Atlanta FC

[Brave-Bird 08]

Hello all, time for my first soccer concept!

Let me preface this concept by saying a few things. My intentions in this concept are more based on the idea, not my design skills, so a few things factored into this rendering.

--The "Atlanta" script shown is not original. I pulled it from here because I wanted a flowing, stylized script. But, rendering nice scripts on inkscape has always been difficult for me.

--The soccer ball you see came from here. I just tweaked it a tad bit. I was getting frustrated with the sloppiness of my soccer ball free hands, so I went with this.

Now onto the idea. I was watching the MLS playoffs and wishing Atlanta had a team, so I took it upon myself to draw up one. Instead of giving the team a specific nickname, it is simply the Atlanta Football Club. For the logo design, I wanted to incorporate the parts of Atlanta that make it iconic.

Subliminally, I represent Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, and the Olympic Games. The way the white and red streaks merge at the bottom corner of the logo is intended to look like this.. Also, you will notice something peculiar about the skyline (I hope). Finally, the ribbon that comes off the ball on the left is a nod to Coca-Cola and the Olympic Games, and the Olympics are also represented on the left side of the ball with flames.

The sponsor for the team is, of course, Coca-Cola. I've designed three uniforms as well. Hope you enjoy the concept!

[aawagner011]

Very interesting take for Atlanta. I feel like it does have a very "MLS" vibe. I quite like the design (though if we really did have a team, I wouldn't want to be embodied by a skyline). Despite that, it looks extremely good on its own. I'd do something to embody more of an identity, though. It kinda feels like an empty identity currently. It is very well rendered, but right now the logo just reads "Atlanta soccer". It just strikes me that you should have something to really embody the club, and I'm not sure a skyline can do that, especially when the team doesn't have a nickname. Think of the coiled snake of the Philadelphia Union, the red devils of Manchester United, the clover of Celtic, etc. It just needs something to be the main "identifier" of the club. Not sure a skyline can do that on its own, however. And I'm not suggesting you use a nickname in the club's official name, but rather a focal point like I mentioned such as the snake, red devil, or clover.

Despite all that, I do love the presentation and direction of this crest. It has potential. The colors work great, and I LOVE the light blue to offset the navy. I know you've got a decent amount of symbolism in there, but it comes across as very abstract (not the Coke shaped building, that one is clear! ) and the various ideas compete against each other. I'd try to stress one important aspect to embody the city and the club. I hope you keep going with this, it can be great!

Just throwing my (honest) first impression as an avid soccer fan and Atlanta native. Let me know your thoughts!

[Jimmy!]

Check your tangents on the uniforms where the "C" meets the swoosh on the front. The blue kit is ok, but the red and white kits are different.

Otherwise, nice job.

[oaklandhusker]

Gotta say, I love it!

[-kj]

The third looks a bit too much like the Revs. In fact, in the whole thing, there's nothing really iconic to set it apart from other MLS teams. The only vaguely iconic thing is the soda bottle, and that's a bit too RBNY for my tastes.

[raysox]

I like the logo, but as mentioned before it reminds me of New England and Chicago.

I would also put it on a new template, that one just isn't that great I think.

[TylerBray8]

Wow. This is really great...nice job. The crest looks really good. The jerseys look very nice too.

[ATLJ]

@ Brave-Bird 08

I think the design of the uniform and logo is quality, but I am not a fan of the ideas you implemented, the color scheme, nor the badge and I'll explain below.

I understand that in your concept Coca-Cola is a sponsor, but to design the badge around the sponsor company would be a mistake. What happens if Coca-Cola decides it doesn't want to continue to sponsor the team? Change the team's identity? I don't think it would be a good business move to routinely be changing the club's identity as the sponsorship changes.

I also think the badge is bland. First, it's built around the iconic Coca-Cola bottle - I don't think its smart. It uses their colors, I don't think that's smart and while the buildings in the logo are apparent to an Atlanta resident (which I am), I doubt anyone outside of the region would recognize those buildings.

I'm not a huge fan of the uniforms. Obviously you've rendered them well, but I'd rather you just remove the "armpit" stand. Also, as with the logo, the uniform (specifically the red) seems to be design around the sponsor which I think is a mistake. Navy blue is also overused in the league and I don't think it should be used here.

With all that said, I'd love to see what you could do with an Atlanta FC concept going in a different direction. I think Atlanta has a lot of different things to play off of, for example:

Atlanta began as a settlement located at the intersection of two railroad lines, and it was incorporated in 1845. Why not play off of that rather than a corporate sponsor? Atlanta was originally called Terminus. Terminus FC or stick with Atlanta FC, but incorporate the railroad element? Atlanta is also known as the "city of trees" and the Phoenix plays a big role in Atlanta city seal from when it was burnt down during the civil war and rebuilt through the ashes. You could easily play off the Phoenix or the year 1865 (in which Atlanta began rebuilding).

Honestly, your concept isn't bad, but I just feel there are so many unique opportunities here (city of forest, Phoenix, rebirth, Terminus, railroad, etc.) that your logo and corporate-tied identity fails on various levels.

[DLabPG5429]

Love the tie in of the coke bottle in the skyline. Very impressed with this!

[Brave-Bird 08]

@ATLJ

All great points, and points I thought of while designing. I just had THIS SPECIFIC VISION and wanted to throw it down on paper, no matter how unrealistic it would be in the real world--which I realized it would be.

Mayhaps I'll give a more legitimate angle on the team a go? Who knows!

Thanks for all of the comments, peeps!

[ATLJ]

@ATLJ

All great points, and points I thought of while designing. I just had THIS SPECIFIC VISION and wanted to throw it down on paper, no matter how unrealistic it would be in the real world--which I realized it would be.

Mayhaps I'll give a more legitimate angle on the team a go? Who knows!

Thanks for all of the comments, peeps!

Well I would love to see what else you could do incorporating some of the ideas we discussed.

I wish we had an MLS team. :-(

[Brave-Bird 08]

Quote: "I wish we had an MLS team" -- ATLj

Oh, me too. My friends and I have talked about it with frowns on our faces for a while now. I really like the direction the MLS is moving in, and with the NBA lockout it's gaining more exposure.

[-kj]

Y'all could go watch the Silverbacks and grow the fan base. That can help get you on MLS's radar.

[CIM]

I like the Coke bottle into the badge. Think that would only be acceptable though if Coca-Cola actually owned the team.

Absolutely hate teams that have their primary, secondary, and alternate uniforms being monochrome.

[GriffinM6]

I like it alot, but Atlanta isn't really asocciated by its skyline. Maybe something specific in the skyline, like if they play in the Georgia Dome. The thing missing, is a nickname. The logo could be a lot more creative. I think a singular name, such as the Stronghold or Stonewall could be interesting. Overall, it's really solid.

[ATLJ]

Y'all could go watch the Silverbacks and grow the fan base. That can help get you on MLS's radar.

I do go sometimes, but I'm not a fan of the operation. They're a suburban team primarily geared towards soccer moms and their kids. Consider the mascot, a Silverback, which has absolutely nothing to do with the city other than Zoo Atlanta had a Silverback gorilla there years ago. They don't brand well, they don't cater to Atlanta, they don't cater well to soccer fans within the city, and its hard to get behind a team whose existence isn't guaranteed from year to year. I understand this makes me a poor fan, but if MLS is waiting on Atlanta to show support for the Silverbacks before moving into the market then we'll never get a team (I wouldn't want the Silverbacks being the team that moves into MLS; I'd rather a new operation).

If they built a nice soccer specific stadium in an urban setting that was well branded the club would be successful (in an attendance sense).