So it looks like USL Pro will be getting a rebrand before the season starts. Flying under radar from @JacksMilitia meeting - Jim @McPhilliamy confirms @USLPRO rebrand coming before the season kicks off. #USLPRO— Zach (@crowntownsoccer) January 6, 2015
I hopped over to the US Trademark Office and did a search, and what do you know the USL recently filed the trademark "USL D LEAGUE" on December 29th 2014 (serial # 86491485). If I had to guess I'd say that's the new name unless they're starting another league or re-branding the PDL.
Who didn't see this coming? It makes sense considering the increase in teams and is a step in the right direction in my opinion.... Perhaps they'll even get a new hipster MLS inspired logo?
I was curious about a re-brand, and I noticed that they haven't updated the website to include all the new teams. So this seems to fit IMHO. However I hate "USL D League" that's way worse than USL Pro....
gets the point across and I love the concept. Should it not be the MLS D League Or US D -league. redundent in being the United Soccer League D - League.
Seems like "PDL" is kind of relevant to what the former USL PRO (gawd I hate all caps except for an acronym) now is, the premier developmental league. And now the current PDL is the league that should be rebranded.
It seems the NBA has label of the D-League opposed to using minor league is just a more modern label. Very Quickly the D2/3 clubs whether they are original MLS Affiliates, HCI Islanders, Rochester, Richmond. New expansion USL Pro clubs, Charlotte, SAC Republic. MLS Clubs owning their own team, all Canadian sides, LAG2. The NASL clubs original 2.0 Tampa, FTL, FCE(canada) or expansions Indy Eleven, Fury(Canada). All have made very quick strides in securing quality ownership groups but into exhisting clubs, or expansion clubs. As well as starting with better stadiums or moving towards plans in place quickly for better stadiums. That will be a lot of D2/3 clubs playing on both sides of the border. In the near future figure out how to organize these clubs. In East/West/Regional divisions. affilited MLS clubs or Independent clubs. Canadian Division or sub division cross over USL/NASL. Once Hamilton is in they would have gone from one club FCE to 6 clubs 3 USL 3 NASL. SAC Rebublic bought an already full US academy, while in Calgary the biggest existing Academy is moving towards the pro level2/3 starting with a PDL club. If USL likely gets D2 status I would think that clubs like Charlotte, SRFC will want to be part of a league considered and called a D League.
Oy. "The new logo is not a corporate logo, it is a tribal mark, something to be taken to the heart of each club’s community, personalized and worn with pride." No, it's the stencil on the GI Joe footlocker I had when I was 8. (MLS' influence is obvious, as well. And I did not think anyone could possibly do worse than MLS did with their re-brand. Guess what? I was wrong.)
I think the new MLS logo is ok (don't care for the kick stand). I like how you can adapt it to your club's color scheme for branding purposes. I like how you can use part of the MLS logo for your clubs own graphic artists to be creative with for different purposes, different marketing options, possibly pulling someone else's brand in with regards to sponsors, charities, etc. USL obviously used the same marketing/branding firm to somewhat tie into the same thoughts ... and, I like the ability to adapt to the brand of the individual clubs. The "stencil" is what it is ... any font can be critisized for one reason or another, so that doesn't give me much heartburn. As for the USL: Rising / USL: United verbage behind the "rebrand" ... it is what it is ... marketing/PR fluff that should be taken lightly. The asthetics of the website seem to have been improved too.