Topics: Sky Blue FC, NJ/NY Gotham FC, NWSL, Alyse LaHue
National Women’s Soccer League team formerly known as Sky Blue FC unveiled a complete brand transformation, including a name change to NJ/NY Gotham FC and a new crest depicting Lady Liberty’s crown.

The new name, crest and colors are meant to tie the team specifically to the New York metro area in an effort to boost the brand’s global reach. Team executives believe that a tie to the greater New York City area is needed to become more globally recognizable to prospective sponsors, fans and players.

The former name for the NWSL side – Sky Blue FC – did not have a geographical identity that tied the team to a place, which is something fans were concerned about. The name NJ/NY Gotham FC is an attempt to keep the loyal fanbase the club has garnered over the past 10 years in New Jersey happy while opening new doors on the global stage.

“This process is the culmination of a wide-ranging collaboration among our fans, players, front office, and owners,” said General Manager Alyse LaHue. “The club has a tremendous history and close relationship with its fans, so it was important we listened and remained completely open-minded throughout the process. What emerged is a new brand that is overwhelmingly fan-driven, respectful of the club’s past and representative of a promising future.”

At first sight, Gotham FC’s logo reads NY. But after taking a closer look, you can see the letter “N” and a hybrid “J/Y”, which acknowledges New Jersey as the club’s birthplace while embracing the club’s growing New York reach. Also, the introduction of Lady Liberty’s crown at the top of the crest is meant to signify Gotham FC’s ambitions to be an international club and provides a welcoming symbol for the team’s diverse fanbase.

Gotham FC will retain elements of last year’s updated color scheme as requested by fans and in honor of the club’s roots. The crest is composed of Sky Blue, Gotham Black and Cloud White. The colors are meant to represent the team’s history and prior identity, the club’s new identity and the longstanding foundation of the club’s supporters’ group, Cloud 9.

“We view our rebrand as a representation of the bold transformation this club has gone through the past few years,” said Vice-Chair Ed Nalbandian. “It’s the natural next step on our mission to take our club to the next level. We want to inspire our growing fanbase and establish ourselves as the preeminent destination for success on and off the pitch.”

New York City native Matthew Wolff, whose family is from New Jersey, designed the club’s new visual identity.