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The club will go by Columbus Soccer Club, or
Columbus SC, dropping the word "Crew" from their formal name. A
series of social media posts made clear that Columbus will
continue to incorporate "Crew" as an informal nickname as a way
to honor its history.
That was not enough to appease Columbus fans, many of whom
expressed displeasure with the changes. A change.org petition
launched Monday to "Keep the Crew" attracted more than 3,000
signatures by Monday afternoon.
"Taking away The Crew? We ARE the Crew," the petition's
description said. "It's what makes us stand out. It's unique and
doesn't blend into the boring SC and FC and Uniteds."
Columbus will continue to wear black and gold kits, keeping the
colors it has donned since the league's inception in 1996, but
the primary crest was changed from a circular shield featuring
the number 96 to a tall block C.
"The current direction of our Club and our city provides a
natural time to examine our identity going forward," Columbus
president and GM Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. "Our
identity and brand evolution includes a shift in our mindset to
be consistent contenders on the pitch, but also includes
evolving our look both in the community and across competitions.
"With the upcoming completion of our new, modern, dynamic
stadium, our world-class OhioHealth Performance Center, and
coming off an MLS Cup championship, our marks are aligned with
where we are headed as a city and as an organization.
"We are proud to represent Columbus on the global stage of
soccer and aspire to help elevate the city and honor it for what
it has done for the Club. We are Columbus Soccer Club, we are
The Crew, and we will always be the Black & Gold."
Columbus has a distinct history as one of 10 charter clubs, and
the first MLS team to build a soccer-specific stadium. The club
has won one U.S. Open Cup and two MLS Cups, including in 2020
with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders.
-Field Level Media
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