New Sounders kit will be tribute to Bruce Lee

The new Seattle Sounders kit will be a tribute to legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee to mark the 50th anniversary of his death, according to a description posted by an online retailer. Although no picture was provided, the description says the kit will be red and will feature a “bold dragon-inspired print, it bears the great man’s signature and nods to the martial art he created.” The kit is not expected to be officially released until February, most likely after the team returns from the Club World Cup.

Although Lee was born in San Francisco and died in Hong Kong, he is buried in Seattle’s Lake View Cemetery. Upon choosing his burial site, his family said Lee considered Seattle to be his home after he attended the University of Washington and opened his first studio here. Seattle is also where he met his wife, Linda Lee Cadwell, who graduated from Garfield High in 1963.

While the color red will likely prove to be a controversial choice, it is notably not the first time the Sounders have worn the color. In 2002, Brian Schmetzer’s first season as head coach during the USL era, the Sounders wore red as their secondary color. Notably, current Sounders GM Craig Waibel and club legend Zach Scott also played on that team.