At a time when the Chicago Red Stars should be galvanizing fans before a postseason run, they’ve instead taken a polarizing alternative step.
When the Red Stars clinched a place in the 2024 NWSL playoffs on Oct. 13, their season proved a bounce back from last year’s failure to make the postseason. In his first season at the helm, head coach Lorne Donaldson has led a talented team — including Olympic gold medalists Mallory Swanson and Alyssa Naeher and international ballers such as Julia Grosso and Ludmila — back from the doldrums. There’s no denying Chicago has stars.
However, the rally behind the team just before the playoffs hit a self-inflicted speed bump. Wednesday, Chicago announced it is rebranding ahead of the 2025 season. Goodbye, Chicago Red Stars; hello, Chicago Stars.
For the name itself, it was a simple change: removing an adjective. But the removal of “Red” goes far deeper than semantics.
GO DEEPER
Chicago Red Stars unveil new name and crest, ushering in next chapter
Chicago’s chief marketing officer, Kay Bradley, told The Athletic the idea to rebrand began when Laura Ricketts purchased the club in August 2023. Then came some marketing jargon: “It felt like the right time to signify the future and all we believe that’s ahead of us from a progress…
