FC Cincinnati is an American professional soccer club based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The club was founded in 2015, competed in the United Soccer League (USL) from 2016 to 2018, and joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as an expansion team in 2019. Its visual identity has centered on a winged lion emblem and an orange and blue color scheme since the club’s founding.
Design and History
FC Cincinnati unveiled its current crest on November 12, 2018, ahead of the club’s move to MLS. The branding system was created in tandem with Interbrand, the global branding agency, after an intensive three-month process. Interbrand’s Cincinnati office, staffed by a Cincinnati-born-and-bred team, led the project. The club and Interbrand began strategizing the brand refresh soon after Cincinnati was invited to join MLS in late May 2018, and the project was completed in early August when the club presented the updated brand to MLS officials at the 2018 MLS All-Star Game in Atlanta.[1]
The new crest was an evolution of the club’s original USL-era logo rather than a complete departure. The winged lion was carried over and given a more prominent place on the shield, described by the club as “bolder, stronger and ready for battle.”[1] The crest shape was pulled from architectural elements around the city, as well as the traditional panel of a soccer ball.[2]
The redesign accompanied a naming change. The club’s full written name shifted from “Futbol Club Cincinnati” to “Football Club Cincinnati” as it entered MLS. The formal, legal name of the club and its business units is Fussball Club Cincinnati, or Fußball Club Cincinnati using the German character, though the club stated that name is not to be used in any sporting references or public discussion.[1]
FC Cincinnati President and General Manager Jeff Berding explained the rationale for the update: “The previous identity was our USL identity and we’ve said goodbye to the USL. We’re now a first division club. I think we’ve stayed true to our original identity but we’ve updated it. In our original identity, ‘FC’ was the most prevalent part, now ‘Cincinnati’ is the most prevalent part.”[2]
This was the first time FC Cincinnati changed its logo since the club was launched in August 2015.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The current crest is rich with documented symbolism, much of it tied to Cincinnati’s identity and the club’s history:
- The winged lion represents the club’s winning spirit.[1]
- The crown on the lion’s head pays homage to the “Queen City,” Cincinnati’s nickname.[1]
- The seven points on the lion’s mane represent the seven hills of Cincinnati.[1]
- The three feathers on the wing highlight the club’s three-year journey to MLS.[1]
- The lion’s tail is curved into a “C,” another nod to Cincinnati.[1]
- The crest highlights the region’s German heritage in a modern manner.[1]
The club’s wordmark also carries meaning. The crown remains affixed atop the “C” in Cincinnati, again a nod to the Queen City. Written straight out with no breaks or punctuation between letters, the FC moves directly into Cincinnati to show the club’s connection to the city.[1]
Typography and Design
The club’s official color palette was updated as part of the 2018 rebrand. The new Orange is PMS 021 and the new Blue is PMS 287, both described as “brighter and bolder” than the original colors. Secondary colors of Dark Blue (PMS 282), White and Grey (PMS Cool Grey 4c) were added to the palette.[1]
The crest features the club’s two primary colors, with the accent dark blue providing emphasis against the white background to further highlight the word “Cincinnati.”[1]
The club’s secondary mark is a stylized FCC taken from the full wordmark. Stand-alone tertiary elements, including the full lion from the crest, the lion’s head and mane, and the crown, were planned to be introduced more prominently in future years as the brand gained traction.[1]
The winged lion in the crest also inspired the club’s mascot. In February 2019, FC Cincinnati introduced Gary, a life-sized plush lion mascot. Gary’s name stemmed from fans’ viral social media posts when the club released its MLS logo in November 2018, with supporters envisioning the name spelled out in the lion’s design on the crest. Gary was designed by AMAZING!! Mascots, based in Chicago, and was modeled after the lion in the crest, including a crown and a small set of wings on his back.[4]
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