With their new alternate kits for 2024, Canadian Premier League side Atlético Ottawa is looking back on how far the club and soccer culture in Canada’s capital have come during their time in existence.
Atlético unveiled the kits — dubbed the “Soccer Culture Kits” — on Monday, March 11. The kit design from manufacturer Macron borrows heavily from the brand of Tourism Ottawa, including shapes and colors from their “Radiant O” iconography.
With this kit, we celebrate our community members shaping soccer culture locally and globally, alongside our commitment to diversity, a welcoming spirit and the enduring legacy of the beautiful game.
— atleticoottawa.canpl.ca
A pattern of radiant Os in different shapes and colors covers the entirety of the jersey. The different shapes represent “the diversity of Ottawa’s identity, from its people to the experiences on offer.” The colors include Outdoor Blue, Celebration Pink, Honour Coral, Progress Green and Discovery Orange. The main radiant O, made up of maple leaf-like shapes, appears in pink behind Atlético’s crest on the left chest.
Inspired by Ottawa Tourism, the Radiant “O” symbolizes Ottawa as a confident, playful and welcoming city. The color palette reflects our diverse fanbase and city.
— atleticoottawa.canpl.ca
The sleeve cuffs are a light teal color. The henley collar is mostly the same light teal, though it does have multicolored striping for trim. The shorts that go with the kit are solid white, as are the socks, except for multicolored stripes at the top.
“I think we can all be very proud of this jersey,” said Ottawa Tourism President and CEO Michael Crockatt on the team’s website. “Grassroots sports activity is where we see the community really come together and we start to see the next generation of heroes being developed. We are so proud of the athletes who go out and represent Ottawa in the world, but seeing where they start, and their development in the community is so special. I love Ottawa. I’ve lived here for 17 years, it’s an incredible city. It has a little bit of everything but not a duplicate of any other city in Canada.”
“We’re not just showcasing a jersey, but a symbol of unity and diversity within Ottawa’s vibrant soccer community,” added Atlético CEO Fernando López. “In collaboration with Ottawa Tourism, we proudly celebrate the variety of cultures and experiences that shape this city’s identity — an identity that Atlético is extremely proud to be a growing part of.”
You can see the radiant O in action in this Tourism Ottawa video:
“We are extremely proud of our radiant O and what it symbolizes about our community,” Crockatt said. “There are different versions of the radiant O. The traditional red, but also all these different colours that represent all the different parts of Ottawa’s identity. It’s really a reflection of the inclusive nature and diverse nature of our city that we are all really proud of.”