Photo Credit: NWSL Boston X Account
Five months after a false start on its branding strategy, and two weeks after announcing that a new name was coming, the National Women’s Soccer League expansion club set to debut in Boston next Spring has a new name. Boston Legacy Football Club was announced Wednesday morning after a five-month process during which the club dove deep into what it called fan listening, research, and consultation.
The club’s initial name, BOS Nation FC, and its subsequent tagline “Too Many Balls” was met with immediate backlash from all corners of the sports landscape. The club eventually announced it was looking into changing the name and made the official announcement just before the kickoff of the NWSL regular season.
“Our name is just the beginning,” Boston Legacy controlling owner Jennifer Epstein said in a statement. “It’s what we build together, through dedication, commitment, and grit, that will give it life. We aim for our values to reflect a city that breathes competition, passion, and pride, and pays tribute to those who paved the way before us, including the gamechangers who helped build previous women’s professional teams in Boston.”
Boston was a founding member of the original WUSA through the Breakers. A second Boston Breakers launched with WPS in 2009, and carried over into NWSL in 2013. Ownership issues plagued the NWSL iteration and when an 11th hour sale fell through on the eve of the 2018 draft, the club was folded.
Kristine Lilly was a founding member of the Breakers in both WUSA and WPS, and advised the club during the renaming process. “It’s always a great day when women’s professional soccer is back in Boston,” the 1999 World Cup champion said. “I look forward to watching the Boston Legacy build a club for a new generation while honoring those who helped build the game.”
A crest and wordmark for Boston Legacy FC will be developed in the coming months.
With the new name in tow, the focus on Boston Legacy FC will shift to an ongoing lawsuit aimed at blocking the team and city’s plans to refurbish White Stadium into an NWSL-standard stadium. Time is short with the scheduled start of the Legacy’s first season presumably less than a year away.
