The team will take the pitch in 2024 in the United Soccer League.
Velocity
Spokane Velocity FC unveils official branding ahead of inaugural 2024 season
LOCAL CREATIVE AGENCY TREATMENT’S DESIGN FEATURES STYLIZED NOD TO MONROE STREET BRIDGE ATOP FOUR DESCENDING WATER BLADES
SPOKANE, Wash. – The newest arrival to USL League One is ready to reach full Velocity.
Spokane Velocity FC and ownership group, Aequus Sports, LLC unveiled the club’s official branding on Friday evening at an event at Brick West Brewing as the club prepares to kick off in the 2024 League One at the new ONE Spokane Stadium.
The crest, designed by local creative agency Treatment, draws from regional inspiration. The club nickname Velocity is stylized as a nod to the Monroe Street Bridge and sits atop four descending water blades representative of the waterfalls in and around downtown Spokane and Riverfront Park.
The design process for the club’s name and crest involved collaborative listening sessions with members of the community, brand surveys and ongoing connectivity with fans. The information gathered during this process revealed a clear theme centered around the unparalleled landscape and pride in the river that runs through downtown Spokane.
These unique elements were brought to life in the official launch video also created by Treatment capturing the essence of the river’s power and speed as well as the anticipation of the team’s launch in 2024.
“Creating a team name and crest which personifies the strength of the city, the fans and the players in Spokane was our main objective throughout the process,” said Ryan Harnetiaux, Managing Partner for Aequus Sports, LLC. “It was really fun and took many turns along the way – in the end, I believe we will have created an enduring brand for our men’s team.”
For Treatment Co-Founder Benji Wade, the project was one he was eager to bring to life thanks to his lifelong love of the sport.
“Soccer has been my absolute favorite sport since I was a kid and my appreciation of the colors and crests of clubs throughout the world runs deep,” said Wade. “This opportunity was an unbelievable joy for the Treatment team and we’re super grateful for the inspiration and support of the Aequus team and USL. We can’t wait for the first game. LFG!”
In addition to introducing the club’s name and crest at the event, Spokane Velocity FC also unveiled a new website and gave fans a first look at merchandise. In addition to launching their new online team store, merchandise will also be available for purchase on site at the stadium on games days and at their new downtown location to be announced later this Fall.
Spokane USL team name and logo revealed: Spokane Velocity
SPOKANE, Wash. — The names of the Lilac City’s two new United Soccer League Clubs have been announced: the Spokane Velocity.
The men and women’s teams will play at the newly-named “ONE Spokane” stadium in downtown, which is expected to open by September.
The reveal took place at Brick West Brewing with a plethora of fans in attendance. There’s also a watch party at the venue for the USA Women’s National Team as they face off against Vietnam for the World Cup.
The reveal video says the team name comes from the Spokane River, which is always rapidly flowing and ever-changing.
The Spokane Velocity will have another big reveal in a few months. Stay tuned!
Spokane’s United Soccer League team debuts ‘Velocity FC’ name, logo
By Jim Allen For The Spokesman-Review
The power of the Spokane River was a driving force in the creation of a name for Spokane’s professional men’s soccer franchise that will kick off its first season next spring.
The team will compete in League One of the United Soccer League as the Spokane Velocity FC, the franchise announced Friday night.
The team crest features the word “Velocity” stylized as a nod to the Monroe Street Bridge atop four descending water blades representative of the waterfalls in and around downtown Spokane and Riverfront Park.
The identification with the river made a lot of sense, said Ryan Harnetiaux, the managing partner for Aequus Sports LCC, which owns the Velocity and two women’s teams that also will debut next year in the nearly completed ONE Spokane Stadium rising on the north bank of the river.
“The power of the river and what it brings to Spokane is really important to us,” Harnetiaux said Friday. “It’s a pretty cool logo.
“Creating a team name and crest which personifies the strength of the city, the fans and the players in Spokane was our main objective throughout the process. It was really fun and took many turns along the way.
“In the end, I believe we will have created an enduring brand for our men’s team.”
The crest was designed by Treatment, a local creative agency.
“Soccer has been my absolute favorite sport since I was a kid and my appreciation of the colors and crests of clubs throughout the world runs deep, said Benji Wade, co-founder of Treatment.
“We can’t wait for the first game.”
He isn’t alone. Harnetiaux said almost 3,800 season ticket deposits had been received.
Spokane Velocity FC is expected to play about 35 matches in a season that will run from late March to late October,
The next step includes hiring of technical staff next month and beyond.
A name reveal for the women’s pro team is planned for October, Harnetiaux said.
In addition to introducing its name and crest at the event, Spokane Velocity FC unveiled a new website and gave fans a first look at merchandise.
In addition to an online team store, merchandise will also be available on site at the stadium on games days and at the new downtown location to be announced later this fall.
Spokane gets top-tier USL women’s soccer team
By Jim Allen
For The Spokesman-Review
In a major step forward for women’s sports in the Inland Northwest, the United Soccer League announced Tuesday that Spokane will be one of eight franchises to compete next year in the new USL Super League.
