoops themselves.
We believe the hoops to be simply less defined. Ours is on the right above.
From FCD-produced graphics and other leaks, we understand the angled shapes spread out more as they reduce in size – both between the sets of hoops and the shapes themselves.
From what we’ve heard, the hoops may also be a slightly lighter shade of blue than the navy that FC Dallas switched to in 2018.
Condivo
The MLS league-wide kit templates are a little different this year as well. Aside from the deconstructed Texas flag, all FC Dallas home jerseys dating back to 2014 have been based on the given year’s Condivo template (you’ll see that name a lot from adidas).
This year MLS and other 2022 kits released in Chile, Brazil, Slovakia, and Japan have used a new template that includes a panel down the side of the jersey and the inside of the arm.
The usual modest adidas stripes replace the large ’90s-inspired shoulder stripes that many felt spoiled the 2020 home jerseys in MLS.
In the new template, adidas has also scaled back from unusual shapes on its collars. A throwback foldover collar can be seen on the jersey for Inter Miami, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Universidad de Chile. FC Dallas is among the clubs sporting a crew neck. While a V-neck can be seen on the likes of Charlotte FC and the LA Galaxy.
These will also likely be the final MLS jerseys to sport the current adidas logo. Starting with the World Cup later this year, adidas will switch to a slightly modified logo which drops the adidas wordmark for its performance sports ranges.
From what we think to what we know
The home jersey isn’t the only change.
Goalkeeper jerseys have been a real playground for adidas’ global designers the past few years, and this year’s adidas Condivo 22 goalkeeper kit is another all-over print. The print extends to the shorts, with plain socks in the matching color.
We haven’t seen which colors FC Dallas will use yet but teal/green, blue, and black are the usual picks.
If you look around the league, you may notice some clubs with one training jersey and others with a different one. Supply chain issues for adidas have meant that many clubs – FC Dallas included – have yet to receive their 2022 training and travel wear.
So the hoops are currently decked out in their adidas Tiro 21 kits from last season, with the brand new adidas Condivo 22 kits on the way. Here’s what those should look like. FC Dallas appears to be sticking with the main MTX brand on its training wear.