WILMINGTON, N.C. — As the soccer scene continues to grow across the state, it’s bringing opportunities to more than just athletes. A Wilmington design agency was tasked with the opportunity to brand Charlotte’s new MLS Next Pro team, Crown Legacy FC. 

What You Need To Know

  • Crown Legacy FC is a stepping block for athletes to make it to the MLS level
  • Creature Theory usually brands for drinks but got the chance to brand for a professional sports team
  • The homegrown nature of Charlotte FC is a reason they looked for a North Caroline agency for branding

While some youth athletes dream of playing their sport professionally, James Laycock dreamed of designing a brand for a professional team.

"Growing up, I was a multi-sport athlete… you get to middle school and high school, you focus a little bit more on soccer, baseball, basketball, football,” Laycock said.

“You always love your team logos and gear and all that stuff that goes along with like marketing the team,” Laycock said.

Laycock was never a traditional art student. He put his interest in design and love of sports together, and as a senior designer for Creature Theory is creating the brand for Crown Legacy FC.

MLS Next Pro is a league run by MLS that serves as a stepping stone for players who want to grow in the profession. 

"This club is like in that building block for the player's career,” Laycock said.

"We had some freedom and knew that we wanted it to be a little bit more modern, a little bit more edgy, knowing that the club has a little bit more personality than the parent club,” Laycock said.

Charlotte FC, the pattern team to Crown Legacy FC, takes pride in its homegrown soccer, coaching players from youth all the way up to the pros. That’s why bringing in a North Carolina design agency to brand the team was so important to Creature Theory Chief Creative Director Matt Ebbing and his team.

"Knowing there was sort of a style and swagger that was, you know, brave and modern and urban, youthful, maybe even that would take chances,” Ebbing said.

Like Laycock, Ebbing grew up playing soccer, and now he’s at the point where he watches his children play.

"It's really fun to have my 8-year-old see that we're actually working on a soccer team, a professional team that we can go take the whole family to see over in Charlotte,” Ebbing said.

Crown Legacy FC was unveiled Jan. 30. This team is another building block in Charlotte FC's pro player pathway from the academy to the first team.

The club debuted Feb. 11.