Part 3 in a series where we dive into the stories behind USL League One crest design.
One thing most people know about Madison is that it’s just different.
That’s what makes this piece especially difficult to write. Everyone with whom I’ve ever met or interacted associated with Forward Madison, including while collaborating on this story, have been both the nicest people in the game, but also the most creatively intense. They’re passionate about their team, their city and their causes.
My first in-person experience with Madison fans was at a gathering prior to the Richmond side of the Henny Derby in June 2023 (for more details on the Henny Derby tradition, see this Protagonist Soccer story). A group of fans had driven or flown in from Madison (along with Florida, Massachusetts, and North Carolina if my memory serves me), and gathered at a local brewery the night before the match. I met members of the Flock End, Featherstone Flamingos and possibly other supporter group members.
The party moved into the side room at Three Notch’d Brewing Company, so the Walkin’ 90 team, those most involved in the Henny Derby tradition, could attempt a podcast recording. All while experiencing what appeared to be a boisterous family reunion, with lots of craft beer. I don’t think that podcast ever saw the light of day. That’s how much fun was had that night.
Needlessly to say, all of this interaction, and knowing the passion and creative culture surrounding the team and the city makes writing about Madison a little bit intimidating. You want to make sure you keep up, or even meet just a portion of the creative passion of those about whom you are writing. You want to make sure you do justice to their passions, creations, identities, and causes.
Madison itself is in an odd geographical location, with its downtown on an isthmus between two lakes. It’s been called an island of upper midwestern progressivism, creativity and culture. It’s the home to the state’s flagship university and a growing tech boom. Despite being iced over a few months every year, it has the most parks and playgrounds per capita of the 100 largest cities in the United States.
Given all of this, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the city’s official bird is also something different: the plastic version of a pink flamingo, a tropical bird with a habitat nowhere near the city.
It all goes back to a prank someone pulled at the University of Wisconsin in 1979. On a Tuesday morning, students heading to class found 1,008 plastic pink flamingos in the ground on the university’s Bascom Hill.
The scene is recreated each year as a fundraiser for the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. And ever since, the pink flamingo can be found in restaurants, gift shops, yards and in public art.
Forward Madison’s Crest: Positively Madison
It was only natural for the city’s professional soccer team to adopt the pink flamingo as its mascot.
Forward Madison FC was founded in 2018 as an inaugural member of USL League One. Digging into the archives of what was then called “Madison Pro Soccer,” we learned that finalists for the team name included AFC Madison and mascots under consideration included Holsteins and Curds.
Image created in 5 minutes using Canva for demonstration purposes. Does not represent any ideas the club had in 2018.
Ultimately, Forward Madison FC won out, as Forward is the Wisconsin state motto. This covers the state representation, as the only professional level outdoor soccer team in the state until Milwaukee joins USL Championship in 2026.
As far as the plastic pink flamingo? While dairy cows and cheese curds certainly relate to the state of Wisconsin as a whole, “life and soccer, especially in Madison, should be fun and a bit irreverent,” according to Peter Wilt, Forward Madison’s then-managing director. Thus, the team adopted the plastic pink flamingo as its own symbol.
And because it was natural to select the plastic pink flamingo, what better background than the same sky blue found on the city’s flag?
Even the white sash from the flag is represented in the crest and on the main home kit.
And the roman numerals, DCVII? They translate to 608, the city’s area code (technically, six-hundred eight, because there is no roman numeral for zero).
The crest and Forward Madison’s fan and creative culture
Since its inception, Forward Madison has enjoyed some of the highest average attendances in the league. This was driven by the club having a strong supporter culture and community connection from the start.
With multiple supporter groups under the The Flock umbrella, including AccessiMingos, La Barra 608, Featherstone Flamingo, Mingo Ladies and Los Rebeldes, there is a home for everyone in “The Flock End,” the section reserved for the groups.
Under this model, groups are welcomed into a community, while expressing their identities and celebrating cultures. For example, AccessiMingos is a supporter group founded by and for supporters with disabilities, which also advocates for accessibility to matches and other events. Featherstone Flamingo celebrates and promotes Black Culture, something of critical importance with a sport that has historically been underrepresented. Los Rebeldes de Mingo City and La Barra 608 celebrate and promote Latino culture, while Mingo Ladies provide a space for promoting the involvement of women.
There’s also no shortage of talented creators rallying around the pink flamingo.
Filmmaker and photographer Szymon Raczkowiak documents the club (and its opponents) under the Attack City FC name. He’s a master at capturing the raw emotions of the players and coaches, both on and off the pitch.
He says Madison fosters an atmosphere conducive to a thriving art scene due to multiple factors, such as having a highly respected art department at the University of Wisconsin. It’s also relatively affordable compared to other creative cities, and the city itself sponsors art programs and murals.
New Dogma is a magazine and podcast dedicated to covering Forward Madison and music, with a pink soccer ball as its logo. The outlet is known for having high-profile guests, such as head coach Matt Glaeser, and players Derek Gebhard, Christian Chaney and Nazeem Bartman just to name a few.
Madison journalist Rob Chappell hosts and writes under the name Talkin’ Flock, profiling new signings and interviewing players and keeping fans in the loop on breaking news.
According to Raczkowiak, this creative community played a part in the design of the crest, influencing for a more artistic flamingo over an angry version.
We can’t imagine an angry flamingo (or a cow, or a cheese curd) at this point, so it’s a good thing that worked out.
Forward Madison opens its 2024 season at home on March 16th against One Knoxville.