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Rebranded and ready to go: See which clubs have upgraded their identity during the close season
April 21, 2023
Media Releases

With the first of the League1 Canada seasons having kicked off last week, we round-up the new looks that are taking to the field in 2023.

Hamilton United

The League1 Ontario club announced a rebrand in December, aligning themselves with the identity of Forge FC – three-time and current Canadian Premier League champions.

The change from the black and gold of Hamilton United’s previous seasons ties in with the club’s new relationship with their local CPL outfit, building bridges between their high performances and the professional game.

An example of the clubs’ close connection is Miles Green, League1 Ontario Forward of the Year for 2022. As a testament to his 23 goals in 20 regular-season games last year – a ratio bettered only by Massimo Ferrin who recently signed for HFX Wanderers – Green was drafted by the CPL champions in the U-SPORT Draft.

Windsor City

There’s a new look to Windsor’s League1 Ontario Men’s Premier Division team this season, as Windsor TFC’s high-performance team adopts a separate name and logo.

While still maintaining the red and grey colour scheme and dominant letter W in its centre, a new addition to the crest is the Gordie Howe International Bridge that, once construction is finished, will connect Canada to the USA over the Detroit River and be North America’s largest cable-stayed bridge.

While the L1O team will sport a new identity, Windsor City and Windsor TFC are still very much one club, continuing their relationship with Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC. The TFC moniker will remain the name for age-group and development-level teams outside of their League1 Ontario programs.

Windsor City logo

Scrosoppi

In July last year, Scrosoppi acquired Sport Clube Vianense – one of the oldest soccer clubs in Portugal, having been founded 122 years before Scrosoppi in 1898.

The L1O club’s new logo is inspired by the Portuguese sister outfit, who have the letters SCV in a circle at the bottom of their shield-shaped crest. Scrosoppi Football Club’s initials, SFC, now appear in a similar style, while maintaining the black and gold colour scheme that graced L1O in the club’s inaugural two seasons.

Scrosoppi were named after the patron of footballers, Luigi Scrosoppi, and now aim to provide more European opportunities to players through their partnership with SC Vianense.

Ottawa South United

This year Ottawa South United are celebrating their 20th anniversary after being founded in 2003, and have given their logo a sleek upgrade to mark the milestone.

The Ligue1 Québec club’s colour scheme has remained the same with black and blue stripes now dominating the logo on a white background. The club’s name on the old logo has been abbreviated to the initials OSU and they are positioned in bold at the top of the logo, which is encased by a black border that adopts a similar shield shape to its predecessor. The Canadian maple leaf also features at the bottom.

The club’s alumni includes players in Canada, the USA, Germany, and CANWNT forward Clarissa Larisey who plays club soccer in Sweden, and the new logo will be worn by many more stars in the making.

 

Nautsa’mawt FC

League1 BC’s Varsity FC has rebranded to Nautsa’mawt FC after Hope and Health for Life Society became the new club owners. Nautsa’mawt is the Hulq’u’mi’num term for ‘one heart, one mind’ and thrives to represent indigenous people playing and working in sport.

While blue, white, and yellow remain key colours from the Varsity logo, the new logo includes the head, feather, and claw of an indigenous raven, representing the transition for players moving through the ranks.

Varsity topped both the men’s and women’s L1BC regular seasons last year but were defeated in the Championship finals. Former license holders UBC Athletics will still play a key role in the club’s development with Thunderbird Stadium continuing to be the team’s home field.

Harbourside FC

Not so much a rebrand as a new club: Vancouver Island is home to L1BC’s first expansion team, Harbourside FC, aiming to represent Nanaimo (nicknamed ‘The Harbour City’) and other local harbour communities.

The club’s colour palette – Salish Sea Blue and Departure Bay Blue – is a nod to the surrounding waters, with the logo shape taken from the front of a ferry and the prominent letter ‘H’ constructed from two symbolic harbours and the channels and inlets used by local boats.

The club is targeting a festival atmosphere at their home stadium at Nanaimo District Secondary School – a location they anticipate expanding in the coming years.