By ESPN | Created at 2025-03-15 00:52:04 | Updated at 2025-03-15 05:34:32
4 hours ago
Jeff Kassouf
Mar 14, 2025, 08:00 PM ET
Boston's 2026 NWSL franchise announced on Friday that it will officially change its name following a highly-ridiculed launch last fall.
The team announced itself in October as BOS Nation FC -- an anagram for "Bostonian" -- and received immediate, national blowback for the name and the accompanying marketing campaign, "Too Many Balls," which many deemed offensive.
The team apologized and quickly retracted most of its marketing, but prior to Friday, club leadership had declined to explicitly say the name would be changed.
The team said the new name will be announced "in the next few weeks," and that an updated wordmark and crest would follow in the summer.
"The club extends our heartfelt thanks to our supporters, whose passionate voices we deeply value -- not just for their unwavering support but also for their honest and critical feedback," majority owner Jennifer Epstein said in a statement.
"We could not have completed this process without your input. We aim to build a lasting legacy that makes all our fans feel welcome, connected, and proud to wear our colors and cheer our name for generations to come."
Boston was awarded an NWSL expansion franchise in 2023 but continues to face several hurdles ahead of its expected launch a year from now.
The team's entire expansion bid was dependent on an ambitious private-public partnership with the City of Boston to renovate White Stadium and share the space with Boston Public Schools athletics.
The budget for the stadium has roughly doubled since it was first proposed in 2023, and the plan faces ongoing legal and political challenges.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has backed the project for nearly two years. She is up for reelection this year, and the stadium has become a point of focus for mayoral candidate Josh Kraft -- the son of billionaire New England Patriots and New England Revolution owner Robert Kraft.
Demolition of the dilapidated 66-year-old White Stadium began last month, leaving less than a year to reconstruct the stadium and have it ready for the next NWSL season.
"Our current expectation is that we will be ready to launch [Boston] in 2026," NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said last week.
Boston is slated to launch alongside a team from Denver next year, which will bring the NWSL to 16 teams.
