KC Current
Making History on a Global Stage
BRAND STRATEGY • NAMING • BRAND IDENTITY • ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN • BRAND EXPERIENCE • BRAND ACTIVATION • VIDEO
Challenge
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is on the rise in the US. Teams are breaking attendance records, making stars out of athletes and garnering long overdue respect for women’s sports. Kansas City entered the market with a clear commitment to do it right for the players and the city. Team ownership sought a partner to design a name, crest and brand experience as a vital part of the strategy that would propel this team into the record books.
Solution
We asked the players, the fans, ownership and the community what they wanted from this club. The Kansas City Current brand is a reflection of this shared vision – ambitious, fierce, and brave. It represents the progressive trajectory of a team and a city on the rise while simultaneously paying homage to its authentic sense of place in Kansas City on the banks of the Missouri River.
Result
The new brand announcement, made during the last match of the first season, exceeded expectations. The media reach was immense, with 1.1 million social impressions, a 90% increase in visitors to the website, 2.9 million earned impressions across media, and over 20,000 new email subscribers. The brand awareness went global with the grand opening of the first stadium purpose-built for a professional women’s sports team in the world. It has sold out every match since its opening.
The Name
Carving Their Own Path
We set out to find a name that reflected the elite level of play and determination of players who didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of Kansas City’s men’s teams, the Royals, Chiefs and Sporting KC. The unifying nature of soccer led us to the heart of the city where the Kansas River merges into the Missouri. This led to the location search for a stadium along the riverfront, and the Kansas City Current name direction rose to the top.
On the banks of the river, the energy is relentless, a rushing that never stops. We never stop.
The Crest
A River Runs Through It
The bold KC stands tall, reversed out of Heartland Red. The Teal crest is open on both sides, allowing the Storm Blue river to rush through it with relentless energy and unstoppable spirit. Kansas City is a community united across two states and the two sides of the river and the two stars honor them both. A wordmark and alphabet of custom, proprietary type, along with a system of dynamic support graphics, bring the brand to life.
The Training Facility
Custom Built and Branded for Women
Willoughby extended the identity system to the training facility, which includes world-class weight and cardio rooms, multiple outdoor pitches, and a FIFA-approved turf field all purpose-built for female athletes. The brand elements appear throughout, from the outdoor signage to the interior graphics in the locker room and the seats in the team meeting and weight rooms.
The Stadium
Making History on a Global Stage
The ownership team of Angie and Chris Long and Brittany and Patrick Mahomes had a bigger vision than just fielding a team. They committed to building the world’s first purpose-built stadium for women. CPKC Stadium is home of the KC Current. The locker room is built for female athletes and the women get the premium game time slots that have always gone to the men’s clubs in shared stadiums.
Willoughby worked with team owners, stadium architects, fabricators, and project managers to extend the brand experience to environmental graphics, player experience and fan experience in the stadium.
From large-scale signage throughout and the teal seats to branded wallpaper in the suites and a family-friendly mural in the concession hall, we extended the brand story to every part of the facility. A series of graphics celebrates the athletes, hometown pride and excitement for the future.
CPKC Stadium has garnered worldwide attention, including being named one of TIME Magazine’s ‘World’s Greatest Places 2024’ and was chosen to host the 2024 NWSL Championship game which became the first NWSL Championship game to be a sell out.
Willoughby Design’s work on the stadium was selected for the 2024 Clio Sports Short List.
