Chicago Red Stars unveil new name and crest, dropping ‘Red’ and ushering in next chapter

The Chicago Red Stars came under new ownership last September when Laura Ricketts, co-owner of the city’s Cubs in MLB, completed a deal valued at $60 million. “It was something that Laura had been thinking about when she originally purchased the Red Stars about a year ago.” Chicago’s chief marketing officer Kay Bradley tells The Athletic. “Talking to players, fans, staff, leadership, stakeholders, collaborators, getting out in the marketplace and understanding not only what makes our club unique, but also, and as importantly, what makes Chicago unique.” GO DEEPER Red Stars' owner Laura Ricketts: 'There’s a lot that needs to be addressed immediately' The club spoke to players to understand what made them feel connected to the crest, and they spoke to fans, including supporters’ group Chicago Local 134, to hear their motivations and what has driven — or failed to drive — interest in the Red Stars until now. “So making sure that we’re really intentional about: how do we create something evergreen, that feels like it represents a next chapter and a new chapter for our club, but that also we can have into the future?” A more modern crest and a new name might also help drive some consumer behaviors the club would like to see, while strengthening its presence in a very crowded sports brand landscape.