SEATTLE — OL Reign is returning to its original name of Seattle Reign FC and bringing back another brand icon — the queen.
"Today is the start of a new chapter for our unique club, fans and community," said Seattle Reign FC CEO Vincent Berthillot in the Jan. 9 announcement. "Bringing back the club's original name and identity from the 2013 season as the club prepares to enter a new era is our way of honoring the history of this club while respecting the progress and success we've experienced firsthand."
Berthillot said Seattle Reign FC was "a founding club in this growing league, and our OGs, our supporters and our community have remained by our side from the very beginning to help pave the way for the future."
The name "Seattle Reign FC" was used for the team's first six seasons, then the team was renamed to "Reign FC" in 2019. This name lasted just one season before the team's name was changed to "OL Reign" in 2020. "OL Reign" came as part of the Olympique Lyonnais family under OL Groupe's acquisition of the team in 2020.
In addition to the Tuesday renaming announcement, the team also unveiled a new logo and color scheme with new shades of blue and gold. The logo is a revamped version of the original crest featuring a queen "that embodies the exponential growth in professional women's sports," according to the announcement.
Within its 12 years of life, the team won back-to-back National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Shields in 2014 and 2015. Last November, Reign FC competed for the 2023 National Women's Soccer League Championship title, losing 2-1 against NJ/NY Gotham FC.
"The Reign brand goes far beyond the name and crest, but when considering the opportunity in this moment to link our past to the future, there was no doubt about the connection this mark has to the legacy and identity of this stories club," said Michelle Haines, the vice president of marketing and ticketing for Seattle Reign FC.
Haines added that the updated brand "is an embodiment of our roots in Seattle, honors the dedication of our fans, reflects the caliber of our players and aligns with our core values."
This season marks Seattle Reign's third season playing at Lumen Field.
