New York Red Bulls II have announced that for the first time in the club’s five year history, it will have its own unique jersey design separate from the MLS first team. The “2019 NYRB II Primary Kit” was announced on March 7 and has been catching the eyes of Bulls’ supporters and beyond.
The new kit will be available in limited quantities for supporters to purchase, the first of any kit for the second team, at Montclair State University during RBNY II home matches this season starting with the Nashville SC match on March 24. USL Members for 2019, AKA those with season tickets, will have an opportunity to purchase the kit prior to March 24.
Red Bulls II have sold unique team merchandise such as scarves and hats at home games, but jerseys have never been available. In seasons past, the only difference between the MLS and USL-C team’s kit had been the logo and championship star that RBNY II had earned in 2016. But with a totally unique look, it makes sense that the opportunity to sell these would have a larger market.
New York Red Bulls II 2019 Primary Kit will be the first ever available to purchase from the team at MSU Soccer Park. (CREDIT: New York Red Bulls)The jersey itself feels like a callback to the “New York/New Jersey Metrostars” style from the first team’s early years. Four black vertical stripes, comprised of multiple black vertical lines themselves, sit along the front of the jersey. What’s interesting is that the back and sleeves remains unchanged with the full red design remaining. Three white horizontal stripes sit across each shoulder and, interestingly, the Adidas logo sits right in the center between two of the black stripes. The standard Red Bull logo, seen around the globe on every team owned by the Austrian giant, sits in the center with the RBNY II crest right above the heart.
This design would have been an incredible addition to the first team lineup of jerseys, especially if it was expanded to include the sleeves and back. But as it stands, I’m really happy the second team can have something to call its own. Since 2015 the side has been one of the best in the USL-C’s Eastern Conference despite yearly roster turnovers or moves. It’s been hard to create an image of their own though and some of the lowest attendance numbers in all of the league, as reported by Soccer Stadium Digest for 2018, shows that.
It isn’t uncommon for this to happen though, as many of the lowest attended USL-C teams are MLS II or reserve sides. But maybe following a trend like the Tacoma Defiance, formerly the Seattle Sounders FC 2, and making something of their own will be a step in the right direction for filling up more seats at MSU Soccer Park.
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