Sakiewicz: Bethlehem Steel FC Third Jersey First In Line Of Local Team Homages

Bethlehem Steel FC will not be the last Philadelphia area soccer team the Philadelphia Union pay homage to, as the Major League Soccer club intends to celebrate more of the city's long history with the sport in future editions of their alternate jersey.

Nick Sakiewicz, the Philadelphia's CEO and managing partner, informed Philly Current that the Union want to continue involving teams of the city's past in the club's third jersey moving forward.

Sakiewicz noted that the 'third kit' in coming years is going to include 4-5 other local teams that have had an impact on the region's soccer scene.

This year was the 40th anniversary of the Philadelphia Atoms, led then by former Union color commentator Bob Rigby, winning the North American Soccer League championship. The Atoms were the most notable of the Philly area soccer teams, other than Bethlehem Steel, to select from for this two-year cycle's third jersey.

The Union debuted the Bethlehem Steel third jerseys during the team's opening game of the 2013 Major League Soccer regular season, at PPL Park, against Sporting Kansas City. Along with the jersey came a line of Bethlehem Steel clothing, which has sold well so far this season both online and at the team store in the stadium.