The USL Super League (USLS) is a Division I professional women's soccer league in the United States. The league will be owned and operated by the United Soccer League. Originally planned to launch in August 2023, it is now slated to begin play in August 2024.[2]
On January 9, 2024, the club announced Michael Dickey as the women's first team inaugural head coach for the inaugural 2024 season scheduled to kick off in August.[3]
On September 8, 2024, the USL Super League team played the first ever game at the newly built Lexington SC Stadium in front of a crowd of 3,946 - the largest in the club's history across all teams.[4]
The Railbirds are the only officially recognized supporters group for the club. The group was founded in August 2022 by Jesus Robles, Sam Spencer, Jon Lunsford, and Alan Clark.[7]
The Railbirds unveil their "The Race Starts Now" tifo before the kickoff of Lexington's inaugural home match at Toyota Stadium.
The group's name is inspired by the horseracing term "Railbird" – a person who hangs on the fence of a horse track, cheering for their horse and helping to give that final push across the finish line.[8]
The group supports all teams that the club fields, including the men's teams that play in USL League One.
Colors and crest
Per the club's website, the crest and colors are broken down as follows-
Typography – "Our name, Lexington Sporting Club, is emblazoned in typography inspired by bourbon barrels. The letters are reminiscent of the barrels' graceful curves, giving our name the weight of local history and tradition."[9]
The Shield – "The shield reflects the longstanding traditions of soccer. The heraldic silhouette recalls soccer club crests from the sport's early days during the Victorian Era. And the tapered shape perfectly frames our horse and our name."[9]
The Horse – "Horses are synonymous with Lexington, the horse capital of the world. People speak with pride about the majestic, athletic, powerful, animal. The design of our horse is distinct yet traditional. Rearing upward gives the crest a sense of energy and power, striking a balance of historical and contemporary."[9]
The Colors – "Lexington's rolling hills and lush, leafy woodland that bolster Kentucky's major industries – bourbon and horses – inspire the colors for this design. Our community carries a strong sense of place, and we love the memorable green colors that dominate our landscape."[9]
Design process
The Lexington SC crest was designed by Christopher Payne, a designer whose work with soccer clubs in the United Kingdom and the United States includes Eastleigh Football Club, Flower City Union, Monterey Bay FC, and Appalachian FC.[10] Payne coordinated with Lexington-based media and PR company Bullhorn Creative which oversaw project management, creative services, and messaging beyond the brand design.[11][12]
Over several months, Lexington SC leadership held fourteen listening sessions with community members, gathering more than 300 responses to brand surveys and more than 1,500 responses to stadium surveys to identify key themes to reflect on the club's brand identity. Themes that emerged included the cultural landscape of the Bluegrass region and its lush green rolling hills and leafy woodlands, its equine and bourbon industries, and a communal sense of place.[13][14]
Surrounded by over 400 horse farms, Lexington is often referred to as the "Horse Capital of the World". It was also the first city outside of Europe to ever host the World Equestrian Games.[15] To reflect this heritage, as well as club ownership's involvement in the thoroughbred industry and President Vince Gabbert's professional connection to Keeneland Race Course,[16] the crest features a vibrant green stylized horse figure set against a dark green background.
Payne developed a typeface called Lex Type specific for Lexington SC branding. He states, "Like a horse, Lex Type is tall, powerful, and athletic. However, if you look closely, you’ll notice the typeface has subtle curves at the top and the bottom of the letters. This detail is inspired by the graceful curves of a bourbon barrel, tying the typography to this important element of local history and tradition."[11]
The club's mascot Thunder in her pen prior to kickoff
On May 12, 2023, LSC announced their official "mini" mascotThunder, a miniature therapy horse stationed in the southwest corner of Toyota Stadium during matches.[17] Thunder is very popular among fans, especially younger ones, and helped pave the way for the green horse found on the club's crest to be nicknamed Thunder by the fans after her.
Stadium
Lexington SC's Super League team will be the first to play in Lexington SC Stadium, a new 7,500 soccer-specific stadium in the southeastern part of Lexington, Kentucky. The stadium will be the home for the club's 2 professional teams and is surrounded by the club's professional and academy training grounds.
Players and staff
USL Super League current roster
As of October 2, 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
