PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Timbers and Alaska Airlines, official jersey partner of the MLS club, today unveiled the team’s official uniforms, training wear and apparel line that will be featured during the Timbers’ inaugural Major League Soccer (MLS) season in 2011.
Dubbed “Runway on the Runway,” the event was held in the 64,000-square-foot hangar of Alaska Airlines’ sister carrier, Horizon Air, at Portland International Airport. Timbers players and Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air employees revealed the team’s official look to some 1,000 fans and supporters. To further mark the occasion, Alaska Airlines unveiled a specially themed Boeing 737-700 emblazoned with “Proud Jersey Sponsor” alongside the team logo and iconic green, yellow and white Timbers scarf.
The team’s primary jersey, produced by adidas, the official athletic sponsor and product supplier of MLS since the league’s inception in 1996, features a Ponderosa green that pays tribute to the Timbers’ rich history and exciting future in MLS. The body fabric, which prominently displays the Alaska Airlines logo and Timbers primary logo, is specially engineered with the Timbers signature chevron repeating down the middle, tying together the two shades of green that make up the body of the shirt. The classic look reflects the diversity of color one would see in a lush Oregon forest.
The primary jersey also pays homage to the team’s passionate supporter’s group, the Timbers Army, and further celebrates the team’s unique history with an axe prominently featured on the back of the neck and a subtle, lower-back emboss of a rising sun.
The white sleeves of the primary jersey provide a modern twist to the split-jersey design, while the jersey features adidas’ FORMOTIONTM technology that allows maximum athletic movement as well as CLIMACOOLTM technology that combines moisture-wicking fabric and mesh construction in the player’s highest heat zones to improve body ventilation and keep the athlete at optimum temperature. Piping around the shoulders and engineered rib give the jersey further definition.
Portland’s primary jersey can be worn with either white or dark green shorts, and the on-field look becomes complete with dark green socks that feature the Timbers axe.
The secondary jersey was inspired by the unrivaled passion and pride in Portland – the Rose City. Also featuring a similar split-jersey design and the familiar Alaska Airlines script, the secondary jersey features two shades of red, with the body fabric specially engineered by adidas with Rose City thorns repeating down the middle and a new Rose City logo badge prominently displayed opposite the team’s primary crest on the front of the jersey.
White sleeves again provide a modern element to the secondary jersey, while the “Rose City” verbiage on the back of the neck and printed thorn back-neck taping further call to its inspiration.
The secondary uniform is rounded out by white shorts with Rose City red adidas stripes and red socks that feature the “Rose City” verbiage.
In total, more than 30 pieces were unveiled at the runway event, including a team training jersey that will be used at Timbers training sessions, a full-zip jacket that will be seen in the stands during Timbers games, and a presentation suit jacket that will be seen on the sidelines during the team’s inaugural MLS season in 2011.
Fans are invited to purchase new Timbers apparel at the Portland Timbers Downtown Team Store, located at 519 SW 6th Ave., that officially opens at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 10, and online at shop.portlandtimbers.com. Secondary jerseys will be available in early 2011.
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air together offer more nonstop flights (serving 26 different destinations), more daily flights (88 a day) and more California service (38 flights daily to 12 California destinations) from Portland International Airport than any other carrier. Customers can learn more at www.alaskaair.com/pdx.
Note to media: High-resolution photographs of the “Runway on the Runway” event will be posted by 5 p.m. PST to Alaska Airlines’ newsroom image gallery at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.
About the Portland Timbers
On March 20, 2009, Major League Soccer (MLS) awarded Portland the league’s 18th franchise to begin play in the top-flight professional soccer league starting in 2011. The Portland Timbers will mark their debut MLS season in 2011 in a significantly renovated PGE Park that will create one of the most unique and authentic soccer environments in the country. New stadium amenities will include better sightlines closer to the action, new premium seating on the east side of the field, a new KeyBank Club and a team store. The Timbers have been a beloved part of the Portland sports landscape since their early beginnings in the North American Soccer League in 1975, launching the era of “Soccer City USA” in the Rose City.
About Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009 and 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction StudiesSM. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.
About adidas
adidas is a global designer, developer and marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to be the leading sports brand in the world. Brand adidas is part of the adidas Group, a corporation that includes brands such as Reebok, TaylorMade and Rockport.
