LAFC
LA Galaxy
During the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, all club captains donned special armbands supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. These armbands were designed with the collaboration and support of Black players from each team.
While the common theme of the armbands was clear, some clubs also applied their own spin on the final design. Below is a collection of some of the armbands donned during the Tournament.
Atlanta United
Chicago Fire FC
Francisco Calvo's armband was designed by Dwight White — a Chicago-based artist and former Northwestern football student-athlete. it will also become a jersey patch worn by the Fire first team upon resumption of the 2020 regular season.
FC Cincinnati
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids shared a photo of the captain's armband donned by captain Jack Price for the team's rivalry opener against Real Salt Lake.
Columbus Crew SC
The Crew SC armband was designed in conjunction with the Nordecke Crew supporters' group with the goal of using the players' platform as a tool for educating and bringing awareness to social injustice and inequality. Captain Jonathan Mensahexplained the story behind the armband to the Crew website.
D.C. United
LAFC
LA Galaxy
The LA Galaxy unveiled this armband on their social channels and accompanied it with a singular message: Change is coming.
Inter Miami
Inter Miami goalkeeper and captain Luis Robles explained the final look of the captain's armband he wore -- "Unidad" or "Unity" — in the video that follows below:
Minnesota United
The team's players came together to request a captain's armband with the name of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in their home state.
Montreal
New York City FC
This NYCFC captain's armband was designed in collaboration with veteran goalkeeper and Black Players for Change board member, Sean Johnson.
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
The design for Orlando City's custom Black Lives Matter (BLM) captain's armband is inspired by the historic black neighborhood of Parramore where the club's home, Exploria Stadium, is located. The armband pays tribute to the different streets, parks, landmarks and institutions that have historically anchored this community. Additionally, a strikethrough has been placed on "Division Avenue", which indicates the Club's support of renaming that particular Parramore street which used to serve as the dividing line between the predominantly white community to the east (downtown Orlando), and the Black community to the west (Parramore). The band also features a red, black and green three-color palette behind the "BLM" letters as a reference to the iconic Pan-American flag. The same three colors were recently used in the Black Lives Matter street-stencil wordmark that was painted on Rosalind Avenue in downtown Orlando, near Lake Eola.
Philadelphia Union
This Philadelphia Union armband was designed by the club's own midfielder, Warren Creavalle, who is also a designer and owns his own clothing line. Union players worked together on this armband design to honor victims of police brutality and raise awareness by listing the names of victims.
In addition to creating the Union's armband, Creavalle also designed the MLS warmup top and the other MLS club armband templates.
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers players opted for this armband design. Captain Diego Valeri has donned it for each of the team's matches in the MLS is Back Tournament.
San Jose Earthquakes
Magnus Eriksson has worn this armband for the San Jose Earthquakes' matches in Orlando.
Seattle Sounders
Teddy “Stat” Phillips, a Seattle-based artist, activist and app developer (and Sounders fan) is known for his “Justice Series” portrait collection and he designed the captain's armband for the Sounders' first MLS is Back match against the San Jose Earthquakes. He is also one of 16 artists who painted the #BlackLivesMatter mural in Capitol Hill.
Sporting KC
Sporting Kansas City’s captain’s armband features "Black Lives Matter" messaging. The background echoes the Sporting team motto "From Many Paths, We Become One." That message adorns the team locker room both at both Children’s Mercy Park and the Compass Minerals National Performance Center.
Toronto FC
The armband worn by Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley during MLS is Back Tournament matches.
Vancouver Whitecaps
In a show of solidarity against racism and social injustice, Vancouver captain Russell Teibert donned the armband above for the club's first match against the San Jose Earthquakes.
