CHARLOTTE—It’s been a year since soccer fans across the Carolinas celebrated a significant milestone in Charlotte’s journey towards Major League Soccer: the reveal of the team’s name and crest.
The much-anticipated team identity was officially revealed on July 22, 2020, in association with founding and lead partner Ally.
The design inspiration for the Charlotte FC crest was derived from Charlotte’s unique history as the first American city to have its own branch of the United States Mint. The blue, black and white crest is circular, in reference to the historic coins made locally.
In the center of the crest lies a four-point crown, a nod to the Queen City moniker and the historic four wards of Uptown Charlotte.
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“Charlotte FC is part of an exciting new era for sports in Charlotte and the Carolinas,” said Tom Glick, President of Tepper Sports and Entertainment, one year ago. “Our fans have been at the heart of creating this brand. This is a large and growing group of soccer fans who, like us, have a passion for the game and big goals and ambitions. We will keep building together with them and delivering a club to which they belong.”
Tepper Sports & Entertainment worked with celebrated design agency Doubleday & Cartwright to bring Charlotte Football Club’s new identity to fruition. The process of creating the new identity, however, was very much a fan-driven effort.
“In order to get the fans-eye view, we immersed ourselves in Charlotte culture,” said Doubleday & Cartwright Director of Strategy Kate Perkins. “We visited local soccer teams and bars, talking to as many members of the community as possible.”
“We tested names to see what would resonate with the local fanbase,” added Doubleday & Cartwright Executive Creative Director Peter Christofferson. “We looked into using nicknames for the town during the process, but they didn’t land quite as well as Charlotte Football Club.”
Charlotte FC will make its debut in 2022 at Bank of America Stadium, to become Major League Soccer’s 28th franchise. The inaugural kits are expected to be revealed in November 2021.
“We are proud to have an identity that truly represents our city’s past, and its future as a force to be reckoned with in Major League Soccer,” says President Nick Kelly.
