Nearly 4,000 miles away from Madison, Wisconsin, William Jenkins remembers the surreal sensation of watching his team’s lower-league jersey being sold in England.
“To go to London and see our kits … it’s such a humbling and incredible experience,” Forward Madison’s creative director said. “It’s such a unique experience seeing that and knowing that it’s covering different chapters of the entire globe.”
Playing in the USL League One, America’s modest third division, Forward Madison aren’t exactly a powerhouse of the world soccer scene. A game between Forward and a sporting/cultural giant like Arsenal or Barcelona would probably end in a double-digit defeat, but a battle between kits? The third-division team, and a growing number of other underdog clubs, are in a league of their own.
Ranging from fashion-forward looks that have been worn on red carpets to using the jersey as a canvas for self-expression and empowerment, lower-league teams are proving to be the sport’s visionaries when it comes to what a kit can be. Through these jerseys and their overarching aesthetic, these clubs’ profiles are getting an invaluable boost.
“These kits are the biggest representation of their identity,” said Arsenio Lopez, art director at kit maker Hummel. “This is design, this is attention to detail. This is: How do we capture the mind and the eyes?”
Venezia | Living in the ‘Disneyland’ of jersey inspiration
Among the tuxedos and elegant dresses at last year’s Venice International Film Festival, Venezia’s players stepped on to the red carpet, proudly sporting their away shirts.
“Usually there’s a specific, I would say, dress code for those moments,” said Venezia managing director Tancredi Vitale. The Italian second-division players, though, had other plans. In response: Why are we talking about a dress code? We want to go there with the jersey.
According to Vitale, the kits were a big hit for the group, who fielded questions and comments for up to 30 minutes before getting to the entrance. The event was an unforgettable moment for the Serie B team, but also something that has become the norm.
Since a rebrand that began in 2021, Venezia have regularly gone viral on social media for their jerseys and photoshoots that blend fashion, sport and the picturesque Venice lifestyle, all into one. “Obviously we have the luxury and we are lucky to represent Venezia as a city. To us, there’s no better city in the world where you can find inspiration, across art, culture, cinema, music, hospitality, events,” Vitale said. “It’s the Disneyland of any creative partner.”
There are plenty of reasons why the town is leveraged as a crucial starting point in the jersey-making process. “Everything we do needs to be authentically and unapologetically rooted in the city that we’re from,” said Nicholas Vieira, Venezia’s head of marketing. “Because that’s the differentiator.”
Vieira noted that of the teams in Italy’s second division, none have a bigger audience than Venezia. In fact, “We’re up there with (first-division) Serie A teams, and we even have a bigger audience than some.”
It doesn’t hurt to stand out on the pitch, either.
With just four games left in their season, Venezia sit second in the Serie B standings, positioning them for an automatic promotion to Serie A. If they move up, their platform can grow even bigger as a club that’s getting plenty of off-the-field wins with their growing support.
“And we’re not only talking about fans,” Vitale said. “Obviously fans are the core consumer and the most important consumer … [but also] people who are attracted and passionate about Venezia, about Italy, about design, about culture.”
Forward Madison | Bringing kits to the people
Ever wanted to have a hand in the creation of a professional soccer jersey? If so, then you should consider following Forward Madison.
“We’ve made a commitment to our supporters’ group that our away or our road kit is designed, essentially, by the fans, for the fans,” said Forward retail director Alyssa Bruce.
Mood boards in hand and concepts in mind, members of an apparel design committee from The Flock, Forward’s supporters’ group, work in tandem with the club and Hummel each season. While this would likely raise eyebrows for many first-division teams that aim for a more orthodox approach, involving fans speaks volumes about Forward’s overall willingness to experiment with their vibrant range of team merchandise.
“Forward Madison has never been tame,” Bruce said. “Everything we do, it’s always out there, it’s always pushing the envelope, and it’s always a little bit different than what you would maybe find in a traditional soccer atmosphere.”
As regulars in any ESPN round-up of “wild soccer kits” — words like “cotton candy” and “3D” were mentioned by Bruce and Jenkins when describing their favorite jerseys from the club — Forward have also gained plaudits for the projects that are behind some of their kits.
Stretching from fun examples, such as the ability to buy beer for in-stadium attendees through a QR code, to more supportive outreach efforts to the LGBTQ+ community and aid for Ukraine, Forward use their jerseys as a vehicle for their own activations and programs.
“If there’s no depth to it, that’s not what this team, this culture, is about,” Jenkins said. “Nice designs are nice designs, but it’s so much better when it’s paired with a strong initiative, when it’s paired with the story, because then the art is true, the support of the kit is true.”
In Madison, London, and across the globe, plenty are on board. “We’ve definitely sold kits to every state in the United States, and we’ve sold, I believe it’s 30 countries around the world,” Bruce said. “I would say 25% to probably 30% of jerseys that we’re doing aren’t bought at our stadium, they’re bought online, and they’re shipping worldwide.”
Portland Cherry Bombs | Getting attention before kicking a ball
Boarding a plane just a couple of days after a launch party for the Portland Cherry Bombs last November, general manager Courtney Schmidt was stopped after someone noticed her wearing the team’s apparel.
“The woman in the row behind me was like, ‘Oh my god, the Cherry Bombs! I was at the party. It was so awesome. Are you so excited for the team?’ Obviously, not knowing that I work for [them],” she said. “I was already having genuine conversations with fans out in the wild. It was amazing.”
The Cherry Bombs, a women’s team in the USL W League, have yet to kick a ball in their debut season that begins in May. They only released their first ever jerseys on Wednesday, but that hasn’t stopped the growing local interest that has been guided by their ethos and image.
“Very female forward, very women forward,” Schmidt said. “We don’t play in these national leagues and we’re able to have a little more freedom on the stances we take as a team and the vibe we’re presenting. We definitely wanted to have women empowerment, kind of that badass ‘don’t f— with me’ type vibe, for the Cherry Bombs. We’re here, we’re excited to take up space, women deserve this opportunity.”
That’s seen front and center with their first jersey partner: Planned Parenthood.
“We want to represent our community and the values that are being shared with us and that we see reflected in our supporters,” said Schmidt, who noted that a portion of all jersey sales will go back to the healthcare provider. “This just makes so much sense for women empowerment and standing up for women and everybody who are marginalized in Portland.”
There’s a common thread running through the shirts of Venezia, Forward and the Cherry Bombs. On the surface, much can be made about how the lower-league clubs present themselves and generate buzz just off of their aesthetics and looks alone. Were it not for their head-turning apparel and vibes, they wouldn’t be talked about nearly as much as they are in wider soccer circles.
On deeper inspection, though, these teams have generated genuine buy-in thanks to a focus on their own communities, supporters and culture — which can help shift the spotlight in their much-deserved direction.
“It’s amazing to see that even outside of our city and outside of our division, we’re getting attention and getting recognition,” Schmidt said. “Without even kicking a soccer ball yet.”
