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Ahead of their 10th home opener, Major League Soccer’s New York City FC have unveiled a refreshed visual identity that “aims to strengthen (the club’s) connection to New York while sharpening an already strong brand, providing more vibrancy and excitement for fans across the five boroughs.”
The new visual identity mostly deals with graphic elements used on social media and merchandise, and will likely not have a huge effect on what the team wears on the field. It also doesn’t affect the club’s primary crest. It was developed in conjunction with two New York-based creative studios, Interbrand and Gretel.
The process behind the brand refresh began more than a year ago, and involved extensive conversations with season ticket holders, supporters’ groups and club staff. “Those discussions focused on what the club is and should be, and how that’s reflected visually across digital materials and brand elements at home matches,” the club said in a press release. “The evolution of the identity comes at a strategic time, focused on elevating the team and soccer culture ahead of key moments in the sport taking place in the New York region.” Such key moments include the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and the proposed construction of a new home stadium for New York City FC in Willets Point, Queens.
One of the main points of the new identity system is “embracing” the name New York City FC. “While we heard a range of opinions in our discussions, the one central theme that ran through it all was that the Club should always be a reflection of New York City,” the club said. “As such, you’ll see that we now proudly refer to our club as New York City FC.” It’s unclear exactly what this means, but we may see a reduced usage of the abbreviation “NYCFC” in club communications.
The club’s core color palette has been tweaked slightly to be “sharper and brighter than before,” but it still consists of light blue, white, navy blue and orange. Supporting colors have been added that are inspired by the “dynamic environment and symbolism of New York City,” including cobalt, neon yellow, violet and bright green.
NYCFC also introduced “The Mosaic,” a pattern that blends a light blue and navy blue checkerboard with a map of New York City and orange halftone squares.
New York City is itself an assemblage of countless stories, cultures and backgrounds all coming together to build something bigger than the sum of of their individual parts. The mosaic patterns are born from this same idea, underpinned by a singular tessellation of the streets of each of the five boroughs.
NYCFC also introduced a pair of new proprietary typefaces designed by Tobias Frere-Jones and a suite of icons “designed to capture the energy and spirit of the world’s game as played in the world’s city.” The typefaces are “inspired by the unique letterforms of the pre-unification New York City Subway.”
“This collaboration celebrates two things we’re truly passionate about — the beautiful game and the greatest city in the world (of course, we’re biased because we call it home),” said Justin Au, associate creative director at Gretel, in the club’s press release. “We were immediately drawn to how New York City FC embodies the spirit of the city. From the beginning of the project, it was clear we were working with a uniquely passionate team of people dedicated to their players, supporters and the city. With such a rich foundation, revitalizing the club’s creative platform and visual identity felt exciting. It’s inspiring to be a part of the club’s journey at this pivotal moment, with new stadium plans and a growing presence in the five boroughs and beyond. Moreover, we’re honored to add to the vibrant fabric of New York City’s sporting legacy.”
Learn more about New York City FC’s refreshed visual identity here. The team’s 2024 regular season home opener is on Saturday, March 9, against the Portland Timbers at Yankee Stadium.
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