Louisville City's Forgotten Crest
- Benton
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Louisville City has fielded competitive teams since their inception. The club's branding evolution has been a journey of growth and fan engagement. Many may remember the crest redesign from 2019. The four-sided triangle crest generated significant feedback from fans, and the team quickly responded by collaborating with Matthew Wolfe, which led to the debut of the current crest in late 2020. Interestingly, this wasn't the team's first time in that position.
In June of 2014, Louisville City was officially announced to be joining the USL for the 2015 season. And with that announcement was the unveiling of the very first crest. Reception was so negative that it garnered a piece on Deadspin. From bashing the font to comparing it to clip art, it was not the start that the brand new organization wanted. To their credit, they acted quickly. They opted for a unique approach, a fan contest. The rules were straightforward: it must include a Fleur-de-lis, the color purple (for its affiliation with Orlando City Soccer Club), and a bourbon barrel. As with the original logo, it was to be shaped in a "crest/badge format." There was $500 on the line for the winner and $150 for finalists. Many Twitter users shared their ideas and submissions. See below for what could have been!
Late June of 2014, the winning design was announced. Michael Manning's design became the team's second crest. Manning said he used the required design elements, a Fleur-de-lis and bourbon barrel, which serve as "roots of the city" with the skyline above. Buildings included on the crest are Preston Pointe, near Slugger Field, as well as the Aegon Center, National City Tower, and Humana Building, from left to right. Owner Wayne Estopinal confirmed it came down to five before Michael's design was selected to represent the eventual two-time USL champions.
The unselected finalists' designs were never publicly shared. Much of the info from this saga is lost to time but thanks to Soccer Holdings' Kristen Wallace, we can now see four of the finalist designs that were reviewed by Louisville City's leadership! This includes an early version of Michael Manning's design that features an additional building among other minor variations from the final product.
Another fun tidbit surrounds the coloring of the crest. You may have seen two different versions of the club crest with differing coloring. One with the traditional purple and another with a more bluish purple. This was a product of the logo being shared with a journalist when it was unveiled in a file type that resulted in the change in color.
A club's crest is more than just a logo—it's a visual representation of identity, history, and community. The journey from initial concept to final product rarely follows a straight line. Whether through fan feedback, designer collaboration, or simple iteration, the most enduring crests are those that evolve with their audience and reflect the values of the community they represent. Louisville City fans will always look back fondly on the club’s original crest and the memories associated with it.
