Seattle Sounders have linked up with former players and local musicians, including Sir Mix-a-Lot and The Black Tones, to unveil “The Jimi Hendrix Kit” – the club’s new secondary kit for the 2021 and 2022 MLS seasons.
Drawing inspiration from legendary musical artist and Seattle native Jimi Hendrix, the new Seattle Sounders secondary jersey combines purple, orange and yellow as an homage to Hendrix’s love of colour and psychedelic patterns. It also features a reproduction of Hendrix’s signature on the bottom left corner of each jersey, while the neck tape features lyrics from his “Straight Ahead” song that read “We go to stand, side by side” and signifies Seattle’s belief in the importance of togetherness.
“We couldn’t be more excited and proud to finally introduce The Jimi Hendrix Kit to the world; a true intersection of sports, music and pop culture,” Sounders FC owner and president of business operations Peter Tomozawa said in a release. “Jimi’s legacy looms large, not just here in Seattle where he was born and raised, or for the Sounders, where his iconic rendition of ‘All Along the Watchtower’ has been a part of matchday tradition for years, but across the entire world.
“In his short life, Jimi gifted us with his talent, and, even more so, with his generous and loving spirit. We wanted this kit to embody that colorful, creative personality, while also using it as a way to further good, just as Jimi used his own platform.”
As part of the partnership, the Sounders will be donating proceeds up to $50,000 from the first 30 days of The Jimi Hendrix Kit’s sales made at official team Pro Shop locations and on MLSstore.com to five local nonprofits: The Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation, the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM), RAVE Foundation and the Tacoma Public Schools Indian Education Program.
“Seattle was and always will be Jimi's home. The Sounders are Seattle's own, as well,” Janie Hendrix, president & CEO of Experience Hendrix, LLC, said in a release. “Collaborating with the Sounders to create a jersey is our way of playing for the home team. We're celebrating two local heroes and at the same time supporting a cause that unifies. Jimi was all about honoring the place you come from. This venture allows us to give back to the community he loved. That's something I think would make Jimi proud.”
Pick up the Seattle Sounders 2021 Secondary Jersey at mlsstore.com
