The Chicago Red Stars unveiled their new club badge earlier today.

The facelift comes as part of a broader overhaul of the organization’s visual branding. The new look, part of the club’s My Kind Of Town marketing campaign, is intended to establish stronger links with the city.

Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler had this to say during the badge reveal:

“When the Red Stars first brought women’s professional soccer to Chicago in 2007, we knew it would be an uphill battle, but something that was worth it for the city. Today, we continue to grow and have the best players in the world playing right here in Chicago. This branding kicks off a new era for our franchise as we aim to create a more city based look to honor everything that Chicago represents.”

If press releases for marketing campaigns are your jam, you can read it here.

Hot (Time) Take

I kinda like it! It’s a solid refresh that doesn’t deviate too far from the established look of the club. The campaign is also a tacit acknowledgement that the club still has work to do in order to make space for itself in Chicago’s crowded sports landscape. The success of the Chicago Sky has demonstrated that women’s sports can thrive in this city, and the Red Stars clearly see an opportunity to build a fanbase with an appeal to city-dwellers. If CRS can step up its outreach game off the pitch and remain playoff contenders on it, expect to find seats at Toyota Park increasingly hard to come by.