The uniform, or "kit" as it is referred to in soccer circles, is made by adidas, the team's official apparel supplier. Predominantly midnight blue, it features a gold strip down the center with light-blue piping in the color of the Philadelphia flag - much like the Union's crest that pays tribute to the colors of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, as well as the city.

"It was a work in progress, but we are real proud of what we put out," Union president Tom Veit said. "We wanted something different that our fans would like; and judging by our message boards, I think we accomplished that."

The crest is centered on the front, as opposed to the traditional chest placement, with the Major League Soccer patch adorning the right sleeve and the American flag on the left. The team's motto, "Jungite Aut Perite," which is Latin for "Join or Die," is on the back of the collar. That was Benjamin Franklin's rallying cry for unifying the Colonies.

The team will have only two uniforms, electing to scrap ideas of an alternate kit. The road uni will be unveiled at a later date, but Union CEO and managing partner Nick Sakiewicz told the Daily News last night that the reverse will be the standard for the away kit - primarily gold with blue panel and either white or blue for the piping.

The design selection process took roughly 6 to 8 months, according to Veit, and was primarily the vision of Sakiewicz and fellow owner Jay Sugarman.

"A lot of this was done by researching ideas with our fan base, focus groups, etc.," Sakiewicz said. "Everything we do, we think about how it would impact our fans. This is a custom jersey design made for the Union. No other team in the world has this design. There's a lot to be said for that."

The jersey will hit sporting-good stores next week, and can be preordered at the team Web site, www.philadelphiaunion.com.