Some 19 months after announcing they would “explore” the club’s identity in the lead-up to their 50th anniversary and 10 months after confirming a “brand evolution” was in the works, Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders are finally ready to show their fans what they’ve been working on.
The Sounders tweeted earlier this week that they’d release the results of their months-long process on Tuesday, September 26 — in plenty of time for their 50th anniversary in 2024. The announcement was accompanies by a collage of photos depicting Sounders players and logos from throughout their history, including the crest they’ve worn since joining MLS in 2007.
What exactly this “brand evolution” will look like is still very much up in the air, though. The Sounders announced in February 2022 that they would “explore the club’s identity” with input from supporters and community members.
“From our club’s perspective, the next 50 years of Sounders history starts right now,” Sounders owner and president of business operations Peter Tomozawa said at the time.
“Our club is and always will be what our fans say it is. That’s a core part of our club culture and is something we want to emphasize during this process. Fan input is critical to understanding who we are and what we stand for.”
In November 2022, Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer confirmed a “brand evolution” was on the way, with the goal being to “evolve our brand in a way that honors our proud history while also setting a strong foundation for the future.”
“We said this back in February when introducing this project, and we say it again now: ‘our club is what our fans say it is,’” Hanauer said. “Listening was always the most important part of this process, and over the past eight months, we have actively heard from our fans and community about who the Sounders are, what the Sounders stand for, and why this franchise stands apart. We have been humbled by the feedback and interest that we’ve received and are excited to continue these discussions.”
Along with the new identity, the Sounders plan to celebrate their 50th anniversary by opening a new training facility in the suburb of Renton, Washington, on the site of a former horse-racing track.
The Seattle Sounders first played in the North American Soccer League from 1974 to 1983, and then in the USL First Division from 1994 to 2008. They joined MLS in 2009, and won MLS Cups in 2016 and 2019.
UPDATE (Sunday, Sept. 24): The Sounders uploaded a new teaser video to their social media channels Sunday evening, adding a time for Tuesday’s announcement of 10 a.m. PT.
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Seattle Sounders Confirm Brand Evolution for 50th Anniversary