MLS

Charlotte FC Unveils Crest, Colors

Published Jul. 22, 2020 8:07 p.m. ET

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On Wednesday morning, Charlotte's new Major League Soccer expansion team unveiled the club's official team name, crest and colors.

In December of 2019, it was announced that Charlotte would be the home of the 30th MLS team. The franchise was originally set to join the league in 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans have been pushed back a year.

The new name will be Charlotte Football Club, or Charlotte FC, and CLTFC will be used as a secondary reference.

In reference to the name, owner David Tepper said:

“By far, the No. 1, the favorite name, has been Charlotte Football Club ... This is a club for all North and South Carolinians. However, there was a clear preference for a name that included Charlotte. An overwhelming majority said we think the team name should be Charlotte rather than a Carolina name, and so we ultimately listened.”

Other finalists for the team name included Charlotte Town FC, Charlotte Athletic FC, Charlotte Crown FC and Carolina Gliders FC.

The team adopted four primary colors: black, silver, white and Carolina blue. The colors were chosen with the Carolina Panthers in mind, considering the MLS club will share Bank of America Stadium with the NFL franchise.

The crest's circular shape draws inspiration from a classical coin, paying homage to Charlotte's status as a major US financial capital, in addition to its history as the first American city with its own branch of the U.S. Mint.

At the heart of the crest is a four-point crown to symbolize the royal legacy behind the team's name, with the spires each representing the four wards of Uptown Charlotte. When the city was founded in 1768, it was named after Queen Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of Britain’s King George III.

The border mark signifies the inaugural season of the club, and alludes to the city's coin making history.

The Adidas team jerseys will drop next year, and the kit will have Ally Bank, the primary sponsor of the team, displayed on the front.

In early July, Charlotte announced its first signing of midfielder Sergio Ruiz, of La Liga's Racing de Santander.

Said the Spanish footballer:

"I am so happy and am really looking forward to arriving in Charlotte. It's an exciting project and a dream for me. I am committed to do my best and make the club and its fans feel really proud."

Despite the shifted timeline due to the pandemic, the scouting of players, business operations and the start of the club's Youth Academy are proceeding as planned.

Gear with the new name, colors and crest, as well as tickets for the 2022 season, are already available online for purchase.

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