Miami FC, Miami's Other New Professional Soccer Team, Unveils Its Shield and Logo

While David Beckham's proposed Miami MLS team is still trying to hammer out the details of where it will call home, Miami FC, the team's newly announced NASL team, is breezing along and already has a logo. Announced just months ago, Miami FC will play in the second-tier North American Soccer League (alongside the existing Fort Lauderdale Strikers) and is a joint venture between Paolo Maldini, a retired Italian soccer superstar and former Beckham teammate, and Riccardo Silva, the president of a sports media rights firm. 

The team will begin play in April 2016 (likely at FIU Stadium according to the Miami Herald, though that hasn't been officially confirmed yet), and before a team takes the field it needs a logo.
The Miami FC shield meets one unofficial requirement for a professional Miami sports team right off the bat: It contains a bit of orange. Think about it: half of "The U," the sun the Miami dolphins swims through, the tip of the Heat's flaming ball, the sail of the marlin. We're not exactly as uniform as Pittsburgh's black and yellow theme, but, hey, it's something. 

The team says the orange represents "the adventurous spirit of Miami’s community and iconic sunsets setting over its horizon." The blue is supposed to be "reminiscent of Miami’s infinite skies" and "originates from the football club’s commitment to teamwork and undying purpose." The hint of aqua is meant to recall "the vast oceans that surround Miami’s scenic coasts." 

As for the design elements themselves, the team says that the swirly elements aren't meant to evoke a hurricane symbol but rather, "the sway of a palm trees’ fronds lining the city’s streets." The ball-globe "represents the team’s commitment to soccer and reflects that Miami is a place that embraces all of the Americas," and the lettering is meant to evoke Art Deco architectures. 

Yes, some of these explanations are a bit of a reach, but, you know what, it looks pretty cool as far as minor league soccer shields go. 

A simpler logo, with the word "Miami" over a stylized crescent that contains "FC" was also unveiled. 

So, we've at least got that out of the way. It's more than Beckham's team has so far. Now all Miami FC needs now is an official stadium, kits, a coach, and some actual players.