Julie and Zach Ertz bring star power to 2019 Union jersey design contest

The Union have brought in some local star power to help lead a contest for fans to design an element of the new road jersey the team will wear next season.

Julie Ertz, Zach Ertz, rapper Freeway, the Sons of Ben supporters' club, and other local influencers have contributed designs for neck tags that fans will pick from to put on the back of next year’s shirt.

Each contributor came up with three to five designs that will be unveiled between Thursday and Dec. 21. Fans will end up picking a total of nine designs, with voting done through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the team’s website. They will be added to one already unveiled by the Union’s marketing team, bringing the total number of designs to 10 in honor of the team’s coming 10th season.

Then, in a move that will be the first in MLS history, all 10 designs will be put on jerseys and made available for fans to buy at the team store at Talen Energy Stadium. As of now, there are no plans to make the full slate of designs available online because the neck tags will be applied on a customized basis in the stadium shop.

Union players also will be able to wear any of the 10 jersey designs during games.

The full 2019 jersey design probably won’t be unveiled until some time in February. MLS and adidas have a long history of waiting until then to unveil designs league-wide and put the merchandise on sale. So if you want to buy the new jersey as a Christmas present for someone (or for yourself), the best you’ll be able to do is put an IOU in a box.

Former Union winger Marcus Epps was picked up by the New York Red Bulls in Wednesday’s waiver draft, one of two drafts for out-of-contract players in MLS who don’t qualify for free agency (28 years of age and eight years in the league).

The Union had previously declined a club-side option on Epps' contract for the 2019 season. A native of Jackson, Miss., he came to the Union as a second-round draft pick in 2017, and proved a useful reserve at times. He played 37 games in two years, with 17 starts, and recorded five goals and three assists.

The Union didn’t make any picks in the waiver draft, which wasn’t surprising. Twenty other MLS teams passed too. Just four players were picked, headlined by Costa Rica World Cup veteran Marco Ureña going to the Chicago Fire.

Next up is the re-entry draft, with the first round coming Friday and the second on Dec. 20. MLS will announce the list of players in the re-entry draft pool on Thursday.