Team Name, Colors, Kit, Crest, etc.

Discussion in 'Charlotte FC' started by GermanAmerican, Mar 27, 2012.

  1. GermanAmerican

    Jun 22, 2011
    South Carolina
    Club:
    Charleston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This thread will be dedicated to trying to find consensus among MLS fans in the Carolinas to try and create a team look and culture that we can agree upon. Here we should come up with ideas for team name, colors, kits, crest, and other aesthetic parts of a future Carolina MLS Club.

    I think for team name we need look no further than the club that already is making headway to becoming an MLS franchise: the Carolina RailHawks. It's club colors of orange and navy would be an adequate color scheme unless better options can be come up with.

    I also have an idea about uniforms that I'd like to run by you guys. In addition to the home and road kits, I have an idea about the third kits that I think should be adopted by a future MLS club in Carolina. We should have two third kits, one being a tribute to the state of North Carolina, being colored Navy with Red and white bars and the state shield that's on the flag replacing the club shield, and the other third kit dedicated to South Carolina, being colored navy with while accents and the Palmetto tree and crescent moon symbols instead of the club shield.

    Anyone else have any ideas?
     
  2. teucer

    teucer Member

    Dec 17, 2009
    Raleigh, NC, USA
    Club:
    Carolina Railhawks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The best thing about your suggested alternate kits is the SC-colored one is actually the RailHawks' current third-kit color scheme, since the team's colors are orange, white, and navy to begin with.
     
  3. A Hugh Jass

    A Hugh Jass Member

    Nov 15, 2009
    Myrtle Beach
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think it should be Carolina United for sure! We would be the only team that make a claim for a 'United' other than a team in the dakotas. Seems pretty fitting.

    As far as colors, id like to see the team do something unique like sounders to really create a brand and an image that when people see it they automatically think CAROLINA UNITED.

    Orange and Purple are a good start but how about SEA FOAM or Teal and black?
     
  4. GermanAmerican

    Jun 22, 2011
    South Carolina
    Club:
    Charleston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Had to look up Sea foam green. Not a bad idea. I also like the name Carolina United. Unfortunately some fans might see that as copying D.C. United.
     
  5. A Hugh Jass

    A Hugh Jass Member

    Nov 15, 2009
    Myrtle Beach
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Be that as it may what claim does DC have to 'United'? What are they uniting? Nothing. Our team would be a team for both carolinas, north and south. not just the district of columbia

    back in the day it was simply Carolina (the states). Then split up into north and south. I think its better to have some historical reference with a name rather than just something random. (looking at you Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, DC United)
     
  6. GermanAmerican

    Jun 22, 2011
    South Carolina
    Club:
    Charleston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dynamo: Tribute to Houston's energy industry

    Galaxy: tribute to Hollywood and the movie industry (city of stars)

    United: tribute to the fact that it's the nation's capital, the city that unites the country (against it nowadays though)
     
    evilmonkeycmand repped this.
  7. A Hugh Jass

    A Hugh Jass Member

    Nov 15, 2009
    Myrtle Beach
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  8. SYoshonis

    SYoshonis Member+

    Jun 8, 2000
    Lafayette, Louisiana
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think that any Carolina MLS team would be hard-pressed to improve on the Charleston Battery name, crest and colors. It's truly one of the very best soccer branding efforts in the history of American soccer, IMO. I really liked the name Wilmington Hammerheads, too.

    I guess the takeaway is that the area has a pretty good track record in this regard.
     
    taylor repped this.
  9. A Hugh Jass

    A Hugh Jass Member

    Nov 15, 2009
    Myrtle Beach
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    for their locations Battery and Hammerheads are pure class for sure. But thinking of the team as a whole the only one that would translate well to a regional team is battery. Carolina Battery? i think i like it
     
  10. NC Soccer United

    NC Soccer United BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 25, 2011
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Racing Club of Carolinas......homage to the racing roots of the Carolinas.
     
  11. teucer

    teucer Member

    Dec 17, 2009
    Raleigh, NC, USA
    Club:
    Carolina Railhawks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think the logical choice for name and colors is to continue the history of whatever team is in the market they put it in, just like every other lower-division team that has made the jump. (Exception: a Triad team would not retain the name of the PDL's Carolina Dynamo.)

    The Charleston Battery has wonderful branding, but it's not branding that makes sense for a team anywhere but Charleston, IMO.
     
  12. Kayak

    Kayak Member+

    Feb 16, 2007
    Columbus
    If you go with something around sea foam Werder Brennan use quite a few greens but it could look something like this:

    [​IMG]

    I don't think that's a bad look and you'd at least be unique to MLS; too many red and blue teams. People would turn on the TV and instantly know it was you.
     
  13. NC Soccer United

    NC Soccer United BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 25, 2011
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    That is hideous.
     
  14. GermanAmerican

    Jun 22, 2011
    South Carolina
    Club:
    Charleston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Great points. The Battery have created a terrific brand as the oldest continuously operating professional soccer club in the United States today and are statistically the best supported non-MLS team not named "Orlando City SC", but the Charleston metro area is simply too small (only 700,000 people compared to Charlotte and the Triangle which are around 2.5 million each) to support a major league club of any sport. Sad to say if we create a Carolina team by promoting an existing team, that club won't be the Charleston Battery.

