LOS ANGELES – The LA Galaxy revealed a new, highly-anticipated away kit to season ticket members at The Novo at L.A. Live on Sunday.
The name of the new kit was “Night Navy” and featured a vertical stripe design with a digital glitch for a modern interpretation.
Since 2007, when the Galaxy changed their primary kit color to white, the away jersey is one that is seldom donned by the club (the team wore their away kits twice in 2018).
Since the jersey does not make many appearances on the field, the away kit is primarily geared for fans. The contrasting color is something that provides a nice change of pace to the every-day, clean look of the all-white, primary Galaxy kit.
Part of the reason the Galaxy fan base is particularly excited about this jersey is the inclusion of five stars above the club crest on the primary and away jerseys. Major League Soccer rule changes in 2016 removed five stars from the kit. They were replaced by a single gold star to signify five championships.
This decision was an unpopular one among Galaxy fans who take pride in being the first team to win five MLS Cup titles. Sources close to the club say the Galaxy front office made a push for the reintroduction of five stars on the new kits. This “new” addition was met with much positivity on social media, with only minor complaints about the star formation.
With all the excitement of a new away kit reveal and my appreciation for the sports aesthetic, I have decided to compile a “definitive” ranking of every Galaxy away
kit. The list obviously is subjective, but it should provide a nice walk down memory lane of all 16 Galaxy away jerseys.
So without further ado, let’s begin.
TBD: 2019-2020 – “Night Navy” Glitch Kit
I’m starting off with the new “Night Navy,” but I’m going to hold off on officially placing it in the rankings as public opinion of this jersey may change.
Sometimes the play on the field impacts how a kit is remembered. The only images we have of the new kit are professional photos and ones from a darkly lit launch party, so I don’t think it would be fair to rank “Night Navy” without seeing it in action.
I don’t hate it. That may not seem like a glowing review, but I think it’s important to note some of the uninspiring releases from teams across the league.
The digital glitch is ambitious. I would have liked to have seen a clean vertical stripe, but I do appreciate the move to try and make this kit unique. It definitely is NOT a cookie cutter release from Adidas.
If I were to improve it in any way, it would be to utilize some yellow from the current Galaxy crest. Another option would be to replace the white on the kit with silver to add some Hollywood glitz for LA’s most decorated club.
Overall, I like the blue-on-blue look and feel like this jersey will grow on me over time. As a jersey aficionado, I definitely will add this to the collection.
16. 2009-2010 “Basic Blue”
This was one of the more uninspiring kits the Galaxy ever have worn. It’s a basic blue kit with gold Adidas stripes and there is nothing particularly exciting or memorable about it.
Moving on.
15. 2013-2014 “Navy Sleeves”
Another simple kit with some slight differentiation. The navy blue sleeve and a faint quasar design on the right shoulder are standouts.
14. 2013-2014 “Fans Choice” 3rd Kit
One of the most divisive kits in Galaxy history.
I’ve heard people say this is their all-time favorite and I’ve also heard the argument it’s an all-time dud.
The jersey was born from a fan contest in which they submitted designs to the club. The fact that this jersey was voted on by fans makes it the “people’s champion” of jerseys.
The blending of modern design with the original 1996 colors was eye-catching, to say the least.
13. 2004-2005 “Solid Sash”
One of the Galaxy’s simple looks with a solid green sash. In this case, less is more.
12. 2017-2018 “Out of the Blue”
The magic of this blue-on-blue kit rests on the jersey’s intricate detail. Unfortunately, you need a microscope to see that detail.
When you factor in the Galaxy had one of their worst seasons in history while wearing this kit, you can see why there isn’t much fondness for this jersey.
11. 2006-2007 “Goodbye Bud, Hello Herbalife”
In 2006, the Galaxy introduced these beauties along with a “scudetto” representing their 2005 MLS Cup Championship.
I like this kit and its vertical take on the now iconic “sash,” but it gets marked down for the introduction of a new shirt sponsor in 2007.
The Herbalife patch looked amateur, as it was clear this was an “after-market” modification. This also was the first season Adidas supplied a Galaxy jersey.
10. 2007-2008 “Beckham Blue”
With the arrival of David Beckham, the club shifted to a white primary kit. This change brought the introduction of dark away kits. This kit forever will be linked with Beckham’s arrival, making it one of the most memorable Galaxy kits ever.
9. 1996 “The OG”
Out of all of the kits, no other kit screams mid-90’s like this one.
It is less busy than the home kit of the same year, and the “blades” on the sleeves make this kit a great conversation starter. The kit also makes an ideal collector’s item since it was the team’s first away kit from the inaugural 1996 season.
8. 2011-2012 “Blue on Blue”
This kit marks one of the first times the Galaxy tinkered with the concept of different shades of blue on their kits. There were a lot of memorable matches played in this kit as it marked the early stages of a Galaxy dynasty.
7. 1999-2000 “Thin Teal Stripes”
Many teams in the league wore a striped look during this time. The teal and gold stripes mixed in with the crispness of the white always looked great on the field.
6. 1997-1998 “Thick Teal Stripes”
This was a bit of an odd away kit that featured just as much teal as on the home jersey. It was a swap from black to white that made the difference.
This was a memorable look from the early years of the club.
5. 1997-1998 “Thick Teal Stripes” & “Hoops”
This year was a bit of an oddity as the way kit featured just as much teal as the home kit. It was a swap from black to white that made the difference. For this season, a third kit needed to be introduced to avoid color clashes (yes, that was a San Jose Clash pun).
These two kits made for a memorable look from the early years of the club.
4. 2015-2016 “Hombre”
This was another foray into the “blue-on-blue” look. The gradient on this jersey worked well, especially with the yellow trim which added a nice splash of color.
3. 2001-2002 “Los Angeles”
The nostalgia of this kit brings back some great memories.
The no-nonsense “Los Angeles” across the chest and the contrast of the gold and teal piping made it one of the Galaxy’s most unique kits. Mix in the fact this kit was worn in the lead-up to their first MLS Cup, and it’s a no-brainer for a podium finish.
2. 2003 “The New Sash”
After winning the 2002 MLS Cup, the Galaxy introduced its now iconic sash. The away kit also featured a sash with matching colors that aligned with the Galaxy crest.
In the final year of the team’s partnership with Nike, this was one of the first seasons the Galaxy had a kit that was unique to the club. This kit also was an inspiration for the 2016 home kit.
1. 2011-2012 “Punjab Blue” third kit
For the purpose of this list, we are counting any non-primary kit as an away kit.
This dark, dark blue (not black) kit was one of the most popular kits among fans. The monochromatic badge coupled with shiny, gold trim provided a classy look for a classy team.
Some might argue this kit lost a little of its shine with the neighbors across town now sporting similar colors, but I always say imitation is the highest form of flattery.
Whether you agree with the rankings or not, I think it’s safe to say the Galaxy rarely have looked bad with any of their kit combinations.