Major League Soccer’s San Diego expansion team held its Brand Reveal Festival on Friday night, about 28 hours after its brand was revealed in a less festive way via a media leak.
The thousands of ers who showed up didn’t seem to mind at the event held on a lawn outside the stadium, with music, drinks, food trucks and interactive fan stations. The club rolled with it, selling merchandise when the gates opened instead of waiting for the announcement two hours later.
The basics of the name, colors and crest unveiled were previously known, but there were a few new twists from explanatory press information as well as some secondary logos.
SDFC_Crest_16x9.mp4The decision to go with San Diego Football Club, or FC for short: “We chose to call ourselves a Football Club since we will be competing on the global stage in the world’s game. The term Club represents that we are not just a team, not just another franchise. Our Club includes our owners, players, employees, partners, fans and ers.”
(The NWSL’s San Diego Wave is also technically FC, but it stands for Futbol Club.)
The primary colors of chrome and azul: “Chrome is a symbol of San Diego’s spirit of excellence and cutting edge innovation. Chrome is reflective and dynamic in nature, an effect as well as a color. … Azul, a dark navy blue, spotlights San Diego’s deep connection to the Pacific Ocean and our daily enjoyment of the clear blue sky.”
The crest: “The heart of our crest is ‘The Flow,’ comprised of 18 lines representing the 18 communities of San Diego County, woven into one. … San Diego is displayed at the top of the crest in the form of an arch, inspired by the iconic neighborhood arches and signs around greater San Diego.”
The Friday night event was for those who had made an $18 season ticket deposit. Many of the club’s investors attended, including San Diego Padres star Manny Machado.
“Our brand identity,” SDFC CEO Tom Penn said in the release, “has been co-created with our fans and ers over the past six months. We believe our crest truly reflects the essence and spirit of San Diego.”
