Now in its 10th year, Major League Soccer’s annual campaign to give childhood cancer the boot is getting some help from some super friends.
MLS and its 29 clubs recently launched their 10th annual Kick Childhood Cancer (KCC) campaign, raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research. This includes the latest version of their KCC pre-match jerseys, which this year feature drawings of The Avengers as part of a league-wide collaboration with Marvel.
The jerseys are royal blue and yellow with black lines and halftone dots all over. Inside the swaths of color are drawing of different Avengers, including Captain America, Thor, Hulk and Black Widow. The logo of each club’s usual training jersey sponsor appears on the back of the jersey, along with the logo of MLS WORKS, the League’s social responsibility platform.
The KCC initiative also involves special numbers on MLS game jerseys. The numbers are white with a pattern of yellow ribbons inside. Clubs have also worn yellow ribbons on the front of their jerseys throughout the month of September.
“Major League Soccer and our clubs are grateful to partner with Continental Tire to raise awareness and resources in the fight against pediatric cancer,” said MLS executive vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer Sola Winley in a press release. “Our collective aim is to inspire hope for families impacted by cancer and support efforts to provide access to life-saving treatment.”
Marvel’s collaboration with MLS also included Captain America-themed pre-match jerseys for the 4th of July, as well as warmup gear and a match ball for the 2023 MLS All-Star Game, which was held in Washington, D.C., in mid-July.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the KCC campaign, MLS and sponsor Continental Tire have donated more than $100,000 to Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. And for every donation of $10, fans will get an entry into a draw for a trip to 2024 MLS All-Star Week in Columbus, Ohio.
Wholesale royalties from the sale of the pre-match tops through the end of 2023 will also be donated to COG. Game-used, autographed tops will also be auctioned off online between November 20 and December 3.
Other features of the 2023 KCC campaign include:
- A commemorative edition Adidas 2023 MLS WORKS Kick Childhood Cancer Official Match Ball used in match play.
- Gold corner flags, goal nets and captain’s armbands.
- PRO referees sporting wristbands featuring a Kick Childhood Cancer ribbon.
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