According to Fool, Nike may have under-impressed its fans when it came to designing uniforms for the U.S. men’s soccer team. Many people, in fact, reacted with disappointment, and it seems possible that Nike missed out on a big opportunity to showcase its designs this year.

The uniforms for U.S. home games are predominantly white — a design similar to England’s 2010 uniform. Many were wishing for a uniform that incorporated the country’s other colors — red and blue — a little more obviously. While their away-game uniform was more tri-colored, fans still complained — one Twitter user compared the design to a Bomb Pop popsicle.

Nike may have tossed their chance to make a strong statement this year. But what can you do to make sure you have great sports uniforms for your team? Here are three things you should keep in mind, if you don’t want the same sort of reaction from fans and players that Nike received.

1. Are All Sports Wear Options Made Equal?

No, and if you want to avoid a fiasco, you’ll go with a company that understands what they’re doing. Every shirt company is different, and the right company for your needs might not be the perfect company for your friend’s team. For this reason, you shouldn’t rely on word-of-mouth alone — do research. What’s the average turnaround time? Will they run a proof of your soccer uniforms by you before final printing? Do they specialize in screen printing, or embroidery? These are the things you need to know.

2. How to Design Your Custom Team Uniforms

When it comes to designing a uniform, simple is usually the best route to go. The more colors and images you add, the more it will cost you, and the harder it will be for anyone to see what you’re representing. Choose a high-contrast color that will stand out against your shirt — yellow on black is good, but yellow on white is an eye-strain. It’s also a good idea to keep designs as simple as possible. Clean lines is key for having something people will understand, rather than asking, “Is that a bear… or an igloo?”

3. Different Ways to Apply Designs

There are three main ways of adding designs to shirts. Embroidery is intended for more professional shirts, like an employment golf shirt. Screen printing involves layering clothing-friendly paint onto a shirt. Sublimation is when a design is printed in a special ink onto transfer paper, then placed on the shirt. Sublimated uniforms can have more complex images.

Are you interested in sublimation, embroidery, or screen printing for your uniform? Let us know in the comments. Continue reading here.