source: Audi of America
With most pitches across the country sitting stagnant due to COVID-19, we were able to help bring some excitement to the soccer world without a match. In collaboration with MLS4THELOU, we took part in an exciting announcement for the 28th team in Major League Soccer – the team name, logo and overall brand reveal for the first-ever team in St. Louis.
The team will be known as St. Louis CITY SC. Selected from over 6,000 fan submissions, the name is rooted in the city’s rich soccer tradition as America’s First Soccer Capital. The name celebrates the area’s diverse, iconic neighborhoods and proud heritage while capturing the region’s recent growth and cultural renaissance. Four primary colors will identify the team: “City Red”, “River Blue”, “Energy Yellow”, and “Arch Steel Gray”.
Lee Broughton, Chief Architect Brand Architect for the St. Louis CITY SC, on the brand new team’s crest:
“The crest was developed from a talented, diverse group of more 20 local designers, including two St. Louis design firms as well as local independent designers. All of them gravitated toward using the St. Louis flag as inspiration as well as a few of the iconic landmarks from the area, resulting in some great discussion, debate and collaboration over a number of months. It was a fascinating process that included a very diverse and often opinionated group of folks.”
Minutes after the highly anticipated virtual unveiling of the new team’s look and moniker, seven Audi vehicles wrapped in the team’s colors and branding took to the streets. Consisting of six fully electric Audi e-tron Sportbacks, one Audi Q7, and one Audi R8 V10 Spyder, the “swag parade” brought the event to fans’ (and future fans’) front doors by visiting neighborhoods and businesses throughout the city.
The fleet of Audi vehicles decked out in St. Louis CITY SC livery kept the excitement going by delivering swag bags full of never-before-seen team merchandise to locals. Scarves and backpacks are just some of the merchandise they can now be seen sporting in support of their future team.
Broughton shared that “using Audi for our ‘swag parade’ was really a no brainer. Obviously they have a great relationship with MLS, but the vehicles also embody the type of swagger our club hopes to bring on and off the pitch.”
After a day full of surprising St. Louis residents, the Swag Parade came to an end and the vehicles were placed at major landmarks throughout the city. The most notable being the iconic Gateway Arch, of course, which also plays an integral role in the center of the new St. Louis CITY SC logo.
We also assisted in announcing that world-renowned Lutz Pfannenstiel will serve as the team’s sporting director. Both Pfannenstiel and the Audi R8 V10 Spyder are well-known products of Germany with proven track records, so the collaboration was a perfect fit. Off the field, the team will feature the only majority female-led ownership group in Major League Soccer.
Our relationship with MLS is part of our continued commitments to advancing soccer in North America. As of April 2020, we have committed more than $1 million dollars to MLS Academies across North America, and the impact of this funding has been immediate – since March 2020, ten MLS Academy players who benefitted from the program have been signed to First team, Homegrown pro contracts.
We’re looking forward to seeing the St. Louis CITY SC take the field in 2023.
