CINCINNATI – West End Stadium’s east side seating sections will feature the club’s “Gary” winged lion logo in orange on a field of navy blue seats when the stadium opens in Spring 2021.
Fan feedback during the voting process also led to an additional seating design decision announced by the club: FC Cincinnati have added the letters “FCC” in orange seats across the mezzanine level of the south end zone.
The east-side design was determined by a week-long fan vote, which generated more than 5,000 entries between May 18 and May 22. Of those votes, 95% of fans who voted selected one of the two designs that featured Gary – with the winning navy-based design copping 55% of the total votes.
“We are thrilled to see our fans so overwhelmingly select a design with an orange Gary,” FC Cincinnati president Jeff Berding said. “Since our MLS brand launch in November 2018, there has been a steady groundswell of organic support for the winged lion in our logo. Even his name originated from our supporters and fans – before our MLS logo was even formally released. The fact that they so unanimously favored designs with Gary means a lot to us as a club. When West End Stadium opens next spring, Gary will become an iconic symbol of our club and stadium around the world – and our supporters will have played a valuable role in the design.”
“Additionally, we quickly saw how passionate our fans were about wanting the club name as a text element in the seats. The seating order for The Bailey was already completed, which prevents us from adding it there as many fans requested. However, we were able to adjust and incorporate F-C-C lettering into the south end zone seat design. When West End Stadium opens, our fans will have had a tremendous impact on what stadium visitors and the world see week-in and week-out,” Berding added.
Votes for the east-side seats originated from at least 14 different states during the five-day voting period.
FC Cincinnati’s West End Stadium is currently under construction, and the installation of the horizontal trusses to support the stadium’s 360-degree canopy roof began on May 14. The stadium will open in Spring 2021.
About West End Stadium
When West End Stadium opens in Spring 2021, FC Cincinnati’s future home is expected to be one of the most ambitious soccer-specific stadiums in not only North America, but the world. Critically acclaimed firm Populous designed an innovative and forward-thinking stadium that will be one of the largest soccer-specific facilities in Major League Soccer. The $250 million, privately funded stadium will have a 26,000 capacity, with the closest seats within 15 feet of the field. The design includes 53 traditional suites and 4,500 premium seats throughout four premium club spaces. Additionally, the team’s famous supporters’ section, The Bailey, will grow to be more than 3,100 strong and loom over opponents at a 34-degree angle at the stadium’s north end. A 360-degree canopy roof will cover every seat in the stadium, but still allow sufficient sun in to grow a natural grass field. The stadium will have five team locker rooms, including a comprehensive team suite for FC Cincinnati that features a dressing room, coaches offices, lounge, equipment storage and the Mercy Health Center of Excellence for the team’s medical and game day fitness needs. West End Stadium will meet all current requirements to host CONCACAF and FIFA events, featuring top national teams from around the world, including the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams, as well as the world’s top club teams for friendlies. | More information about the stadium is available at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or visit the stadium’s website.
About FC Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati are a professional soccer team that plays in Major League Soccer, having entered the league as its 24th team in 2019. The club’s wide and diverse ownership group is led by controlling owner Carl H. Lindner III, as well as managing owners Meg Whitman, Scott Farmer, and George Joseph. Originally founded in 2015 by Lindner III and current president Jeff Berding, FCC played in the second-division United Soccer League (USL) from 2016 to 2018 before moving to MLS. The team currently plays its home games at the historic Nippert Stadium on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, while its $250 million, privately funded, 26,000-seat soccer-specific stadium is constructed in the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati. The world-class stadium is expected to open in Spring 2021. | Follow the team on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook orYouTube, or visit the club’s official website: fccincinnati.com.
