Sky Blue FC Rebrands as NJ/NY Gotham FC
Jordan Gasson
Sports Business Writer
This year, New Jersey’s NWSL soccer team will be competing under a brand new identity as the team updates their look and name for the first time in their history. The team was founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, and officially began competing as Sky Blue FC in the 2009 season of Women’s Professional Soccer. When that league folded after the 2012 season, Sky Blue FC continued on into the new National Women’s Soccer League, where the franchise remains today.
The new name for the club looks to capture a wider audience and signifies the team’s location not only in New Jersey, but in the general NYC area. The team will now compete as NJ/NY Gotham FC. The team is also creating a reserves team that will play at Randall’s Island. This will further establish the organization’s link with New York City as they try to grow the women’s game in their own backyard. This reserves team will be operated in conjunction with Downtown United SC, a large soccer club that is well-known for their camps and team for both boys and girls youth soccer.
NJ/NY Gotham FC will also officially have a new home. The team previously held home matches at Yurcak Field, the main soccer and lacrosse field for Rutgers University, but will now share Red Bull Arena with the New York Red Bulls of MLS.
Paige Monaghan, a native of New Jersey and a rising star for NJ/NY Gotham FC said of the changes, “I’m really excited for Gotham FC. I think there is a vision, I think we’re what the brand shows and what we represent as a team on and off the field from our staff all the way to our players and how we are going to contribute and positively go off this year. The rebrand is more than just a name, it’s more than just changing the logo, it is really just elevating up with the group.”
It is clear that the name change and relocation represent only a portion of what is to come for the team, as they look to grow their success on the field but also in their larger community. So far, the team has gotten off to a positive start, reaching the final for the NWSL Challenge Cup. This cup tournament kicks off the NWSL season and the 2021 edition is the team’s first competition under the new name. The team and all of their new fans will hope that this success continues as the years go by under the new identity.
Contact Jordan at gassonjo@shu.edu