Crest Logo

There's Often More to a Soccer Team's Badge Than You Think

MLS Shield

The new FC Cincinnati logo has been unveiled, and while it looks like the old one only modified, it turns out there is more going on than meets the eye. Indeed, the badge of many MLS teams functions as more than just a logo, often holding a deeper meaning, with subtle design cues relating to the area that the team calls home.

Other’s, not so much. Take the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, for example (below left). Their logo, while awesome, is merely a stylish representation of the city's two biggest natural attractions, the Western Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

 

                                 

Head south to Seattle and you’ll find one of the most popular teams in MLS, the Sounders (er, Sounders FC). Not surprisingly, their badge (above right) prominently features the city’s iconic Space Needle. Like Vancouver’s, it’s as simple as that.

Further south, the Pacific Northwest’s other side, the Portland Timbers, also have a dominant symbol on their badge (below left), in this case an ax. That, of course, honors the area’s rich history as a logging center. The references don’t stop there though. Three angled chevrons represent the city’s participation in the old North American Soccer League in the ‘70s, the United Soccer League, and the MLS today. Also, the crest is slightly more circular than most badges and reflects “unity, wholeness, and the pursuit of perfection.”

  
The Chicago Fire’s logo (above right), at first glance, also seems pretty straightforward, evoking the image of a firefighter's badge. A stylized “C” takes inspiration from the way that letter is used by fellow Windy City sports teams the Cubs and Bears. The star surrounding the “C” is echoed by the city flag of Chicago. The stars stand for The Great Chicago Fire in 1871, the two World’s Fairs (1893 & 1933) held in the city, and the Ft. Dearborn Massacre.


Orlando too has a deceptively simple badge (above). The shape of the badge is a holdover from their USL team, while the color purple was chosen because no one else in the league was using it. The lion was chosen because it “is strong, proud, and stoic. The king of the jungle never shies away from an opponent.” A subtle crown on the Lion's head represents the club’s dominant run in the USL. The mane of the lion, made to look like sun rays, of course, is a nod to Central Florida’s copious amount of sunshine.

Asking around the Cincy Shirts offices, the badges for Columbus and Atlanta got favorable reviews.

Columbus recently redid theirs, as their previous badge (below left) was considered by some to be the worst in all of professional sports. The new one is a circle, but a small crest with the number 96 inside honors the old shield as well as the year the club was founded. Nine diagonal lines refer to the other charter members of MLS, of which Columbus was one. A checkerboard pattern of the team’s colors is a shout-out to the fans.

                      
Atlanta (above right) also has a circular badge but in their case it honors the city’s seal as well as the 1996 Olympics which were held there. The “A” is obvious and while the nickname exists elsewhere (including Minnesota and D.C. in MLS), here it signifies the many cultures that make Atlanta great. Five stripes represent the pillars of the team’s character which are unity, determination, community, excellence, and innovation. The black stripes are also a nod to Atlanta's history as an important railroad hub.

Which brings us back to Cincinnati and the new FC Cincinnati badge, which as a lot going on, especially compared to other MLS badges. As the image below shows, the city’s topography, the location of the club’s home pitch, it’s time in the USL, and more.

Reading next

The Cincy Shirts Podcast Episode 40: WKRP in Cincinnati with John Kiesewetter
Earn Double Points All Weekend In-Stores!

481 comments

Dorothy Ward

Dorothy Ward

It started like most modern investment journeys — with a compelling advertisement on social media. A company claiming to revolutionize the renewable energy market was offering what seemed to be an exclusive opportunity to early investors. They had sleek branding, polished videos, and a strong online presence. Their representatives spoke confidently about green innovation, upcoming partnerships, and projected returns. I did my own surface-level research, and everything seemed legitimate. After all, in today’s world, many successful ventures begin online. So, with cautious optimism, I decided to take a leap of faith. Over the course of a few weeks, I invested close to $67000 of my savings into what I believed was a cause I could stand behind and profit from. At first, things looked promising. I received regular emails, detailed investment reports, and even occasional phone check-ins from their so-called advisors. They were smooth — very convincing. But deep down, something started to feel off. Updates became sporadic. Their phone lines would go dead for days. Then the website began redirecting to error pages. And just like that — silence.
My heart sank.
I felt sick realizing what had happened. I tried calling, emailing, even reaching out to supposed “community investors” on forums. No one responded. That was the moment the shock wore off and the truth hit me: I had been scammed. Not only was it a massive financial loss, but it was deeply personal. This money had taken me years to save — a mix of inheritance, bonuses, and disciplined budgeting. It wasn’t just money; it was security, trust, and my future. For days, I could barely sleep. I kept replaying my decisions, wondering where I went wrong. That’s when, during one of many sleepless nights browsing recovery options, I stumbled upon DARKRECOVERYHACKS RECOVERY CORP. I hesitated at first — naturally skeptical after what I had just gone through. But what struck me was how transparent they were. They didn’t promise miracles. They didn’t use emotional manipulation. Instead, they walked me through the process, explained the risks, and let me decide. Something about their professionalism gave me hope. So I submitted my case, shared every document, email, and transaction proof I had. Their team wasted no time. Within a few days, they had already traced some of the scammer’s activities through blockchain analysis and digital forensics. They worked discreetly to avoid alerting the fraudsters. It was like watching a movie unfold — but this time, I wasn’t the victim. I was being helped. Weeks passed, and slowly, pieces began to fall into place. DARKRECOVERYHACKS worked tirelessly — even when I was losing faith. And then, out of nowhere, they called with news I never thought I’d hear: a significant portion of my funds had been located and was being processed for return. I cried. Not just from relief, but from the overwhelming feeling that someone had fought for me — when I couldn’t fight anymore. Today, I’m still recovering emotionally and financially. I’m far more cautious, and I’ve become an advocate for digital literacy and fraud awareness. But one thing is certain: if it hadn’t been for DARKRECOVERYHACKS @ GMAIL . COM OR Telegram @ DARKRECOVERYHACKS I would’ve lost everything. They didn’t just retrieve my money — they restored my belief that justice, though rare, is still possible in this digital age.

