The recently-formed National Women’s Soccer League Boston-based team announced its new official name, the Boston Legacy Football Club, which will replace the original name “BOS Nation Football Club.”
According to a press release from Boston Legacy FC, the change comes after “five months of fan listening, research, and consultation.”
In a March 14 Instagram post, the team announced it would change its franchise name.
“Boston, you’ve waited long enough,” the Instagram post said. “We are changing our club name.”
“The name keeps the focus on Boston while invoking both its long history and its importance as a hub of future innovation,” Boston Legacy FC wrote in the press release.
“BOS Nation Football Club,” the team’s original name, was first announced with the rollout of the city’s NWSL expansion team in October. Along with the name came the slogan “Too Many Balls,” which faced immediate backlash.
The slogan, which was made in reference to the number of men’s professional sports teams in Boston, drew an adverse reaction from several groups, including the LGBTQ+ community.
As the team’s inaugural season nears, tension regarding renovations to its home stadium, White Stadium, has increased.
Local community members protested in February, as they believed the renovations would cause a complete privatization of the field, restricting Boston Public School student access.
However, according to a White Stadium fact sheet sent to The Daily Free Press by Boston Unity Soccer Partners, the team’s ownership group, the lease ensures city and public access, limiting game-related activities to “an estimated 60 hours” along with “60 hours of pre-gameday practices.”
Demolition of the 66-year old White Stadium began last month, less than a year before the team is slated to start its inaugural season, according to ESPN.
Boston Legacy FC will be among the latest additions to the NWSL, bringing the total number of teams to 16.
“Our name is just the beginning,” Club Owner Jennifer Epstein said in the press release. “We aim for our values to reflect a city that breathes competition, passion, and pride, and to pay tribute to those who paved the way before us, including the gamechangers who helped build previous women’s professional teams in Boston.”
