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!

472 comments

Wisdom Alfred

Wisdom Alfred

DID YOU LOST YOUR CRYPTO? DO YOU WANT TO RECOVER YOUR STOLEN BITCOIN,
BEST ONLINE HACKERS

Hello guys my name is WISDOM ALFRED I was happy I went online to look for a hacker because I didn’t regret it I got $40,000 from this great hackers guys am happy my family and business is back again they do various hack

BLANK ATM CARD
PAYPAL HACK TRANSFER
WESTERN UNION HACK
MONEY HACK
BITCOIN INVESTMENT

I guess I am happy I came across them they are legit, and I am a living proof. I swear they are contacts them today for your hack on Email: tsutomushimomurahacker@gmail.com, Telegram @TsutomuShimomurahacker or WhatsApp via: +1-256-956-4498

David M Dominguez

David M Dominguez

Do you suspect your spouse of cheating, are you being overly paranoid or seeing signs of infidelity…Then he sure is cheating: I was in that exact same position when I was referred to (fabuloushacker01 @ g mail . c o m) through my best friend LINA, who helped me hack into my boyfriend’s phone, it was like a miracle when he helped me clone my boyfriend’s phone and I got first-hand information from his phone. Now I get all his incoming and outgoing text messages, emails, call logs, web browsing history, photos and videos, instant messengers(facebook, whatsapp, bbm, Instagram, etc) , GPS locations, phone tap to get live transmissions on all phone conversations. If you need help contact him on email, (fabuloushacker01@ gmail . c o m) I guarantee you for reliable service. Tell him I referred you.

Jim K Turner

Jim K Turner

Beware  of scammers i have been scammed 3 times because i was trying to know if my husband was cheating until i met this hacker named; (wizardcyprushacker@gmail.com)  who helped me hack into my spouse phone for real this great hacker hacked into my spouse whats-app messages,Facebook messages.text messages,call logs,deleted text messages,bitcoin recovery and bank transfer hack,clear criminals records,and many more i was impressed with his job and he brought me results under 24 hours believe me he is real and his services are cheap and affordable.

Goodnews

Goodnews

I’m not the kind that would write comments about things but I had to take my time to write this one! I was a scam victim, I lost all my funds to a fraudulent company But I got help and I am writing this comment today for the sake of others who got scammed by fraudulent company I got help from (refundedtechrecovery@gmail.com) expert team , they will help you.

William Charlotte

William Charlotte

It can be utterly terrible to lose a sizable amount of money, such as $83,000 USD in bitcoin, leaving one feeling sad and powerless. However, in a remarkable turn of events, the technical prowess of CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN was able to recover this lost digital fortune. The knowledgeable professionals at CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN were able to painstakingly trace the blockchain transactions, find the missing bitcoin, and restore it to its rightful owner’s digital wallet using their exacting and state-of-the-art data retrieval techniques. This process required an exceptional level of computational power, cryptographic know-how, and forensic data analysis to overcome the complex security protocols safeguarding the lost funds. Every step of the recovery operation was carried out with the utmost care and precision, as a single misstep could have resulted in the bitcoins being lost forever. In the end, my sense of hopelessness was replaced with immense relief and gratitude, as the CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN team demonstrated their unparalleled technical finesse in pulling off this remarkable feat of digital asset recovery. This remarkable triumph over adversity is a testament to the team’s expertise and the rapid evolution of blockchain technology recovery solutions. After being burned by other companies, I was wary of trusting anyone with my case. However, CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN earned my trust through their transparency, clear communication, and realistic approach. They didn’t promise me immediate results but assured me they would do their best with the available tools and methods. Their honesty was refreshing, and it’s why I was able to trust them when they said they would make a genuine effort to recover my funds. Their team was highly experienced in handling cases like mine, where the recovery wasn’t about a simple password reset, but about navigating the complex layers of cryptographic security and accessing data that was seemingly lost forever. What impressed me the most was their technical finesse. CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN took a completely different approach than the other services I had dealt with. They didn’t rely on basic tools or shortcuts. Instead, they employed a sophisticated, multi-layered recovery strategy that combined expert cryptography, blockchain forensics, and in-depth technical analysis. Please do not waste time further, consult CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN via:

EMAIL: cranixethicalsolutionshaven (at) post (dot) com   OR   info (at) cranixethicalsolutionshaven (dot) info

TELEGRAM: @ cranixethicalsolutionshaven

WHATSAPP: +44 7460 622730

WEBSITE: https: // cranixethicalsolutionshaven . info

Leave a comment

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