There is nothing unusual about seeing a row of cherries on a slot machine, but Bournemouth are about to flip that concept on its head.
The south coast club are set to light up January by launching a glow-in-the-dark kit in partnership with Visit Las Vegas.
The limited edition Cherries shirt will feature a neon design combining the club’s nickname with a nod to Vegas’s famed slot machines.
In dim lighting there are several glow activated elements that will become illuminated across the chest and sleeves of the shirts, including the club badge, sponsor’s name and some additional graphic details on the kit.
It brings a whole new meaning to Las Vegas Strip.
Just 50 Shirts Will Be Available
The glowing tributes were the result of a collaboration with the ilovedust design studio.
The UK-based creatives have long-established relationships in sport having worked previously with Nike, Barcelona, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Just 50 of the shirts will go on sale from 4.27pm UK time on Monday, January 12.
They will be available worldwide and exclusively online from the AFC Bournemouth superstore.
Leading Lights Of Bournemouth
Bournemouth have received considerable backing from American businessman and owner Bill Foley.
He also leads consortiums that run sporting franchises such as the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.
The thinking behind the special edition kit comes from the club’s partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
That deal, established in February 2024, included the Visit Las Vegas logo appearing on the sleeve of the club’s training kit.
Fans will get a hint of what’s to come ahead of the Premier League clash with Tottenham on Wednesday evening (January 7).
Bournemouth’s players will be wearing glow-in-the-dark jackets with the Las Vegas theme in the tunnel and as they run out onto the pitch at the Vitality Stadium.
The club is kicking regular first-team shirt sponsor BJ88 into touch from the start of next season.
Long-standing club sponsor Vitality will replace the Asian online and betting company.
Football And Fashion
There have been several high-profile fashion collaborations in football with undoubtedly more to come.
The Michael Jordan Brand and French titans Paris Saint-German launched their partnership in 2018.
The brand’s Jumpman logo originally appeared on PSG’s third kit and has subsequently featured on a full range of merchandise.
When Lionel Messi joined the club in 2021, PSG sold 832,000 of his named shirts in the first 24 hours.
PSG earned $140 million from Messi shirts which saw Jordan scoop $7 million in royalties.
Other hook ups have seen the likes of Spanish giants Real Madrid collaborating with Y-3
The ‘ Y’ stands for Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto and the ‘3’ represents the three stripes of kit manufacturer adidas.
Putting On A Show
As you would expect with any commercial launch, there were some typically enthusiastic words from a club spokesperson.
Cue Jim Frevola, Bournemouth’s President of Business Operations.
“The glow-in-the-dark kit really is a celebration of two worlds fuelled by energy, passion, and unforgettable moments,” he said.
“The collaboration brings the brightness of Vegas to the heart of football, symbolising ambition, excitement, and the shared spirit of putting on a show.
“Together with Visit Las Vegas, we have created a kit that stands out under the lights and embodies the thrill of our journey, on the pitch and beyond.”
