Aston Villa Rolls Out 23-24 Home Kits with New Crest, Controversial Sponsor – Plus Other European Unveilings

English Premier League side Aston Villa are heading into the 2023-24 season with a new crest and a new front-of-shirt sponsor.

The Birmingham-based club unveiled their new home kits, made by Castore, on Thursday, June 22 — the first to feature their new crest that was voted on by fans in November 2022. It features Villa’s traditional claret and sky blue color scheme, with the latter on the shoulders and sleeves. The claret body features a tonal pattern of soundwaves taken from supporters singing “Allez, allez, allez” during a match.

The V-neck collar is claret, as is piping that runs over each shoulder. A broad sky blue runs across the back hem, while a white lion rampant appears on the back collar.

While the new crest is on the kit, Villa intends to continue using the old crest around Villa Park and on its digital channels. “Aston Villa will monitor local, national and global reaction along with feedback to the use of both the crest and kit moniker as the 2023/24 campaign progresses,” they say in the kit announcement. “With our landmark 150th anniversary on the horizon next season, the club will further engage with supporters on the future identity of Aston Villa and how it should look for the next 150 years and beyond.”

With the new kits came the announcement of a new front-of-shirt sponsor, sports betting company BK8. This is an odd sponsor choice, though, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the Premier League announced in April that its clubs had “agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts.” A grace period extends to the end of the 2025-26 season to let current contracts run their course, but it was expected no new deals with betting firms would be signed in the meantime.

Secondly, English side Norwich City canceled a sponsorship deal with BK8 just days after they signed it in 2021 after fans raised concerns about the company’s sexualized marketing tactics.

Aston Villa’s men’s team will debut the kits on Saturday, July 15, when they open their preseason fixtures with a visit to Walsall FC.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS – Away

Meanwhile, fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers is drawing from Mediterranean architecture for their 2023-24 away kit, also made by Castore. “The new red away strip will provide Wolves’ southern European players with a taste of home as they head on their travels this season thanks to the bespoke Castore design,” the club’s website reads. “Inspired by the geometric architecture and tile patterns found around the Iberian Peninsula, the striking pattern and colour will give Wolves a fresh look for the new campaign.” The kit also has dark grey panels on the shoulders and under the arms, and piping in the club’s signature shade of amber on the shoulders and sleeve cuffs.

RC LENS – Away

Over in France, Ligue 1 side RC Lens has released a new away kit, made by Puma, to complement the 2023-24 home kit they released last week. The away kit is solid black with red and yellow vertical pinstripes down the front. The only other embellishment is the front half of the crew neck collar, which is red.

1. FC HEIDENHEIM 1846 – Home, Away & Third

In Germany, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 has been promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in its 177-year history, and will look the part in new kits manufactured by Puma. The red home kit has a pattern of tonal diamonds that gradually decrease in size closer to the shoulders. The away kit is navy blue, with a broad sash that fade from light blue to red running under the crest and other diagonal red and light blue lines across the front. The third kit keeps thing simple, with a light grey collar, sleeve cuffs and shoulder panels on the white base.

CÁDIZ CF – Home

Spanish La Liga side Cádiz CF is throwing it back to the 1980s for their 2023-24 home kits, made by Macron. The white panels on the shoulders of the yellow shirt contain blue Macron logos and are reminiscent of kits Cádiz wore in the ’80s. The new shirt also has a blue crew neck collar and sleeve cuffs with white and gold trim, along with an embossed diagonal checkerboard pattern on the front.

FC PORTO – Third

After releasing their home and away kits made by New Balance over the past couple of weeks, Portuguese Primeira Liga giants FC Porto have completed their 2023-24 set with the launch of their third kit. The shirt is “sapphire blue” with embossed concentric circles radiating out from underneath the club crest on the left chest. Mixed in with the sapphire blue are gold details, including the right half of the collar, a stripe around the right sleeve that contains a New Balance flash, and sponsor logos.

BEŞIKTAŞ JK – Home, Away & Third

In Türkiye, perennial Süper Lig contenders Beşiktaş JK have rolled out all three of their kits for 2023-24, made by Adidas. The home kit is white with light grey vertical stripes down the front, plus black Adidas shoulder stripes. The away kit plays on the club’s “Black Eagles” nickname, with an eagle wing graphic covering the front of the black kit. The third kit is red with black accents, and has an embossed pattern of stars radiating out from the right side of the shirt.