USL Sacramento Republic FC

Old Glory Red and Beyond: Evolution of SRFC's Kits

December 3, 2020 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sacramento Republic FC News Release


From the iconic sash to the symbolic City Kit, Republic FC's kit history is a fashionable one

On December 3, 2012 - Sacramento Pro Soccer was born when the USL announced a new club would call the Capital City home. Eight years later, the club is set to rise to the top tier of American soccer, with an incredibly bright future for the city. To celebrate the founding moments of the club, let's take a look back at the kits over the years - from the shirt that welcomed pro soccer to Sacramento, as well as the fashionably loud statement jersey that was true to the city's values.

But there can be no soccer kit without the iconic crest, which is where the story of Republic FC's kit really begins.

The star in the center of the badge signifies both the club's spot on the map in California's capital as well as the beveled look which is consistent with that of a United States general insignia and dons the same color as the star in the California State Flag. The bear is a symbol of strength and unyielding resistance as the official state animal and centerpiece of the flag. The words 'urbs indomita'- the club's motto embedded on the badge - are Latin for Indomitable City and are a testament to Sacramento's unstoppable citizens who defy all doubters and overcome all odds to continue to make Sacramento an inspiring, indomitable community.

After a ground breaking first season - smashing the record books and putting the soccer world on notice that Sacramento is here to compete - the boys in Old Glory Red have earned the right to add a star above the badge when the club claimed its first USL Championship Trophy.

The crest has been the unifier - but Republic FC's on-field style has evolved over its seven-year history - blending style, community identity, and even some club history into the fabric of the shirt. Sacramento's gameday threads have even been noticed nationwide by soccer supporters, having received plenty of praise over the years including by the USL Championship on a number of occasions and Urban Pitch. Even the hype video behind the launches has gotten some love by the league.

The 2014 home kit was the first sighting of Old Glory Red in full display with an even darker shade of red used for the sash itself. The inaugural season's away kit was a classic and timeless white shirt with the red sash draped diagonally across the heart of the jersey. This exact design - that was worn during Republic FC's Miracle at Bonney and the Championship Final that Sacramento was victorious in - would make another appearance a few years later.

The original design is drawn directly from the California state flag, the banner of our bear republic, as a solid red sash lies below the California grizzly bear. And it took all of one full season in the league to earn the honor of donning the star.

Since that 2014 kit that was worn during SRFC's title-winning season, Republic FC has rocked some sharp threads over the years and it's time to take a look back at the history and evolution of Sacramento's stylish soccer gameday garments.

In 2015, the hoop style was adopted and along with white, eggshell became the majority jersey and sleeve color as it's the same shade that fills in the Indomitable Club's crest.

The star was added above the crest to symbolize the 2014 Championship title and the club's slogan - Urbs Indomita- was included on the right sleeve. The hoops - featuring horizontal stripes with the alternating white and eggshell shades - were picked on the heels of a title winning season and was the first time that the Indomitable Club included a third jersey.

But instead of the horizontal hoops that fans saw the season before, the boys in Old Glory Red made the swap to vertical stripes featuring the same colors that were so well received the club opted to roll with the same design for the next few seasons.

The Indomitable Club's secondary kit was the same vertical stripe design but an even more classic look with white and silver with a fading gradient straight down the center. The clean look regarding the color combination carried over into the next campaign with a small tweak to the design.

By 2018, the hoops were back but this time, the silver and white combo remained with an Old Glory Red vertical stripe along both sides of the kit and around the collar.

But in June of 2018, to commemorate the club's fifth anniversary and kick off the Five Years of Glory celebration, SRFC unveiled its first ever black kit with an energy stripe pattern as the third kit for the rest of the campaign. A timeless black look was chosen because it's the color created from the absorption of all pigments, shades and hues. In the same spirit, SRFC's identity is forged by the convergence of people from all walks of life in Sacramento.

On the Five Years of Glory kit's underside is a hidden inscription that says 'Glory Glory Sacramento' to serve as a reminder of the club's overall mission.

Another classic jersey style made its triumphant return the very next season in 2019 when the sash completed its comeback into Republic FC's primary design with Old Glory Red as the primary color.

But the 2019 season also offered an entirely new and uniquely-Sacramento third kit known simply as the City Kit. A dark blue and light blue color combination was inspired by the City of Sacramento flag as the two blues represent the convergence of the American and Sacramento rivers. The City Flag itself was located on the sleeve, where SRFC supporters wear their love and their loyalty for their city and club.

From afar, it looked as though the jersey was spotted with light blue dots, but the dots were small logos - each representing a story about the Indomitable City.

The words Urbs Indomita are included on the kit as is the star which pays homage to traditional map iconography as it marks the spot of the Capital City and pays tribute to the club's beloved crest. The bear runs deep at Republic FC as it's the official state animal that represents the Republic of California. The bridge is in honor of the city's most iconic landmark as the Tower Bridge symbolizes Sacramento's connectivity to the rest of the region and its ability to rise above challenges and elevate to new heights.

But the journey of Republic FC's kit selection came full circle in 2020 when the away jersey was unveiled with the iconic Old Glory Red sash on a white shirt that looked and felt identical to the 2014 Championship-winning jersey - the Heritage Kit. The Heritage Kit - a sleek, crisp white jersey with the iconic Old Glory Red sash across the front - was a tip of the cap to the club's inaugural season and original design that was the Indomitable Club's away kit for the most recent USL Championship campaign but commemorates its trophy-winning past.

The Heritage Kit featured the Old Glory Red sash at the heart of the jersey as well as a second sash, reflected in Nike's energy pattern, is layered over the accents the main sash. UC Davis Health, the club's partner since its inception, is prominently displayed across the chest and printed along the inner base of the jersey is Sacramento's official motto, Urbs Indomita- a reminder to those wearing the kit on and off the pitch of the city's unyielding spirit and who it represents.

There have been some fantastic kits over the years and one thing is for certain, Republic FC will continue to impress its fans with a stylish look as the club continues its quest for more silverware.

Check out the Sacramento Republic FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from December 3, 2020


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