The newest franchise in the Canadian Premier League now officially has a name and a visual identity system as it prepares to kick off next season.
The club unveiled its name — Vancouver Football Club — and a suite of logos during an event at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday evening. The centerpiece of the visual identity is a V icon, with the left side made up of four lines and the right side featuring the head of a bald eagle.
“We are delighted to officially announce Vancouver FC as part of the Canadian Premier League family,” CPL commissioner Mark Noonan told the league’s website. “Expanding into new markets across Canada is critical to the growth of the CPL, but we do not take the responsibility of launching a new team lightly. A successful expansion requires a dedicated ownership group, the backing of the local communities and corporate sponsors, and top-class infrastructure.”
VFC notes that the V-shape design “a silhouette traditional to many sports organizations on British Columbia’s South Coast.” It also notes that the South Coast is the largest bald eagle gathering spot in the world. “The wings of the design emulate the cables that unite the Lower Mainland, as well as the precision of agricultural fields in the Fraser Valley, a symbol of the potential for growth here at home. A neutral palette of shades of grey and silver are complemented by pops of warm red throughout the club branding.”
The V-bird appears in a circle in the club’s main crest, with the words “VANCOUVER FOOTBALL CLUB” and the year 2022 in the circle. It also appears on its own as a secondary logo.
“Our crest is designed to be clean, humble, and flexible. The eagle represents strength, and balance. The lines represent the patterns we see all around us everyday, from the bridges connecting our communities, to the farm fields across the Fraser Valley that speak to the potential of the land and people of the region.”
— Vancouver FC
The club also unveiled a VFC monogram that it says “speaks the global football language — Dortmund, Napoli, Inter, and so many more — of these clubs identifying themselves through their initials.”
“Honouring our sporting past, celebrating our region and uniting the South Coast are among our key objectives as we introduce soccer fans on the Lower Mainland to Vancouver FC,” said team co-owner Rob Friend. “We look forward to sharing the region’s existing passion for the game with the rest of the Canadian Premier League through its support for our club and, together with our fans, building an even stronger soccer culture on and off the field that serves as a point of connection for all of our local communities.”
Wednesday’s unveiling confirmed leaks from last week that were first reported by Abbotsford News reporter/photographer Ben Lypka, who found logos that were filed with the Canadian Trademarks Database.
Vancouver FC will begin play in the 2023 season out of Willoughby Community Park in Langley, British Columbia.
