Ever since we first started Bumpy Pitch there has been an internal conversation that has been incredibly important to us. An idea that has gone beyond the lifestyle angle we actively push, beyond the culture that we are a part of and beyond our dedication to be a forward thinking soccer brand. This idea is as much a part of our ethos as anything we do. Now we are finally getting the chance to put it into action.

We have been incredibly blessed because of the sport of soccer. We’ve made friends that have become family, got to travel to places we could have never imagined and ultimately have lived a better life because of the sport. With all the wonderful things soccer has given us, we have always maintained an incredible desire to give back to the sport. We talk a lot about being a part of the movement that helps move the needle forward. We actively do our best to make sure that we leave the sport in a better place than it was when we found it. And to do our part to give the next generation of soccer players a platform that many of us didn’t have growing up.

To further give back and hopefully leave a mark on the sport in as positive a way as possible, Bumpy Pitch is proud to introduce our latest initiative, the “32 Panels project.” The 32 Panels project is a simple retail campaign that will live on the Bumpy Pitch site and online store that aims to enhance the lives of kids around the world. Going forward, every product that is sold through bumpypitch.com will be matched by us, one for one, with a soccer ball which we will donate to children around the world.

We know that soccer is a global game, and that it’s reach and influence is great. We also know that as loved as the game is, there are countless kids who don’t have access to soccer balls and other basic equipment. We believe that our new “32 Panels project” will help enhance and enrich the lives of the next generation of soccer players and we are committed to doing our part to see this happen.

This is certainly a collaborative project between Bumpy Pitch and all of you that have supported us over the years. As a community connected through soccer, we believe that we can collectively leave an indelible mark not only on the game, but on the lives of kids all around the world. If any of you know of organizations that you feel could benefit from this initiative, please email us at contact [at] bumpypitch [dot] com so with information.

To celebrate this new launch, we are also releasing a t-shirt to mark the occasion. The graphic is inspired by the hexagon shape that is so closely associated with the sport, and especially with the patches of a soccer ball. Seemed fitting to us to do something that played off the idea of a soccer ball as a graphic in conjunction with the launch of the 32 Panels program that will hopefully see many soccer balls given out around the world. The shirt is now for sale at Bumpy Pitch.

And lastly, we want to say thank you to brands like Toms who have helped inspire us to get more involved and and play a more active role in giving back.

Earlier this summer we had made the announcement and even posted a picture of Slimmie Hendrix wearing a soon to be released Bumpy Pitch v-neck. Slimmie was wearing one of the samples that we had done and everything was looking good. Then we got the production run of the v-neck back and something was not right. The production run didn’t turn out how we wanted so we just didn’t feel right releasing them.

So we went back to find just the right v-neck to release. We picked a different fabric and different color and decided that instead of just releasing one graphic, we would release two. With the first version not being right, it only seemed fair to go ahead and offer two variations the second time around.

We’re happy to finally be able to offer a v-neck to you guys. This one comes in an incredibly soft and vintage feeling tri-blend fabric that I promise you are going to love. As many of you know, we do our best to get the shirts as soft as possible, and this v-neck definitely falls in that category. The bodies are unisex so we did a version more catered to women and a graphic more catered to the fellas. But really, anyone can wear either of these. The cut on these is more in line with where a v-neck needs to be. A little slimmer than our normal body style and they are also cut just slightly longer.

Available exclusively at Bumpy Pitch.

For a better sense of how they look being work, check out Temryss and Troy after the jump.

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There was a time not all that long ago when getting access and information on the latest soccer product was not easy to come by. Before the Internet brought us up to the second info on the latest soccer product releases, our access to new products and what was being released was limited. Before the web radically changed how we found out about the gear we wanted and provided countless ways to purchase that product there was one lone sheep that we counted on as the voice and purveyor of all things soccer product. That was Eurosport – The Fabled Soccer Traders.

I remember coming home from school and finding the latest Eurosport catalog in the mailbox. Those days were the highlight of my young life. A catalog with my name on it begging for me to look inside and find every soccer related product I could possibly want. When I say I would geek out on those days, let’s just say that I’m putting it mildly.

I would go through that catalog like a lawyer goes through a legal document. Scouring every page, checking all the products that I wanted, needed or was currently fiending over. Highlighting the key products that would go on my ultimate wish list and trying to figure out how to get said products.

Ahhhh….the good days.

Well things have certainly changed now. The Interwebs are plush with countless sites leaking new products and selling soccer gear. That’s a great thing. Access and information at the click of a button to the products we all love has helped grow the soccer business in a huge way.

