The newest entry in USL League One is ready to reach for the sky.
Santa Barbara Sky FC unveiled their name, colours and crest on Tuesday, July 12, at MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, in Santa Barbara, California. The club will field both men’s and women’s teams, and will begin play in 2024 at La Playa Stadium at Santa Barbara City College.
The crest depicts St. Barbara, the namesake of the club’s city. She is meant to be “a symbol of protection, kindness, strength, beauty and history,” according to the announcement on the USL website.
Orange was chosen as the main colour to represent the unique Spanish-style terracotta roofs on homes in the city. It is complemented by navy blue, “inspired by the warm dusk sky.”
“The Santa Barbara Sky FC brand is rich in color and symbolism and is an exquisite representation of our city and its rich and deep cultural roots. … Santa Barbara is a very special place, and we are committed to maintaining and representing its charm and integrity,” said Peter Young, the club’s senior vice president of business development and marketing.
The ownership group of Santa Barbara Sky FC is head by former Liverpool FC CEO Peter Moore, who has an extensive background in sports and gaming, including stints with Reebok, Sega of America, Microsoft (Xbox) and EA Sports.
“Soccer unites communities. With that as our mission, I am proud and honored to announce that we are bringing men’s and women’s USL soccer to Santa Barbara,” Moore said. “We are a true American soccer town. We are a diverse but united community; we need and deserve a local professional soccer club that can compete on a national level.”
The club is also creating a philanthropic foundation, La Fundación del Cielo, that will help disadvantaged groups in the Santa Barbara community.