    When looking at the four clubs in the Carolinas, only the RailHawks make sense. They have an ownership that has expressed interest in MLS expansion, their home metro area is large and filled with the demographic that is MLS' strongest supporters (college students), and their stadium is already being expanded to around 15,000 which is not that much smaller than the average SSS in MLS. Charleston and Wilmington enjoy strong support and have their own SSS, but their metro areas are simply too small, and the Charlotte Eagles seem more interested in spreading Christianity than soccer.
     
  15. Tigereye

    Tigereye Member+

    (ಠ_ಠ)┌∩┐
    Aug 19, 2005
    (ಠ_ಠ)┌∩┐
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Considering the Dynamo have tha market covered on Orange and Orlando City may have Purple by the time you get in, it would be best to go the Aqua/Sea Foam route if you want to be unique. Or alternatives could be Brown or Grey/Silver.

    And considering the RailHawks name and history, as well as Carolina's history in the Railroad industry, a Grey/Silver-based look would fit perfectly in with a name like Lokomotiv Carolina.
     
  16. NC Soccer United

    NC Soccer United BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 25, 2011
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
  17. GermanAmerican

    Jun 22, 2011
    South Carolina
    Club:
    Charleston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Great. Let's copy our NFL team instead of creating our own unique brand. Ask the Revolution how that's working out for them.
     
  18. NC Soccer United

    NC Soccer United BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 25, 2011
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Revs unis have nothing to do with their temporary demise. It has to do with being treated like a tax shelter for the Patriots. Carolina blue is an identity and if they have a caring ownership and vibrant support group, it sells itself. It has nothing to do with colors. Ask the Penguins, Steelers, Pirates what they think about the yellow and black. Yellow and Black screams Pittsburgh and the only reason the Pirates don't draw is because they are shit and ownership doesn't care. I think there is a huge correlation between owners that care and providing a winning product.
     
  19. Caddman

    Caddman Member+

    Aug 18, 1999
    Houston, Texas
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm an outsider, so don't throw tomatoes. I've only been to North Carolina once and that was some 15 years ago now. One thing that still sticks in my mind is the license plate.

    [​IMG]

    I was thinking of Carolina Flight incorporating this color scheme and plane in the logo. There's a lot of blues in the league now, but I think a tri color scheme of columbia blue, royal blue, and red would look nice.

    Just an idea.
     
  20. SYoshonis

    SYoshonis Member+

    Jun 8, 2000
    Lafayette, Louisiana
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good call on the colors and concept, but Carolina Flight sounds painfully minor-league IMO. Flyers? Pilots? Aviators?
     
  21. CHHSfan

    CHHSfan Member

    Oct 30, 2010
    Chapel Hill
    Club:
    Carolina Railhawks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think the back graphics that are starting to appear on basketball jerseys would look good and represent the area well. I may be a little biased living in Chapel Hill to the idea, but I think it would allow the jerseys to have things like the crescent and palm tree, or the logo on the NC flag, no matter the color. [​IMG]
     
  22. A Hugh Jass

    A Hugh Jass Member

    Nov 15, 2009
    Myrtle Beach
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i like the idea of have a 'nickname' like aviators, flight, flyers, aeronautics, naviagtors, ect. but i feel it should come naturally like in england. go with a name like Carolina United, Carolina Soccer Club, Carolina Sporting Club (if the club will have other sports under its umbrella) then let the fans choose the nickname.

    Fan involvement gives the people who will be supporting and give money a sense of making a difference and are more inclined to support longterm if they feel involved in the club.

    Look at the packers in the NFL. The club is supporter owned and is the best supported team in the NFL. I heard a stat that they are sold out for every game for the next 75 years or something retarded like that
     
  23. Caddman

    Caddman Member+

    Aug 18, 1999
    Houston, Texas
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not from the area so I wasn't sure if the name was any good or if it sucked. United seems to make sense in this case, but seems unlikely unless DC United are relocated. As for colors, I like Blackburn's uniforms and think a similar color scheme could work well.

    [​IMG]
     
  24. teucer

    teucer Member

    Dec 17, 2009
    Raleigh, NC, USA
    Club:
    Carolina Railhawks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agreed on all counts. Charlotte's quite a plausible site for such a team, though the current organization could not credibly operate at the major-league level.
     
  25. Jossed

    Jossed Member+

    Apr 23, 2011
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    The RailHawks do not have the ownership to join MLS. The point is to attract ownership that can afford MLS. That is not the current situation with Traffic USA. Finding local and wealthy ownership is vital for the future of the club. Remember where this club was early last year. Being sold on ebay. Even the mascot went on sale.

    And the improvements being made to Wake Med are to lure the NCAA championships back. Nothing to do with the RailHawks or MLS. Even with the improvements, it still would require a lot more cash to get it MLS ready.

    If Carolina jumps in as a MLS expansion location, it probably will be a large market(Charlotte/Raleigh) and a new ownership group without ties to any of the current four clubs. Unless one of the four clubs can attract a very rich investor whose priority is MLS.
     

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