FC Dallas fans will be getting to know mavQ this season, with the MTX Group's AI platform moving to front and center of the club's new jersey.
After one season with MTX on the home jersey, it now will be the platform's name in the middle of the shirt.
The AI platform has a wide range of uses, according to MTX, which says that, "(f)rom automating repetitive tasks using robotic process automation to providing predictive analytics across disparate data sources, mavQ uses white-box AI to drive actionable insights across multiple industries."
One of those industries is sports, with elements helping staff and players make decisions based on data collected.
“As FC Dallas enters a new era with new head coach Nico Estévez, mavQ is helping us identify the next generation of players,” FC Dallas Technical Director Andre Zanotta said in a news release. “From maximizing team formations to evaluating talent, mavQ’s ability to collect, store and synthesize data will enable our staff to make more informed decisions regarding all of our teams.”
More: How MTX paved the way for a retiring FCD player's next step
The rest of the shirt will have a familiar look to FCD fans, with slashes forming the hoops that have long been part of FCD's identity.
The red shirt, officially labeled the "Crescendo kit" will be worn generally with blue shorts and blue socks.
“First reaction, it’s pretty lit," FCD forward Jesus Ferreira, son of former MLS MVP David, said in a news release. "It reminds me of the hoops from back in the day and it’s exciting to have them back. When you look back at photos and you see that my dad played in hoops, and now I’m wearing the hoops again while wearing the number 10, it’s a great legacy to carry.”
Other elements of the shirt also will be familiar, with former jersey front sponsor Advocare remaining on the sleeve and the LH patch in honor of the late FCD owner Lamar Hunt remaining near the hem on the left-hand side.
The goalkeepers will be outfitted in black when FCD wears the kit, which will be worn the next two seasons.
It's the last year for FCD's change kit, the light blue "community kit" the team largely wears on the road.
Even with the mavQ logo now on the red shirt, that shirt will remain unchanged, still featuring the MTX logo across the front. However, all North Texas SC jerseys and FC Dallas youth jerseys are set to bear the mavQ mark. The team plans to have mavQ on all North Texas and youth shirts starting in 2023.
Other teams in MLS have a primary shirt sponsor and one of its products or services on the other shirt. The Philadelphia Union's Bimbo bread sponsorship utilized the Artesano line and logo on its second shirt beginning in 2020.
Fans hoping to purchase a replica already can do so at the FCD team store online or at Toyota Stadium.
The jersey will make its MLS debut Feb. 26 when FCD opens its season against Toronto FC.
