MLS Cup champions the Columbus Crew have dropped "Crew" from their name as part of a rebrand, the league confirmed Monday. The team changed its name to Columbus SC in a move that has upset large portions of the fan base who don't want to change the name and logo of one of Major League Soccer's original franchises.
With the fan base already having endured plenty as of late, including a potential relocation to Austin, Texas that fell through, they are not thrilled with the new logo. MLS tweeted out a picture of it on Monday:
For Columbus. #Crew96 pic.twitter.com/ua6LlsjnGb
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 10, 2021
There is even a petition on change.org named "Keep the Crew!" As of Monday afternoon, the petition had nearly 2,500 signatures.
When it comes to the name and new logo, the biggest issue appears to be taking away the Crew part and messing with the identity that fans have associated with for over 20 years. While some clubs have adopted names that are similar to those of European and South American clubs, the Crew have an original, unique name.
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Here's part of the petition that surely resonates with fans:
People have seen the new logo and it's clear: the consensus is that it's a travesty. Now, a new logo isn't that bad of an idea, but to that? And taking away The Crew? We ARE the Crew. It's what makes us stand out. It's unique and doesn't blend into the boring SC and FC and Uniteds.
We'll see if this push back makes the club rethink things, but it looks like all systems go for the new name and logo.
If they are getting rid of it, can the league at least push to bring back the San Jose Clash and Kansas City Wizards?
