COLUMBUS – The Columbus Crew today unveiled its new brand and visual identity at an exclusive event at the LC Pavilion in downtown Columbus. Evolving to Columbus Crew Soccer Club in 2015.
Investor-Operator and Chairman Anthony Precourt revealed the club’s new badge at the ceremony alongside Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and the entire Black & Gold roster, including the club’s newest addition, striker Kei Kamara. The event was hosted by MLS veteran and national soccer broadcaster Brian Dunseth, and featured a live performance from national recording group New Politics.
The new Columbus Crew SC brand will be implemented through a few select elements in 2014, including stadium signage, merchandise and digital executions. Full brand implementation will take place at the beginning of 2015.
“We are extremely proud of our new brand direction and visual identity,” said Columbus Crew SC Investor-Operator and Chairman Anthony Precourt. “Our new badge and word-mark truly reflect who we are as a club, from our origins and historical accomplishments to our connection with Columbus and our unique fan culture. It’s a timeless design and a strong statement for our brand.”
The new circular-shaped badge, which features the club’s current black and gold colors and adds white as an accent color instead of the previous grey tone, is a symbol of unity and a nod to Columbus’ German heritage by way of the German Bundesliga club crests that are predominantly circular in shape. Within the badge, the club’s full name, Columbus Crew SC, wraps around an outer ring to make a stronger connection to its hometown and further distinguish the brand as a soccer club. The inner ring mirrors the circular shape within the state flag of Ohio to emphasize Columbus as the capital city.
Within the heart of the inner ring, 96 adorns the club’s original crest to reference the year the club and League were formed. That crest sits atop nine black and gold diagonal lines to distinguish the club’s history as the first member of the original 10 charter clubs that formed the League, as well as the upward trajectory of our club. The other design element within the heart is a black and gold checkerboard pattern to symbolize the club’s unique and passionate fan culture.