SPOKANE, Wash. – USL Spokane announced today the first in a series of listening sessions with the community as the club begins facilitating the conversation related to club crest, colors and name. The first set of listening sessions will be held virtually to support local health protocols and include input for both the W League and League One teams.
“As we have said from the beginning, this club is going to be for Spokane, by Spokane and created with the greater Spokane community,” said USL Spokane President Cindy Wendle. “Our crest, colors and name has to be a direct reflection of the people and place that make Spokane unique; that only happens with community participation and us listening to locals on what they love most about Spokane and the world’s game. Our goal is the creation of an identity, embodied in the crest, that is worn over our hearts, and worn with pride by locals.”
The club has hired local creative agency Treatment to assist in bringing the community input to life. Treatment was selected after a national RFP process to identify an agency that could assist with the creative components of the brand design.
“Treatment’s past work showcases a deep understanding of the fabric and diversity of our region,” said Wendle. “Their commitment and passion to stay true to how Spokane wants to be embodied in our crest is what will help make this process truly ‘by Spokane.’ We are thrilled to partner with a local agency; a small business dedicated to inclusion and diversity on their team and a commitment to projects that drive purpose in their work.”
The first two listening sessions will take place on the evenings of Tuesday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m. PT and Thursday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. PT, respectively. Additional sessions are already being planned throughout October. Listening sessions will be set up at various dates and times, to allow for the most flexibility with audiences and to ensure a diversity of participants and experiences. This will include dedicated sessions for members of the youth soccer community, arts/culture and young professionals.
To participate, the community can view an available list of dates and register online at https://www.uslspokane.com. ln addition to the listening sessions, the community is asked to share their input through an online survey. The survey will be available over the next 30 days and available here. Participants for the listening sessions and survey do not need to have experience playing, watching or engaging with soccer. It is important to the club and USL that as many people as possible participate to ensure the final design is a true reflection of the entire region, and not just a small segment.
For more information on USL Spokane, please visit www.uslspokane.com and follow on social media at @USLSpokane on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.