SAN JOSE, Calif. — In honor of the Grateful Dead’s recent 60th Anniversary, the San Jose Earthquakes will rock The Dead Kit on the field for the first time during the club’s Major League Soccer regular-season match on Saturday, Feb. 28, at PayPal Park, presented by WiZiX Technology Group. The Quakes will take on Atlanta United FC (4:30 p.m. PT) on Grateful Dead Night, with the game airing globally on Apple TV and locally on the radio via KSFO 810 AM (English) and La Kaliente 1370 AM (Spanish).
One of the most iconic bands to ever hail from the Bay Area, the Grateful Dead's uncanny influence on the psychedelic music scene and the region's revolutionary spirit has rippled through time. As a tribute to six decades of counter-culture and creativity, the Earthquakes are proud to partner with them and adidas on a jersey emblematic of an ethos that still thrives today.
On Dec. 4, 1965, the Grateful Dead performed for the very first time under that name at an “Acid Test” party in the heart of San Jose at a Victorian house on South Fifth Street, where the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda at City Hall currently stands. Approximately two months ago marked the 60th anniversary of that fateful day, and the Quakes will adorn their new kit to commemorate the band’s subsequent journey through music history as one of the greatest stories ever told.
Featuring a unique swirling maelstrom of hues, from night navy to powder plum, and blue dawn to trace royal, The Dead Kit is truly a shirt that salutes the fearless, free-spirited legacy of two Bay Area originals: the Grateful Dead and the San Jose Earthquakes. Upon closer inspection, the devil’s in the details.
A special Earthquakes black-and-blue version of the band’s legendary skull and 13-point bolt logo that has evolved into a calling card for Dead Heads since the Steal Your Face album's debut 50 years ago is emblazoned on the jock tag. In addition, the instantly recognizable Grateful Dead wordmark is located on the back-neck sign-off. El Camino Health, which has served the South Bay community for 55 years, will remain the Quakes’ Official Jersey Partner, prominently displayed on the chest. Fans can purchase The Dead Kit at Rank + Rally’s newly renovated flagship Earthquakes Team Store.
The only way to guarantee a seat to all 2026 Earthquakes home games is by purchasing season tickets. Single-game and group tickets for matches at PayPal Park are now available to the general public HERE.
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About the Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead is a social and musical phenomenon that grew into a genuine American treasure. In 1965, an entire generation was linked together by common ideals, gathering by the hundreds and thousands. This movement created a seamless connection between the band and its fans. As the band toured, Dead Heads would follow. Not because it was a part of popular culture but because it is a true counterculture that exists to this very day-one that earnestly believes in the value of its beliefs. By 1995, the Grateful Dead had attracted the most concertgoers in the history of the music business, and today remains one of the all-time leaders in concert ticket sales. Eventually, the caravan evolved into a community with various artists, craftsmen and entrepreneurs supplying a growing demand for merchandise that connected them to the music with their final tally being 2,318 total concerts. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, commemorated in the 47th class of the Kennedy Center Honorees, as well as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year honored at the 67th Annual GRAMMY® Awards. The Grateful Dead celebrated their 66th Top 40 album on the Billboard chart —a feat no other artist has achieved —claiming the Guinness World Records title for the most Top 40 albums charted on the US Billboard 200.
About the San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes, one of Major League Soccer’s original clubs, are the epicenter for soccer in Northern California, playing at the highest professional level in the United States. The club won MLS Cups in 2001 and 2003 and took home Supporters’ Shields in 2005 and 2012. The Earthquakes are based out of PayPal Park, an 18,000-seat soccer-specific stadium that opened in 2015 and is the first cloud-enabled venue in MLS. The organization was originally founded in 1974 in the North American Soccer League, and in 2024, celebrated its 50th anniversary of positively impacting communities around Northern California. The Earthquakes’ affiliate team, Quakes II, plays in MLS NEXT Pro, a professional soccer league in the third division. Completing the club’s pro player pathway is the Quakes Academy in the MLS NEXT youth league, which features the Under-14 through Under-18 age groups and has seen 20 graduates sign MLS First-Team contracts as Homegrown Players. The club’s nonprofit arm, the Quakes Foundation, focuses on health and fitness initiatives for local underserved youth and fighting food insecurity. For more information about the Earthquakes, visit www.sjearthquakes.com.