MLS Colorado Rapids

Colorado Rapids Unveil 'New Day' Jersey in Support of Mental Health in Colorado

Published on February 15, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - The Colorado Rapids unveiled today the New Day Kit, the club's secondary jersey for the 2023-24 Major League Soccer seasons.

Co-designed by Denver-based artist Pat Milbery, the New Day Kit features a bright, geometric design inspired by Colorado's sunrises and sunsets, along with Milbery's distinct street art style. As part of the New Day Kit's launch, the Rapids are partnering with Mental Health Colorado (MHC) and UCHealth to bring attention to the current mental health crisis in Colorado, reduce the stigma of seeking help and amplify awareness of public resources. The club will support mental health initiatives throughout the year, while also donating a combined $25,000 to various nonprofits serving mental health needs in the state, including MHC.

"In our drive to be the heartbeat of sport in Colorado, we are proud to work with a local artist in Pat Milbery on this kit launch, and even more importantly, to raise awareness and help tackle a significant issue facing our community as a whole," said Wayne Brant, Colorado Rapids Sr. Vice President of Business Operations. "With the New Day Kit, we see an opportunity to once again connect directly with our state by using Colorado's stunning landscape as the inspiration for the jersey, while working with our local partners to bring attention to a mental health crisis that effects so many. We hope this can help change the perception around a topic that is affecting our friends, families and neighbors, and help shine light on a pathway to a brighter, new day."

"Mental Health Colorado's partnership with the Rapids will accelerate and energize Coloradans' understanding that when we commit as a team to making our health of mind a priority, all Coloradans will feel better and experience wins across their lifespan," said Vincent Atchity, president & CEO of Mental Health Colorado. Play matters. Teams matter. Moving our bodies matters. Well-being is something we can make together."

"Decreasing the stigma around mental health care is critically important," said Dr. Justin Ross, licensed clinical psychologist and UCHealth's Director of Workplace Well-being. "Whole person well-being requires that we address mental health in a proactive and sustainable way. UCHealth is working to provide outreach and education surrounding common mental health concerns and strategies to maintain well-being while simultaneously working to reduce barriers so we can provide whole patient care-both body and mind. We are excited to partner with the Rapids on this initiative."

The Rapids and adidas partnered with Milbery to create the New Day Kit, the first time in MLS history that a club has collaborated with a local artist on a kit design. The jersey features a color palette derived from the hues of a Coloradan sunrise and a geometric pattern in the style of Milbery's iconic street art, as well as two custom signoffs-a geometric heart on the lower left front and a sunset icon on the back neck-that Milbery created exclusively for the Rapids. The New Day Kit is part of an ongoing partnership between the Rapids and Milbery, an artist and former professional snowboarder known for his positive design ethos and large-scale murals across Denver. Milbery previously painted a custom mural for the club at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park during the 2022 season with support from adidas and Athlete Ally.

"This is the first time in the history of MLS that a team has partnered with an artist to allow their jersey to be a canvas," said Milbery. "The Rapids are true pioneers in this sense because they appreciate art and the power it has to tell a bigger story. I'm so honored they chose me to help be a part of this story because this is way bigger than soccer-it's a story about our deep love and care for the health and well-being of our Colorado community. I love this state and I want people to wear this jersey, and this heart, proudly because love unites us-the love of sport, love of our community and the love we show ourselves when we remember that every day is a new day. Working with the Rapids has been a unique and special opportunity for me because it's at this beautiful intersection where sport meets art."

The New Day Kit is available online at ColoradoRapids.com, AltitudeAuthentics.com and MLSstore.com. Fans in the Denver area can bring their New Day jersey to the Rapids' Season Kickoff Party on March 1 to receive free name and number customizations.

More information on the New Day Kit, including links to public mental health resources, is available at ColoradoRapids.com/NewDay.

The Rapids will kick off their 2023 MLS season on the road against Seattle Sounders FC on February 26 (6 p.m. MT | FS1, Apple TV - Free).

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 15, 2023


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