The New England Revolution released their new primary kit for the 2026 and 2027 MLS seasons. The Independence Day Kit is a celebration of the Fourth of July, notable this year for being the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The jersey features red and white lines streaming from the new club crest without the roundel, emanating in all directions over radiating waves of red.
It is the best home kit in the history of the Revolution. It invokes elements from the first kits in the club’s history. It captures the spirit of the Fourth of July and patriotic namesake of the team. It is dynamic and exciting, grabbing your attention immediately. Even if you have no idea of the meaning behind the design, the jersey just looks cool.
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Kudos to the folks who designed the jersey and all the ways they were able to weave in the culture and history of New England in a way that comes together perfectly. The combination of the Independence Day and Eastern White Pine kits has the Revs near the top of the list, if not at the top, of stylish kits that will grace the field during this upcoming MLS season.
As I saw the release of the jersey and the meaning behind it, I could not help but reflect about this moment in our nation’s history. I thought back to when the Revolution released their new logo before lifting the Supporters’ Shield in 2021 and, in particular, an episode of the Far Post Podcast featuring Jeff Lemieux, Elizabeth Pehota, Cathal Conlon, and Jason Dalrymple.
In the podcast, Conlon described the motivations and themes behind the new brand identity. He used a phrase that has stuck with me: positive defiance. The new logo was rooted in the idea of revolution for a righteous cause, fighting for positive change, symbolizing the positive defiance that kicked off the American Revolution nearly 250 years ago.
In his messaging, Conlon acknowledged the state of the country in 2021. That the word and even the idea of revolution have different connotations in today’s world.
We have witnessed authoritarian impulses, fear-mongering, and the continued use of deadly force against American citizens on home soil. We have seen our neighbors and communities attacked in ways that were once unimaginable.
Our country has a checkered and complicated past, far from the exceptional story that we have all been taught to believe. We are a multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy, one that did not truly begin until the passing of legislation for women’s suffrage and the Civil Rights Act. There have been long struggles and oppression in this country since our inception.
We have not all been treated equally in society or under the law. There has been, and will continue to be, a long march towards justice and the ideals of what this country is supposed to stand for. It is important not to shy away from our history but embrace it. Change things for the better. Strive for justice and equality for all. That is what makes us better.
The Independence Day kit was released just two days after one of the biggest annual celebrations in America, the Super Bowl. American Football has become our national pastime and the Super Bowl is a beacon for capitalism. This year’s halftime show has been painted in a controversial light, somehow anti-American. It could not be further from the truth.
At our core, we are a nation of immigrants. Our diversity makes us stronger. Our humanity connects us. Our differences make us who we are, but that is something to celebrate, not demonize.
We should strive to love our neighbors, look out for one another, and build community together. Emblazoned on the jumbotron at the end of Bad Bunny’s stunning concert were the words, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
That cultural moment was one of positive defiance. That was the spirit of revolution in the face of authoritarianism and oppression. That is the message of what this country can be when we are at our best.
And that is the deeply layered context of the New England Revolution’s new Independence Day Kit.
