What is the Best Kit in NYCFC History?

After a 0-0 home draw in the pouring rain out in Queens, there isn’t a whole lot to write home about in terms of NYCFC this past weekend. So, let’s write about something completely unrelated.

What is the best kit in NYCFC history? Well, let’s do a bracket style, single elimination vote to find out! Below I’ve compiled all 9 official kits NYCFC have worn in their 8 year history. I’m excluding the special edition Parley kits and promotional kits we’ve worn through the years to keep things simple - just home and away kits (for now).

The NYCFC Kit Bracket

The home kits will be on one side of the bracket, and the away kits will be on the other. I’ll put a poll in the comment section of this article’s post on twitter for you to cast your vote.

But first, every bracket needs seeding! Below, I’ve seeded the home kits and away kits from the number 1 seed onward based off of my own, supreme, all-powerful opinion that comes with having an NYCFC blog with 162 twitter followers. If you don’t like the seeding, you better tag some friends to vote along with you for your favorite kit!

So, let’s do this! Cast your vote, tag some friends, and let the debates begin in the comment section!

Home Kits Seeding

#1 - Bronx Blue (2021-present)

Yes, our current home kit is coming in strong at the number 1 seed! The kit is undeniably clean, but it does so while avoiding falling into the “boring” category that I would consider many of our other home kits to be in. The inlays of the crest subtly embedded throughout the faint stripes are really classy, and the white collar and sleeves make it all pop. Just a great kit in my opinion.

#2 - “Racing Stripe” (2019-2020)

While I don’t think the club started naming their kits until 2020, I’m dubbing this kit as the “racing stripe” kit for obvious reasons. Looking back on it, I’m not sure how well it aged compared to some of our other looks. But, you know what? This kit has personality, which is something lacking in our number 3 and 4 seeds. And, I think the bold stripe made for a much needed breakaway from the Man City template that we'd engaged with prior to this kit's launch.

#3 - “Inaugural Season Home” (2015-2016)

While this kit doesn’t have a whole lot going on, it remains iconic in NYCFC history for its circumstance. This was the first kit ever worn in competition for the club, and remains the attire for many of my favorite NYCFC memories of our first season. With various icons and legends of the game donning the kit, it just might be the most recognized in NYCFC history…even if it looked exactly like Man City’s kit that year.

#4 - 2017/18 home kit (2017-2018)

This kit was so boring to me that I couldn’t even think of a name for it. Clean? Yes. Boring? Also yes. Perhaps the most interesting part about the jersey was that we wore dark blue shorts along with it, which I think is the only time we've done that to this day. Overall, this wasn’t my favorite kit, but maybe you think differently?

Away Kit Seeding

#1 - Volt Kit (2022)

The Volt Kit continues to grow on me, to the point where the only thing that could make me enjoy the kit more would be improving our performances in our bright orange look. It is loud, it turns heads, and it just works. With all the cookie cutter kits we see throughout every club in MLS year in and year out, we should feel grateful that we didn’t just get another Adidas template kit - we got something unique, and we got something special.

#2 - “The Black Kit” (2015)

Another unique kit in NYCFC history is in our inaugural season away kit. The all black look with the bright orange accents is striking, and goes a totally different direction than all other NYCFC kits - home or away. Kind of a shame in my opinion that we only wore this kit for one season, unlike the usual trend of wearing a kit for two years. But, perhaps that just adds to the allure. One and done, but done very well.

#3 - The Gotham Kit (2020 - 2021)

I’ve always really enjoyed this kit from NYCFC. It was the first kit to come with its own name from the club, and “Gotham” just felt right for this one - cool name, cool kit. It has an interesting pattern through the heart of the jersey that allows it to stand out without being too intrusive. The dark blue is always a strong look, and the pure white accents throughout the kit look really clean. But, the unusual collar definitely takes away from the wearability of the shirt. But, I could see look being be a strong dark horse in the #3 seed.

#4 - “Circles Kit” (2016-2017)

This one never really worked for me. I do like that the club took a chance and went for a really unique design, but I just don’t think this one landed quite right. Maybe it's all the circles and color changes, but the orange crest and sponsor really just don’t mesh well in my eyes with the rest of the kit. Overall, I think it was just too much, but I respect the effort. Placing this kit in the #4 seed means in enters the "play-in game" with the #5 seed!

#5 - “The Gray Kit” (2018-2019)

This is, personally, my least favorite kit in NYCFC history. It's somehow both boring and ugly. The gray just puts out a super dull vibe about the kit, and the weird shapes/patterns around the armpits just don’t work for me. Overall, it just screams “practice kit” at me every time I see it. For that, it gets the #5 seed and has a mountain to climb in this single elimination tournament. Lets see how it does in the play-in game vs. the #4 seed!