Atlanta United has had a few kits that nod toward the team’s home base. The King Peach Kit shouted out to the Peach State, while last season’s mint green secondary kit was a nod to Atlanta’s nickname as the City in the Forest. Last year’s third kit, the graffitied 404 Kit, was sprung from a collaboration with Atlanta Influences Everything. But this year’s brand-new secondary kit has the most direct Atlanta connections yet.

Called the Resurgens Kit, the jersey was created in partnership with the City of Atlanta and features an abstract phoenix on the front and the official city seal on the back of the neck. The piping on the sides also mimics the city seal, featuring the word “resurgens” along with the dates 1847 and 1865 (Atlanta’s incorporation and reconstruction, respectively). The blue and yellow color scheme resembles the city flag.

Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United

Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United

Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United

Sarah Kate Noftsinger, Atlanta United’s VP and Chief Business Officer, says the decision to partner with the city for the kit was “pretty much a no-brainer.”

“We want to elevate the city, we want to represent the city. We wouldn’t be where we are without the people of Atlanta, [so] let’s celebrate them and let’s celebrate who we are and what we stand for,” she says.

While the phoenix is Atlanta’s symbol of a literal rise from the ashes after the city burned to the ground during the Civil War in 1864 (and endured an even more destructive fire in 1917), it has its own meaning for the club. Remember that until recently, Atlanta was often dismissed as a terrible place for sports. “People doubted Atlanta United and soccer working in Atlanta,” Noftsinger says of the days when the team was first announced. “So being able to lean into the phoenix, it’s always rising. It’s a story of overcoming. It’s a story that’s bigger than soccer.”

With the launch of the Resurgens Kit, Atlanta United is also changing how they refer to their kits. Home or primary kits, such as the current 17s’ Kit, will be called “club kits,” while away or secondary kits like Resurgens will be called “community kits.” This means you might see Resurgens worn more inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“Often times in sports, the home kit is worn at home and the away kit is worn away,” Noftsinger says. “We wanted to make sure we took an approach where they were actually worn equal amounts, especially at home.” She notes that the King Peach and Forest Kits were also “community kits” because the stories behind them were not directly tied to the soccer team. So, moving forward, she says, the stories behind community kits “should transcend the sport and the club” and “celebrate the community in which we live.”

Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United

Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United

The kit was officially revealed to season ticket holders during a launch party at Pullman Yards on Saturday night, which featured an appearance from Mayor Andre Dickens. A matching Resurgens scarf, also shown off at the event, features a blue and white Atlanta toile pattern on one side and the words “Atlanta United” and the city seal in blue and gold on the other.

Oh, and as for that Atlanta Hawks leak? Noftsinger just calls it a “happy accident.”

The Resurgens Kit is available at the official team store at Atlantic Station and online for $159.99 for an authentic jersey and $99.99 for a replica.

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