The inclusion of the Super League team means that Spokane will be home to both men’s and women’s professional teams as well as a women’s preprofessional team in the W League, also under the USL.
“When we looked to invest in USL Spokane, it was always our intention to add a women’s professional team to the club,” said Katie Harnetiaux, who along with husband Ryan Harnetiaux leads Aequus Sports, LLC, the investor group purchasing the expansion club rights for USL Spokane.
“We are thrilled the league and other USL ownership groups are committed to U.S. Soccer’s Division One standards,” Katie Harnetiaux said. “This is a historic moment; we are literally doubling the landscape of opportunity for women in pro soccer.”
Other markets confirmed for the Super League are Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas/Fort Worth; Lexington, Kentucky; Phoenix; Tampa Bay, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; and Washington, D.C.
More could be added in the weeks ahead.
Play is scheduled to begin in August 2024.
The USL Super League is also aiming to obtain Division I status from the U.S. Soccer Federation, putting it on par with the National Women’s Soccer League.
According to USL Super League president Amanda Vandervort, the creation of the league is about meeting demand.
Vandervort noted there are more than 100 professional men’s teams in the U.S. but only 12 on the women’s side.
“You’ve got 12 professional women’s teams in this country, and amazing cities and fans and players who want to be part of this movement of professional women’s sports,” Vandervort told ESPN on Tuesday.
“I think that’s created the opportunity that there is now for the Super League. We’re ready and we’re excited to create that platform for all of those people.”
The USL operates the W League, a preprofessional women’s league that began last year and has 65 teams. It’s expected the W League will feed into the Super League.
“What we’re trying to do is connect talent with opportunity at all steps in a player’s journey,” Vandervort said. “So that infrastructure is important, but the Super League teams are top-tier professional teams that stand in their own right.”
Vandervort praised the efforts in Spokane, which along with Lexington will be among the smallest markets for the Super League.
“Katie and Ryan have big ambitions for this club and their community. And with such a beautiful stadium in a prime downtown location, there is no doubt that this team will be electric,” Vandervort said.
SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BREAKS GROUND ON DOWNTOWN STADIUM
On Tuesday, November 30th Spokane Public Schools hosted the official groundbreaking for the new downtown Spokane stadium!
We were one of the many lucky organizations to be in attendance at this exciting event.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
WITH POMP AND A LITTLE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCE, SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BREAKS GROUND ON NEW DOWNTOWN STADIUM
SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BREAKS GROUND FOR NEW DOWNTOWN STADIUM
360 AT 6:30: SCHOOL DISTRICT, INTEREST GROUPS BREAK GROUND ON DOWNTOWN SPORTS STADIUM
SIGHTS FROM THE GROUNDBREAKING
SPOKANE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS: WOMEN’S SOCCER (2021)
We sat down with some important members of the women’s soccer community in Spokane! Cindy Wendle, USL Spokane President lead a conversation with USL Super League President Amanda Vandervort, Gonzaga Women’s Soccer Head Coach Chris Watkins, and Gonzaga Women’s Soccer player Chelsea Le!
The group discusses how much the women’s game is growing both across the country and in Spokane, as well as the positive impact a Spokane USL W League club will have on the community.
USL SPOKANE ADDS IN-PERSON LISTENING SESSIONS
SPOKANE, WA – The world’s game is coming to the home of the ’74 World’s Expo. USL Spokane – men’s professional soccer and women’s elite soccer – is launching its teams and will play in Spokane’s new downtown stadium opening in 2023.
USL Spokane is starting with a blank canvas as it builds its club; our crest, colors and name have not been determined. What we do know is these symbols will be a direct reflection of the people and places that make Spokane unique. To make that happen, we are asking the Spokane community for their help by sharing what they love most about Spokane. Our goal is the creation of an identity, embodied in a crest, that is worn over our hearts, and worn with pride by locals.
See below for more information on our open listening sessions:
USL Spokane Listening Session: All Audiences
Date: Tues, Oct. 26, 2021
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Location: No-Li Brewhouse, 1003 E Trent Ave #170
Register Now
USL Spokane Listening Session: Arts/Culture
Date: Wed, Oct. 27, 2021
Time: 3:00 – 4:30 PM
Location: Fellow Coworking, 304 W. Pacific Ave, Suite 210
Register Now
USL Spokane Listening Session: Adult Soccer Leagues
Date: Wed, Oct. 27
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Location: Whistle Punk Brewing, 122 S. Monroe St.
Note: This event is co-hosted with South Hill FC. Must be 21+ to enter. First pint is on USL Spokane for those that register in advance.
Register Now
USL Spokane Listening Session: All Audiences
Date: Thurs, Oct. 28, 2021
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Location: Brick West Brewing, 1318 W 1st Ave
Note: First pint is on USL Spokane for all those that register in advance.
Register Now
We will be following local health protocols for COVID-19 including social distancing and masks at all in-person listening sessions. Visit https://www.uslspokane.com/pages/our-crest to learn more about our listening sessions.
