It's a name that pays homage to Birmingham's proud sports history for a team with big plans for the future of a reenergized city.
Birmingham Legion FCBirmingham Legion FC is the new name of Birmingham's expansion USL soccer team, which begins play in 2019. With a nod to Legion Field, Birmingham's industrial past and the Birmingham Hammers, the team's brand and logo is something the ownership group hopes will capture the passion of Birmingham's young people for their city on the rise.
That shouldn't be too hard. Just take a ride through downtown Birmingham these days. The city center is buzzing, and the Legion is growing by the day.
"We wanted to pay tribute to our past," said Legion FC vice president Morgan Copes. "You think about Birmingham's sporting history, and you think about Legion Field. There is a lot of history in that building, and that's a lot of great history for our city.
"Birmingham has centered around Legion Field for so long, we thought this was a great tip of the hat to the stadium. We're elated with the way it all came out, and we can't wait to get everyone's reaction."
Birmingham Legion FC will not play at Legion Field, but the team is carrying an important piece of the city's history into the future. Has a team ever been named after a stadium? It's the ultimate sports tribute for a building that once called itself the Football Capital of the South.
"It hammers home all the nails you can put on a pegboard," said Copes, one of the founding owners of the Birmingham Hammers. "We think it's going to be a very strong brand. The things we're going to be able to do with it, we're so excited about. From a merchandising perspective to a branding perspective to just an overall soccer perspective, we feel this is a very strong market, and we'll go toe-to-toe with anyone else aesthetically not just in the USL but also MLS."
The team's new colors are "molten gold" and "attack black," and the team crest features a hammer and anvil and three sparks. The three sparks in the crest signify the team's mantra of "pride, passion and community." The hammer and anvil motif represent the city's hardworking roots and the Birmingham Hammers, and calls for "Legion Nation" to shout "Hammer Down" during games. "Hammer Down," no doubt, will be one of many new chants and slogans for a team with such a unique grassroots origin story.
Legion FC's ownership group had plans to unveil the new name and logo (crest) on Tuesday afternoon at Good People Brewing Company, but a forecast for snow and icy roads forced the team to cancel the party. There is a new date for a new party, though. On Feb. 1, Legion FC will announce its new team president at 5 p.m. at Good People Brewing Company.
"I think everyone is going to be very pleased with the new president," Copes said, "but I think everyone is going to be really surprised as well. People are going to kind of step back and realize that the ambitions of this club and this organization are maybe a little loftier than what anyone expected."
New "swag bags" will be available at the next announcement, according to Copes, and it will be the first time fans can buy Birmingham Legion FC merchandise. The USL awarded Birmingham an expansion franchise last summer. USL is American soccer's second division, which plays just behind MLS.
Momentum for a professional soccer team in Birmingham began several years ago with the creation of the Birmingham Hammers. Copes and his friends started that team from scratch, and the Birmingham Hammers will play its final season this summer in the Premier Development League before changing over to Birmingham Legion FC and the USL.
Birmingham Legion FC's new website is bhmlegion.com and the team's new social media handle is @bhmlegion on Twitter, InstaGram and Facebook. Fans can make $50 deposits for season tickets until Jan.31 to be included among the new club's "founding members." Fans who become "founding members" will receive exclusive merchandise and other benefits.
A permanent home for Birmingham Legion FC remains undetermined. A proposed new downtown stadium could be the perfect home for Birmingham's new team. For its final season before the change over, the Birmingham Hammers are close to announcing where the team will play this summer.
"We want to really celebrate the pride behind this city," Copes said. "This is the city's team. This is Birmingham's team. And our hope is that the community embraces it, and that we can become a wonderful partner in this community and find ways to really touch people's lives in a positive way.
"We really look forward to being a torchbearer for the city in a sporting sense."