Boston Legacy FC

Last updated

Boston Legacy FC
Full nameBoston Legacy FC
FoundedSeptember 19, 2023
Stadium White Stadium
Boston, Massachusetts
OwnerBoston Unity Soccer Partners
League National Women's Soccer League
Website bostonlegacyfc.com

Boston Legacy FC is an American professional soccer team based in Boston, Massachusetts, that will compete in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) starting in 2026. The team will play its home games at White Stadium. Though the team originally announced it would be known as BOS Nation FC in the fall of 2024, the club name and introduction video were roundly criticized, and the team announced in March 2025 it would bring forward a new team moniker at a later date. [1] The Boston Legacy FC name was announced March 26, 2025. [2]

Contents

History

Background

The Boston Breakers competed in Women's Professional Soccer from 2009 to 2011. [3] The league folded in early 2012, and that year, the Breakers competed in the Women's Premier Soccer League Elite. [4] After one season, the club joined the National Women's Soccer League for its inaugural season in 2013. The club folded after the 2017 season with reports generally blaming a lack of marketing and resultant limited fanbase. [5] [6] [7]

2026 expansion bid

On September 19, 2023, an NWSL expansion team was announced, with a planned start date in 2026. [8] The ownership group of the winning bid, Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP), is an all-female ownership group led by Jennifer Epstein, Stephanie Connaughton, Ami Danoff, and Anna Palmer. [8] Later investors joined, including Aly Raisman, Elizabeth Banks, Brad and Tracy Stevens, and Linda Henry. [9] The team will play home matches in White Stadium in Franklin Park, Boston. [8]

The City of Boston planned to commit up to $50 million towards the stadium's renovation, and BUSP pledged $30 million. [10] The stadium is to be the first venue in the country which will be home to a major league sports franchise and the athletic program of a public high school. [10] The stadium will be shared with Boston Public Schools track and soccer. [10] American football matches will be prohibited at the field during the professional soccer season, although high school football will be played on the field for playoffs and Thanksgiving games. [10]

BOS Nation FC, criticism, and name change

The club's name and its black-and-green branding were announced on October 15, 2024, during a marketing campaign that said "there are too many balls in this town". [11] [9] BOS Nation FC was selected as a play on the name of the city ("BOS Nation" is an anagram of "Bostonian") [12] and the word boss; other options included Boston FC, Boston Unity, and names having to do with weather. [9]

On October 16, BOS Nation FC posted an apology on social media amid criticism of its initial marketing campaign of "Too Many Balls" from the LGBTQ community, particularly those identifying as transgender. While the "Too Many Balls" campaign was intended to highlight the male-dominated nature of Boston sports teams, it was seen as transphobic. [13]

In November 2024, the team announced a review of their name and that they are working to "create a club that represents the strength, diversity, and passion" of Boston. [14] The team announced at an event on March 14, 2025, that the BOS Nation FC would not be the club's name going forward and a new name would be announced at a later date, with the club temporarily known as "Coming Soon FC". The club will retain the previously announced black-and-green color scheme. [15] On March 26, the new name was announced as "Boston Legacy FC". [2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Boston NWSL Team Gives New Name Update
  2. 1 2 "Boston's new pro women's soccer team gets a new name: Boston Legacy Football Club". WGBH. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Breakers History". Boston Breakers Women's Professional Soccer. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  4. ↑ "2012 WPSL Elite Season Preview". National Soccer Coaches of America Association. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Boston Breakers fold after ownership deal falls through". January 25, 2018. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  6. ↑ Churchill, Samantha (May 2, 2018). "The Fall of the Boston Breakers". The Wellesley News. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  7. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (October 16, 2019). "How an era ended: The mysterious final months of the Boston Breakers". The Equalizer. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 "Professional Women's Soccer Returns to Boston as National Women's Soccer League Awards Expansion Franchise to Boston Unity Soccer Partners". NWSL. Sidearm Sports. September 19, 2023. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Silverman, Michael (October 15, 2024). "Boston's NWSL team has a name: Introducing BOS Nation FC" . The Boston Globe . Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Hohler, Bob (December 12, 2023). "Plan for professional soccer at White Stadium sharply reduces access for Boston high school football". The Boston Globe. The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Boston NWSL Team Branding Officially Revealed". NWSLSoccer.com. October 15, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  12. ↑ Guilfoil, Kyla (October 15, 2024). "National Women's Soccer League reveals name for new Boston team". NBC News . Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  13. ↑ Silverman, Michael (October 16, 2024). "Boston's NWSL team, BOS Nation FC, ditches 'Too Many Balls' promotional campaign after backlash" . The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  14. ↑ Andrejev, Alex (November 27, 2024). "BOS Nation considering name change after public backlash" . The Athletic. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  15. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (March 14, 2025). "NWSL's BOS Nation FC to change name after backlash". ESPN . Retrieved March 15, 2025.
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