On Thursday, the Philadelphia Union announced that the name, colors, and logo of their new USL side will be unveiled on October 27th at 11 am. The unveiling event will take place in the Blast Furnance Room at ArtsQuest at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
At the event, Philadelphia Union manager Jim Curtin as well as Technical Director Chris Albright will be in attendance. In addition, fans will have the opportunity to buy merchandise of the new Bethlehem USL side.
In early September, the Philadelphia Union announced that the new name of their USL side would be put up to a fan vote. There were four prewritten options: Bethlehem Steel FC, Lehigh Valley Steel SC, Lehigh Valley Blast and Steel SC. The clear frontrunner among fans is Bethlehem Steel FC. One of the main reasons fans are so drawn to this name is the 2013-2014 Union alternate jersey. The alternate kit worn by the Union was a black jersey with multiple nods to Bethlehem Steel FC on the front as well as a reworked Union and sponsor logo. With the possibility of the resurrection of the popular jerseys, fans will hope that a similar jersey and logo can recreated for this new Lehigh Valley team.
The name Bethlehem Steel FC would be a nod to the rich tradition of the team of the same name in the early 20th century, which won five Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups. Bethlehem Steel FC comes from the well-documented past of Lehigh Valley’s Ironwork history and the Bethlehem Steel Company.
The new Lehigh Valley side will begin play in 2016 at Lehigh University’s Goodman Stadium. Goodman Stadium has a natural grass field and a 16,000 capacity.
“Combining our Club’s culture with this amazing soccer community and the spectacular venue that Goodman Stadium provides will create an incredible environment for the growing fan base in the Lehigh Valley,” former Union Chief Executive Officer Nick Sakiewicz said in a press conference in August.
When play begins in 2016, the Lehigh Valley USL side will be the 27th team in the league.