Branding for the upcoming USL Birmingham club has been unveiled, as the team will be known as Birmingham Legion FC.
In August, the USL confirmed that it would welcome a new Birmingham club to the league in 2019. While its debut is still about a year away, the branding announcement signals that the arrival of Birmingham Legion FC is drawing closer.
The branding for Birmingham Legion FC has multiple tie-ins to the city and its sports history, including a tribute to Legion Field, one of the most venerable stadiums in college football. More from AL.com:
Birmingham Legion FC is the new name of Birmingham’s expansion USL soccer team, which begins play in 2019. With a nod to Legion Field, Birmingham’s industrial past and the Birmingham Hammers, the team’s brand and logo is something the ownership group hopes will capture the passion of Birmingham’s young people for their city on the rise….
“We wanted to pay tribute to our past,” said Legion FC vice president Morgan Copes. “You think about Birmingham’s sporting history, and you think about Legion Field. There is a lot of history in that building, and that’s a lot of great history for our city.
“Birmingham has centered around Legion Field for so long, we thought this was a great tip of the hat to the stadium. We’re elated with the way it all came out, and we can’t wait to get everyone’s reaction.”
Birmingham Legion FC will not play at Legion Field, but the team is carrying an important piece of the city’s history into the future. Has a team ever been named after a stadium? It’s the ultimate sports tribute for a building that once called itself the Football Capital of the South.
Some other major announcements from the club will take place down the road. A new team president is expected to be announced in February, and the club will also have to settle on a permanent home venue.
“This is a new chapter in Birmingham’s sports history,” James Outland, a member of Birmingham Legion FC’s ownership team, said in a press statement. “The name ‘Legion’ is synonymous with Birmingham and sports. It has a cultural significance that runs deep and is truly unique to our community.”
Birmingham adds to the growing contingent that the USL is building in the Southeast. North Carolina FC, Atlanta United 2, and Nashville SC are all joining the league for 2018, while Birmingham and a recently announced Memphis club will both begin play in 2019.
“This official branding announcement is yet another important step toward bringing professional soccer to the city of Birmingham,” Lee Styslinger III, Altec chairman and CEO and co-owner of the Birmingham Legion FC, said in a press statement. “We appreciate the growing levels of excitement and support we are receiving from area soccer fans, city officials and business leaders as we build toward beginning play in 2019 and look to provide the community with a team that everyone can be proud of.”
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