Those in charge of branding Nebraska’s newest pro soccer team passed on the state’s official bird for something more fierce.
The team’s name — Union Omaha — and crest, which features a great horned owl, were announced Thursday at a block party in Benson.
The team’s name — Union Omaha — and crest, which prominently features a great horned owl, were announced Thursday at a block party in Benson.
Officials considered more than 100 names the past several months as they created an identity for the USL League One team. Their goal: Stay true to the city and state roots while uniting a fan base.
Union Omaha Soccer Club (the team’s full name) is partly a nod to Union Pacific and the role the railroad company played in Omaha’s development, said team owner Gary Green. But the name also is meant to connect Omaha’s past with its future.
“The thing about Omaha is, it respects its history, but it’s also got a strong view of moving forward,” Green said. “We still kept coming back to ‘unity’ and ‘unified’ ... it just felt natural.”
The crest features the owl atop a football from the sport’s early days. To the left of the owl are three stars meant to represent Nebraska’s people, place and purpose. Those features are set against a shield similar to the U.S. Soccer crest.
Sign up for World-Herald daily sports updates
Get the headlines from Creighton, Nebraska, UNO, high schools and other area teams.
Great horned owls are indigenous to the region and commonly seen during winter months when trees have lost their foliage, according to the Nebraska Extension office. The birds have wingspans of nearly 5 feet, can exert almost 25 pounds of pressure with their talons and will prey upon “almost any animal that they can catch.”
“It’s fierce, it hunts its prey at night — it’s just an intimidating bird,” Green said.
The crest’s colors, which coincide with the team’s colors, are black and white, with one notable exception: the owl’s eyes, which are “lightning yellow.”
Union Omaha's logo features "lightning yellow" owl eyes.
Many Nebraskans have strong associations between colors and sports teams, said Erika Bjork, a consultant who has helped lead the branding process. Husker fans bleed red. Creighton fans adorn themselves in blue. Officials wanted a color scheme that everyone can support.
“We wanted it to look edgy,” Green said. “Black and white is edgy.”
The crest was designed by Matthew Wolff, who also helped create the crest for the Los Angeles Football Club.
Thursday’s reveal was the culmination of months of work that included community discussions. Time and again, Green said, another bird was brought up as a possible option: the western Meadowlark, Nebraska’s state bird.
Organizers considered the animal, Green said, but in the end, the Meadowlark didn’t exude the ferocity of the great horned owl.
The team’s opening night at Werner Park is scheduled for April 25. The season will begin in March, but the team will start on the road to avoid potential weather conflicts. An exhibition is anticipated near the start of the season.
The block party Thursday near 62nd and Maple Streets had the energetic, social feel that draws some fans to the sport in the first place. Supporters wore their favorite teams’ scarves, children dribbled balls into miniature nets and, during a guided discussion with team leaders, a few chants broke out.
Ryan Youtz, a soccer fan who supports UNO, said he was one of the first to purchase season tickets to Union Omaha matches. As for the name and crest, Youtz, 35, said he’s pleased.
“I think the name is absolutely fantastic,” Youtz said. “The idea of Union is cool to me because it’s bringing everybody together.”
Green, who also owns the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, has been traveling the country to visit other pro soccer clubs to get a sense of what works, what fans respond to and how Omaha can create excitement around the team.
In September, he attended a Forward Madison FC match in Wisconsin, the closest League One team to Omaha. Green met with the club’s supporters at a bar, marched with them to the team’s stadium and watched as the crowd chanted, cheered and waved flags in the rain.
That’s the kind of atmosphere he wants in Omaha.
“You can’t read it, you can’t watch it on TV, you need to step into it and live and breathe it,” he said.
Photos: Union Omaha block party
The name of Omaha first professional soccer team was announced during a block party. The team's name is Union Omaha and the team crest features an owl.
CEO Gary Green, left, takes a selfie with coach Jason Mims after the name and crest of Omaha's first professional soccer team was revealed. The team will be called Union Omaha and an owl will be featured on the team crest.
Owners and community members stand in front of the crest for Omaha's first professional soccer team. The team will be called Union Omaha and the crest with sport an owl.
Omaha's first professional soccer team will be called Union Omaha and its crest will sport an owl.
Curtis Taylor, center, buys Union Omaha merchandise at a block party where the team's name and crest were revealed. Taylor said of the pro soccer team, "It's just exciting to have a pro team here finally."
Curtis Taylor, center, shows off the scarf he bought at a block party where Omaha's first professional soccer team's name and crest were revealed. Taylor said of the pro soccer team, "It's just exciting to have a pro team here finally."
Jaxonn Haag, right, and Francisco Calleja, left, play with a soccer ball during a block party. At the block party, the name and crest of Omaha's first professional soccer team was revealed. The team will be named Union Omaha and the crest features and owl.
People attend a block party for the announcement of Omaha's first soccer team's name and crest. The team was named Union Omaha and the crest will feature and owl.
People attend a block party where the name of Omaha's first professional soccer team was announced. The team name is Union Omaha and the crest features an owl.
Union Omaha coach Jason Mims speaks during a block party. At the block party, the name and crest of Omaha's first professional soccer team was revealed. The name of the team is Union Omaha and the team's crest features an owl.
Matt Homonoff, left, chief operating officer of USL Omaha and Gary Green, CEO and managing partner of Alliance Omaha Soccer (USL Omaha), attend a block party. At the block party the name of Omaha's first professional soccer team and its crest were announced. The team's name is Union Omaha. And the crest features an owl.
Omaha first professional soccer team revealed its name and crest during a block party. The team will be named Union Omaha and the crest features and owl.
Reader-submitted names for Omaha's new pro soccer team
Forest Corgis
They're cute until they attack in formation.
Kernels
Pardon us if this is corny, but Werner Park would be poppin' if this was the new name.
Locomotives
If you stare at this logo and say Beetlejuice three times while clicking your heels, who knows what would happen?
MammothHawks
Omaha has already had the Nighthawks and the Mammoths. There's only one thing left to do.
Meadowlarks
The Western Meadowlark, the Nebraska state bird, often seeks the wide open spaces of grasslands. Sounds like a soccer pitch would feel like home. The added teeth are just for show.
Mighty Meatballs
As opposed to weak, futile meatballs.
Rainbow Unicornhuskers
What has four legs, flared nostrils, a rainbow mane, burning red eyes that can see into your soul (and could maybe shoot lasers?), is part mythical creature and part vegetable, would definitely be a copyright infringement and — at seven syllables — is every sports announcer's nightmare?
Ranch Dressing
Did you know that every Midwesterner is actually 3.2% ranch?
Sasquatches
It's better than "Bigfeet" or the "The Abominable Snowplows," right?
Turf Monsters
Nothing is scarier than personified artificial grass.
Today's Top Events
College volleyball
Game Time, TV/Radio Schedule
2019-10-04 05:00:00Z
https://www.omaha.com/sports/local-sports/introducing-union-omaha-pro-soccer-team-unveils-colors-crest-name/article_3a69fbba-e3f9-5d6e-a92a-3c84c85fec03.html
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Introducing Union Omaha: Pro soccer team unveils colors, crest, name ahead of city's USL debut - Omaha World-Herald"
Post a Comment