Photo: Paul Rudderow
In 2014, the Columbus Crew ditched their inaugural logo from 1996, in favor of a sleek, clean shield mark that screamed soccer. Along with the change in badge, a slight title change added “SC” to the Columbus Crew name, in a move that solidified the club’s image as a soccer club. The move was largely well-received, with few finding fault in the cleaned up, more soccer-centric branding.
The same cannot be said today.
Roughly 48 hours ago, on Tuesday, May 11, the former Columbus Crew SC rebranded again, this time removing “Crew” from their name to officially title themselves “Columbus Soccer Club”. In step with the 2014 rebrand, with a change in name, came a change in badge. This time soccer centric branding was nixed in favor of an exclamation point shaped badge best described as “different.”
Black & Gold ready.
📰: https://t.co/BxOxKu89Jh#Crew96 pic.twitter.com/Cw2Vc9NvP1
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) May 10, 2021
Fans immediately panned the move, and within hours the familiar “Save The Crew” hashtag was trending across social media.
For a fan base that’s been through so much over the last several years, the rebrand isn’t disappointing because it’s terrible; it’s disappointing because it happened.
In 2017, the Columbus fanbase fought tooth and nail to keep their beloved franchise in Columbus after then-owner Anthony Precourt received Major League Soccer’s blessing to move the club to Austin. Despite all odds, the efforts to Save The Crew were successful, and the Crew remained in Columbus. What was so inspiring about the movement was that it seemed fans had truly gained control of their club. Not only had they prevented a relocation, but they ensured Precourt sold the club to owners that would listen to and respect the fans. Four years on, and those warm feelings are all but forgotten as a majority of fans feel their club is on the verge of being stripped from them yet again.
First leaked on Monday afternoon, the new Columbus logo immediately drew the ire of fans, not necessarily for the design itself, but because “Crew” was totally absent in the new mark. Quickly, things began to spiral, with reports coming out that the club had confirmed the logo and that Columbus could unveil the rebrand as early as the next day. Within hours the Nordecke (Columbus’ independent supporters’ group) released a statement condemning the move and emphasizing that they’d had no input in the design. Most telling in the statement was the revelation that Columbus marketing had tricked supporters into appearing in promotional content for the new brand without telling them the purpose of the content.
The #Nordecke Statement on the #Crew96 Rebrand pic.twitter.com/78K0LGY4MA
— The Nordecke ⭐⭐⭐ (@Nordecke) May 9, 2021
In the world of social media, feedback is immediate, and communication is instant. Because of these two factors, you’d think that a club could, or would, roll back any plans for a rebrand after the immense dissent given by their most loyal supporters. At the very least, you’d expect the organization to take a step back and review their upcoming actions. While common sense may say that’s what should happen, Columbus decided differently, unveiling a brand that’s despised by fans not just for its lackluster design but also for its meaning. For its failure to take into account the most pivotal part of any football club, the fans.
All of this begs one word and one question. Why? Why abandon the fanbase that has fought through hell and back to keep you around? Why remove an essential part of the rallying cry that saved your very existence? Why trick your fans into supporting a move they knew nothing about? Why not ask for their help in rebranding to begin with? These are questions that only Columbus ownership can answer and questions that, if asked, are being asked too late. Instead, Columbus ownership needs to ask themselves, “What?”
What’s the essential part of this club? Fans, or the illusion of profit? Progress for the sake of progress, or a commitment to history? Those who’ve fought for your club or the casual fans you hope to attract?
While an effort to remove any influence previous ownership may have had is admirable, Columbus ownership has missed the mark in such a fantastic fashion that they’ve put themselves on a comparable level to the man who attempted to strip Columbus of its club. To remove a club not only of its name, but of its supporters biggest accomplishment in “Saving the Crew” is such a tone deaf misstep that it’s opened up a pandora’s box of questions that leaves even the most casual supporter questioning the attentiveness and intention of current Columbus ownership.
There’s no knowing if the rebrand will stick or not, but it’s apparent the damage is done. The Crew must be saved again.
There was some research years ago about soda drinkers, how a small but passionate group of them consumed something like 50x as much as the average person. Thus, beverage companies tailored their products to the super users knowing that the casual drinker wouldn’t notice much of a difference in product but the super users would (and would drive revenue either way).
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Supporter’s Groups and readers of websites like this one are super users. To replace this small but passionate group with twice as many casual fans is to lose substantially more than you’ve gained, even if more people are involved. The new “global” fan might buy a jersey or two over the next few years, but he or she isn’t painting tifos, organizing road trips, or telling friends to come to matches. When that fan is gone, he or she is hard to get back.
This nuance was absolutely lost on the new owners.
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When they are saying things like “maybe it’s ok to lose 8k fans if it gets us 15k fans”, it’s clear they don’t realize the value of their existing fans – especially when it comes to that particular base.
this is gold. Bitcoin maybe. something good though.
Great article, Thomas, thanks for bringing this to our attention. Amidst a raft of questions, one that i just don’t see any answer for is what about this is even supposed to attract more fans? Including “soccer” so Joe on the street knows it’s a soccer team? in addition to being tone deaf and ugly af, there doesn’t seem to be a scintilla of even flawed reasoning.
No knock on youth soccer, I was involved for 9 years and loved it, but this looks like a name and badge befitting a local youth travel team.
I actually like the new badge. But I don’t like dropping “Crew” from the name. The trend in MLS is to name all teams simply with “FC” or “SC”. It’s boring AF. A few SCs and FCs are ok, but most of the league?
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Why is this the trend? Maybe they think this is more Euro-like? I’d say that’s kind of weak if that’s the case, we don’t see any London FCs, SC Amsterdams, or FC Madrids.
I feel bad for the Crew fans. If the Union did this, I would be sooo upset.
A few years ago, the new owner of Leeds United released a new badge in preparation for the club’s 100th anniversary in 2019. They claimed wide fan input, but it was way off the mark and widely panned as soon as it was leaked. A few days later, they admitted their mistake, scrapped the new badge, and just added a gold version of the existing badge with a banner below indicating the dates. No harm, no foul, and they pretty quickly regained goodwill of the supporters by simply listening to their voices (also in appointing the best manager in England and building a perfect side to obtain promotion back to the EPL after 16 years away).
I’m so thankful to support the Union, who perfected the brand since Day 1.
I can’t say that I’m an MLS lifer, but at least a casual observer over the past decade. In some ways, with some teams, I get the want/need to change/rebrand to reestablish an identity that quickly conjures up “soccer team” in a country/continent that is still getting to know the sport.
That said, “Columbus Crew” or Columbus Crew SC” in that market IS soccer. I’m pretty sure they pre-date the NHL Blue Jackets don’t they? They’ve won 2 championships with that name, so its not like they should be rebooting things.
I know early MLS was a very different time and place and was very “American-ized” to attract initial casual fans. Teams like Crew, Sounders, Timbers, Rapids, Galaxy have been around and should instantly be identified as “soccer” in their respective markets.
FWIW – I’ve always felt that “Union” was a perfect bridge between the traditional Euro name and North American sports.
the Information Age continues to swing like a wrecking ball through thousands of years of custom, culture and intimacy.
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It is at once thrilling, daunting and terrifying.