Chelsea FC: A Look at the 2011/12 Home, Away and Third Kits

Some people measure your loyalty for a team based on your knowledge of the squad. Others prefer that you are someone who rides with the team through the good and bad times.

However, the owners would like you to show your support by shelling out $70 every summer to get the new kit.

Some time ago, an owner looking to make more money had a brilliant idea: "If I change my team's jersey every single month, there are enough dumb fans who will go out and buy it!"

Sure enough it has become common practice that big squads will have a newly designed kit for every upcoming season. The same owner who came up with this idea is probably the guy who also thought up of the idea of the "third jersey," whatever that is.

So let's add this up: Three jerseys per season (home, away and third) x $70 per jersey x 50 years of being a loyal fan = $10,500 the owner has made off of you before you purchase a single ticket.

If you want to be conservative and say that you only get one new jersey a season, we can divide that by three you are still spending $3,500.

With that said, let's go ahead and take a look at what we will all be wearing this fall.

Home Kit

OK, I can live with this.

Adidas will still be sponsoring our boys this campaign, so it will be a manufacture we are familiar with.

They have done away with the V-neck from last year as well as the red fringing (thank God) on the neck and sleeves.

The alternating shades of blue set in a horizontal pattern are reminiscent of their kits from the mid '80s. It seems to be a combination of sorts from the kits of '84/'85 and '85/'86. Not sure if this was intended.

The white stripes that have donned their shoulders since 2006 remain but are thicker than previous seasons.

Overall, I think it is a classy design that will probably be the favorite worn around Stamford Bridge.

Away Kit

Are you kidding me!? It's freakin' teal!!!! I don't know what Chelsea is trying to do with this mess of a jersey.

Unless they are hoping their opponents will fall over laughing this mockery, I don't see how Roman Abramovich could have approved.

Someone should tell them that they are a little late to do a joint promotional ad with Tron: Legacy.

The only way this thing can be redeemed is if the squares lit up when a Chelsea player scored. Then maybe I can let it slide.

But other than that...fore shame Chelsea!

Third Kit

Uhhhhh....OOOOKK?

Not really sure how to put this one into context. I like it a lot, but is it Chelsea? No blue at all?

I guess that is the point of the third jersey though right? To provide something will appeal to a different demographic of fans, i.e. those who do not have shoes that match with blue or those who don't want to walk around looking like a giant doofus in the away kit.

This jersey has actually not yet officially been released, but I am pretty sure this one will be it.

You know what after looking at it more and realizing that this will be on some of the greatest players in the game.....I HATE IT!!!!

What do you think about the new kits? Do you like them, hate them?

Most importantly, will you buy them?

One thing is for certain, I will only be watching home games next year.