It's a big year in Portland and not only because the Timbers will be hell-bent on making up for a disappointing 2014 season during which they finished a point short of the MLS postseason.
It's also the club's 40th anniversary season and the Timbers will celebrate it through their new primary kits unveiled on Tuesday.
The most distinctive characteristic of the new shirt is the two-color chevron pattern which is inspired by the club's triple-chevron crest and runs across the front of the chest. But down on the jock tag (the lower left corner of the jersey) is a subtle reminder of the years of Timbers tradition with a "5/40" accompanied by the Timbers' trademark axe.
While the "40" is a reminder of the club's 40 years of existence since 1975, the "5" represents the number of years the Timbers have been playing in MLS.
Another new element of this year's primary shirt is the back neck, which features the Timbers wordmark for the first time.
JERSEY WEEK 2015:CHI | COL | CLB | DC | DAL | HOU | LA | MTL | NE | NYC | NYR | ORL | PHI | POR | RSL | SJ | SEA | SKC | TOR | VAN
And it wouldn't be a Portland Timbers jersey if there wasn't a connection to the Timbers Army. On the 2015 shirt it comes in the form of the chant displayed on the inside neck tape: "Let it rain. Let it pour. Let the Portland Timbers score."
The Portland Timbers get to show off their new kit to supporters in the first match of the 2015 season this Saturday against Real Salt Lake (10:30 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
