VANCOUVER, BC – Whitecaps FC 2, it is.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC officially launched its own USL PRO franchise on Friday, and at the same time, unveiled the new team’s brand and logo.
The team will be called Whitecaps FC 2, or WFC2, which is significant for a few different reasons.
First and foremost, the club wasn’t interested in reinventing the wheel.
"We want to make it very clear that this team is a part of the Whitecaps FC family," said Mikkel Strojer, the club’s director of marketing. "It’s the same club with everyone under the same umbrella.”
There are a number of teams that fall under that umbrella.
Of course, there’s the MLS side. But there are also teams at the U-14, U-16, and U-18 levels as part of the club’s Pre-Residency and Residency programs, as well as the Girls Elite program.
Since joining MLS in 2011, the Whitecaps FC brand has continued to grow and become more recognizable. And club president Bob Lenarduzzi said it was important to capitalize on that.
“That was a significant part in why we wanted to maintain the correlation between the two,” Lenarduzzi told whitecapsfc.com.
So why WFC2?
For starters, the “2” symbolizes that this USL PRO side is a feeder team for the MLS side – a second team that features the next generation of talent, if you will.
The fact that Whitecaps FC is built on a European club model also comes into play. Second teams in Germany are often referred in this way, such as Bayern Munich II or Borussia Dortmund II.
This is all symbolized through the logo.
The top triangles are meant to represent the peak of the Whitecaps FC development pyramid (pictured to the right; click to enlarge) and the direction of players making their way up to the first team.
The triangles at the base represent the club's youth development programs.
And WFC2 is the club's second team, which acts as a bridge between the youth development programs and the first team.
“From the outset of our arrival in MLS and prior to, we’ve always been a club that has embraced player development and I think people see that from the outside looking in as well,” Lenarduzzi said. “So having Whitecaps FC 2 in USL PRO is further evidence of our commitment to developing our own players.”
As illustrated, the logo has a few distinct features but also stays true to the main Whitecaps FC crest.
The same shape and colour scheme, including white, deep sea blue, silver, and a lighter blue, are used. And as with the main logo, the renowned mountains of Vancouver's north shore sit above the club's name in white and reflect down on the city's waterfront - below the club name.
“It’s about having a clear story and having a clear line through the club,” Strojer said. “That’s really important.”
For more information and news about WFC2, visit the official website at whitecapsfc2.com and follow the team on Facebook.
Whitecaps FC 2 matches will be a unique, affordable experience for soccer fans, families, students, and supporters. The club is now accepting $50 deposits on Season Tickets, which start at $118 plus applicable fees – just $8 per match – for current MLS Season Ticket Holders and the UBC campus community including residents, students, staff, and faculty. A limited supply of family packs are also available, starting at $199. For more information on all ticket options go to whitecapsfc2.com or call 604.669.9283 ext.1.
