Madison’s new pre-professional women’s soccer team will take the field next spring as Rally Madison FC.
Big Top Events, which owns the team as well as Forward Madison, the Madison Mallards and Madison Night Mares, unveiled the name, crest, colors and home jerseys to about 750 supporters at the Sylvee Friday night.
Big Top chief operating officer Conor Caloia says the team got over 1,000 submissions for name ideas, and engaged about 100 potential fans to help guide the branding process.
“Those 100 people wanted a logo that was serious, athletic and competitive,” Caloia said. “They wanted modern. They didn’t want vintage.”
The crest depicts the face of Wisconsin, the statue atop the state capitol. Below her chin is a yellow rose, the symbol of the women’s suffrage movement, in which Wisconsin played an important role – it was the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. In Wisconsin’s crown is the symbol of the capitol building from above, which is the center of the City of Madison flag.
The inaugural home jerseys are purple with a gold sash, which symbolized the isthmus on which Madison is built. (Forward Madison’s home jerseys also feature a sash.) On the sash and the sleeves are a repeating pattern of roses.
“I love the logo so much. It’s really nice to have it be reflective of the forward statue,” said Sophia Tabat, who’s already purchased a season ticket for the Rally. “I know the 19th Amendment. I didn’t know that Wisconsin was the first to ratify it.”
“I’m excited. Madison’s been wanting something like this,” said David Olson, also a season ticket holder. “Everyone loves women’s sports, and it’s just really exciting to have homegrown talent on the team, people you can really get behind and support with your whole heart as a city.”
Tabat and Olson have also been Forward Madison season ticket holders for several years.
“I’m so excited for it to finally be here. I can’t wait for the games,” Tabat said. “I think it’s going to be such good energy. And I really hope a lot of the fan base from Forward comes over to the Rally because, honestly, we’ve got such a great history of soccer talent for women in the city, and I know that there’s just a big demand for more women’s sports.”
The club also announced the Rally Girls Soccer Fund, which will support girls’ soccer programs and players in the Madison area.
“While this logo is an extremely important part of tonight, what’s equally as important (is that) the community has been involved in creating this brand,” Caloia said. “It’s important that this brand stays involved in the community.”
“Our goal is for Rally Madison FC to be a pillar in our community and to serve as a driving force for progress across girls soccer and Madison,” said community partnership manager Alex Torres. She said the Rally Girls Soccer Fund was “founded on the principle of providing girls with an accessible route to continue playing, developing and achieving their highest soccer aspirations right here in Madison, in front of all of their friends and family.”
The team pledged to put $1 for every ticket sold every season into the fund, and announced the fund’s first grant: $5,500 to the Madison East girls’ soccer program to support uniform needs.
Rally Madison’s schedule is expected to be announced in January. USL W League play will begin in May.