Zara Ross

Zara Ross

My experience in the cryptocurrency community did not go as planned due to my association with the wrong company and individuals during the early stages of my investments. However, I was fortunate enough to be rescued from the predicament I found myself in by CORE ASSET INC RECOVERY FIRM, a first class recovery firm whose sole aim is helping scam victims navigate the intricacies of the crypto realm. These professionals were incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, providing me with regular updates as we progressed with the recovery plan. The loss occurred in mid-September after I was contacted on Facebook by someone I believed to be a trusted friend, who seemed to have my best interests at heart, just as I did with anyone I encountered online. Unfortunately, I naively assumed that everyone shared the same intentions as me. I trusted the trading company he introduced me to, believing it to be legitimate and licensed. However, everything about them turned out to be false the moment I wanted a withdrawal. I lost a total of $163,000 to this fraudulent company, who deceived me into thinking I had a balance of $412,000. This was all a ruse to manipulate their customers into paying various fees and charges. I only discovered the truth when CORE ASSET INC RECOVERY FIRM informed me that they could only recover my initial investment because the profits displayed on the company’s website were not real. CORE ASSET INC RECOVERY FIRM demonstrated their competence and organization throughout the recovery process, ultimately tracing and retrieving all the funds I had lost to the fraudulent company. I am delighted with the outcome, as it exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend reaching out to them via email or Telegram (COREASSETTINC @ GMAIL . COM/@ COREASSETINC) to have your own case resolved, just as they did with mine last week.

Gillies

Gillies

I have recommended this to all my friends involved in scam! Everyone is satisfied and feels reassured knowing that their lost money can always be retrieved back. The positive feedback from my circle reinforces my choice to use this recovery service of zattrecoveryexpert1 ⓐ G mail Dot Com

Martha

Martha

For months, I found myself in a heated disagreement with their associates over my withdrawal, only to be met with constant postponements. Without justification, my account was eventually restricted. Thankfully, after lodging a formal complaint with zattrecoveryexpert1 ⓐ G mail Dot Com, my funds were eventually reclaimed against all odds.

Connor Cook

Connor Cook

“CORE ASSET INC RECOVERY FIRM “ A FIRST CLASS RECOVERY FIRM WITH ELITE PROFESSIONAL HACKERS COMMITTED TO FIGHTING SCAM.

I’m here to share my story with you guys . It is important to regularly check in on your loved ones, as people often go through difficult times silently. Today marks it exactly one month that we successfully Recovered my cousin’s proceeds , this was the case with my cousin brother who lived in Southampton. He fell victim to a scam trading company that he initially believed to be legitimate. After investing his life savings, he was unable to withdraw his profits as promised. Despite my warning about online investments, he continued with the scheme. According to him ,he made a few successful withdrawals initially, which convinced him to invest in everything he had worked for. However, when it came time to withdraw his profits, the company made excuses and demanded additional ACCESS fees. This led to my cousin falling into depression upon realizing he had been scammed. Worried about his well-being, I traveled to Southampton to check on him. I found him in a state of regret and despair. Determined to help him, I contacted CORE ASSET INC RECOVERY FIRM to recover his lost funds. Thankfully, they were able to successfully retrieve the money after a few days of working on the case. I initially reached out to them via email at COREASSETTINC @ GMAIL.COM, but they can also be contacted on Telegram at @ COREASSETINC. I am grateful for their assistance during our time of need, and I hope my cousin has learned a valuable lesson from this experience. Don’t engage in any investment scheme that seems too good, I advise against investing into cryptocurrency because the crypto space is filled with opportunistic scammers exploiting people’s trust and extorting their hard earned funds in the process investing into cryptocurrency. My cousin got back his lost funds with the incredible assistance of CORE ASSET INC RECOVERY FIRM in FUNDS RECOVERY, They are worthy experts equipped with the necessary tools to recover back your lost funds and with a vast network of contacts at their disposal.

Leave a comment

This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.