With all these new sites popping up, Eurosport, through their soccer.com property is still the leader in the space. And years after Dunny and I were putting in serious time devouring Eurosport catalogs, we now find ourselves coming full circle by being able to sell Bumpy Pitch product with soccer.com.

This is a new venture for us and takes us into new territories which we are very excited about. Some of our product just launched on soccer.com this week and we will be adding more to their store in the near future. With Eurosport having had such an impact and influence on us growing up it’s a very cool and exciting opportunity that we now get to work with them as we continue to build Bumpy Pitch and share our vision.

In those days not so long ago when Eurosport was our product bible, we could have never imagined that years later we would have a brand and that we would be working with the good folks behind Eurosport. But that is part of what makes all of this so great. People always say it’s about the journey and not the destination, and this new part of the journey is a very exciting one for us.

Hit the jump for a couple more classic Eurosport covers from back in the day.

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Temryss Lane from Fox Soccer Channel stopped by the office this week to catch up and check out the new v-neck we are set to release. It’s always good to catch up with Temryss. Check back soon for a release date on the BPFC v-neck Temryss is wearing.

These just arrived…

One of the greatest perks of our job is the people that we get to meet. Whether that’s out at a game or event, or over a coffee or lunch, the opportunity to meet and connect with people that read this site, support Bumpy Pitch or are just fans of the game is an amazing experience each and every time. We may be in the apparel business, but more than anything we are in the business of connecting with people. That may sound a bit corny but it’s something we believe in deeply.

Today was one of those days where I got to meet someone who not only has been very supportive of Bumpy Pitch, but who we are very big fans of as well. You may have seen us link to a few different videos or articles about Eric Whitacre. Eric is one of the most accomplished modern composers in the world. He’s worked with famed composers like Hans Zimmer “co-writing the mermaid theme for feature film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”, written his own musicals, earned numerous award nominations and even had the number one classical album in both the US and UK. All of this and the dude is as down to earth and as cool as you could imagine.

But on top of all of that, Eric put together a project that literally sparked a global sensation when he released his Virtual Choir 2.0 Sleep. This project “released in April 2011, involves over 2,000 voices from 58 countries. An exceptional orator, he was honored to address the U.N. Leaders’ programme (2010) and give a TED Talk (TED.com, March 2011) earning the first full standing ovation of the conference.”

In Eric’s TED Talk one of the things he speaks about is the length that people will go to in order to feel connected to a greater community. That sense of belonging and the connection you have to a group of people who you share something in common with is one of life’s great treasures. We chatted a little bit about this topic today, with much of it centering around the readers of this site and Bumpy Pitch and the community that has been built by the collective audience. It’s a pretty powerful thing and something I’m stoked to be a part of.

I love sitting and chatting and getting inspired by the amazing things that so many people are out there doing. It’s not easy to create something that the world pays attention to, yet Eric has been able to achieve that. It’s a great reminder that if you are passionate and skilled and have the desire and commitment to do something special that anything can be done. That’s definitely something I was inspired by in meeting Eric and something that all of us should strive to do.

Check out Eric’s Virtual Choir and his TED talk after the jump.

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We got hit up on Twitter by BCoxDP saying he was on location for a production shoot in Paris and that he was sporting a Bumpy Pitch shirt on the set. Next thing I know he has sent over two rad photos of him wearing the previously mentioned Bumpy Pitch shirt.

Pretty cool to see how Bumpy Pitch is integrated into people’s daily lives around the world.

Next thing is we need to be in Paris on a shoot of our own. If, or shall I say when that that happens, BCoxDP you gotta make it out!

Summer is now in full swing. Long days, warm nights and the vibe that is only present for a few months every year. To celebrate this and the most American of holidays, we present to you our Bumpy Pitch Fourth of July t-shirt.

Although this shirt is in honor of the Fourth of July, this particular graphic has meaning beyond just the holiday. It’s based on the idea of celebrating and honoring the spirit of independence.

A shirt celebrating independence by a brand that is proud of its own independence. The spirit of independence is alive and kicking and this shirt pays tribute to that.

So celebrate independence with us and and all the things that make it amazing in style this year. But don’t sleep on picking one up. These are limited in numbers and will only be available for a brief period of time.

I caught up with Chris Seitz and some of the other players from FC Dallas when they stopped through LA last week. Got this photo of Chris in the new Brooklyn Wanderers colorway which happens to be one of my favorite versions of this shirt. Something about this shirt in black that works perfectly in my opinion.

Justin Braun in the Nike x Bumpy Pitch USA rivalry t-shirt. Thanks for the support fam!