Ranking Sporting KC’s Home Jerseys: 2017–18: Vertical Stripes, Silverware, and the Last Great Vermes Run

Since rebranding from the Kansas City Wizards to Sporting Kansas City at the end of the 2010 season, the club has rolled out eight different home jerseys as of the 2026 campaign. In true MLS fashion, the home kit refresh comes every two years, which means fans have plenty of time to fall in love with the club’s shirts.

Not all eight jerseys have been hits. A couple have aged like fine wine. Others aged like warm beer on an August night at Sporting Park. Still, walk around the stadium on matchday and you’ll see everything from Wizards throwbacks to modern Sporting Blue, each shirt carrying its own set of memories.

Reporting KC is ranking every Sporting KC home jersey from No. 8 (flop) to No. 1 (top). The 2017–18 shirt lands near the very top, and it earns that placement the old-fashioned way: sharp design, strong identity, and actual trophies.

The Kit

The 2017–18 home jersey pushed Sporting’s aesthetic in a direction the club had never taken before. After years of leaning on solid Sporting Blue, this release introduced white vertical stripes for the first and, so far, only time in club history. It was a bold pivot from what had come previously.

The base was Sporting Blue, layered with four light blue vertical stripes that added depth without overwhelming the design. The stripes were clean and evenly spaced, giving the shirt structure. On top sat a white two-button collar, a detail that instantly elevated the look. 

The kit was launched alongside the club’s “We. Together.” campaign, part of MLS’s now-standard requirement that every jersey come with a slogan and a short backstory.

The shirt was paired with white shorts, another first for Sporting at home, and Sporting Blue socks. The right sleeve featured “No Other Club” in captain Matt Besler’s handwriting, which was a subtle, personal touch. 

Around this time, Adidas started to provide MLS clubs with their own distinct looks. It was a change from the typical three of four templates the company had previously offered MLS teams.

Why It Worked

The white shorts were a major factor in the overall success. Blue top, white shorts, blue socks is a classic soccer combination for a reason. It framed the shirt and made the vertical stripes pop in stadiums or on screens. 

The collar deserves credit, too. Although professional players often claim they dislike collared jerseys, this two-button design added class without bulk. Sporting had used a collar in 2011–12, but this was the first true two-button execution in the club’s MLS era, and it made a difference.

The shirt had all the right elements for an instant classic. It was clean, looked sharp, and made each player who wore it look like they were at the top of their profession.  

The Players of the Era

The 2017 and 2018 squads represented the tail end of peak Peter Vermes Sporting Kansas City. Besler anchored the back line with calm authority, while Graham Zusi continued as one of the most consistent right-backs in MLS. Both were also midway through solidifying themselves as two of Sporting’s all-time great players.

Benny Feilhaber was still orchestrating games with the swagger of a man who knew he was smarter than opposing midfields. He would leave at the end of 2017. Roger Espinoza, deep into his second stint in Kansas City, brought bite and edge to every match. Behind them stood Tim Melia, who quietly built a resume as one of MLS’s most dependable goalkeepers.

There was also genuine youth development happening. Daniel Salloi emerged as an attacking threat. Erik Palmer-Brown and Gianluca Busio signaled that Sporting’s academy pipeline was capable of producing players desired by European clubs. 

Add in international pieces like Johnny Russell and Diego Rubio, and this was a roster that blended identity with quality. When fans picture these players in their prime years together, this is often the shirt they’re wearing.

The On-Field Performances

The 2017 season ended with silverware, as Sporting lifted the U.S. Open Cup for the fourth time, defeating the New York Red Bulls 2–1 in the final. Goals from Latif Blessing and Salloi secured the trophy and reinforced Sporting’s reputation as a knockout cup club. 

League play that year was less convincing. Sporting faded late, failed to win their final five MLS matches, and exited the playoffs in the knockout round against the Houston Dynamo.

In 2018, however, Sporting delivered one of their strongest regular seasons in Major League Soccer history, finishing top of the Western Conference with 62 points and scoring 65 goals. They reached the Western Conference Final before falling 3–2 on aggregate to the Portland Timbers. It was not a championship ending, but it was a serious contender’s campaign. These two seasons, taken together, represent the last sustained peak of the Vermes era.

Final Verdict and Ranking

Ranking: 2 out of 8

The 2017–18 home jersey is an elite Sporting KC release. The Sporting Blue base, four light blue vertical stripes, and crisp white button collar combined to create something distinctive without being over-designed. It was bold in concept but perfect in execution.

It also benefits from timing. This shirt was worn during a trophy-winning season and a Supporters’ Shield-caliber campaign. Since then, Sporting has struggled to consistently hit those heights, which only adds nostalgia to the fabric.

Some recent releases have been strong from a design standpoint, but few have matched the balance of identity, performance, and polish that this one delivered. As far as modern Sporting Kansas City jerseys go, this is as close to a complete package as it gets.