The Houston Dynamo’s USL affiliate unveiled their nickname and logo on Wednesday, with Rio Grande Valley FC announcing that they’ll be called the “Toros” and releasing a club crest that plays on the Dynamo’s black-and-orange mark.
The Toros name was chosen through a fan vote. The club’s logo follows the mold of a traditional soccer shield, but adds horns to allude to the Toros nickname. According to the club, the stripes at the bottom of the shield represent the agriculture industry of the Rio Grande Valley, while the vertical lines at the top of the crest represent the sun and valley heat, while also reflecting an element of the Dynamo’s crest.
“We are excited that our fans voted for Toros as RGVFC’s nickname. The Toro possesses skills of aggression, energy, strength and stamina. The name also lends to our predominately Hispanic culture in the Rio Grande Valley,” RGVFC’s Bert Garcia said in a statement released by the club. “We are hard at work preparing for the season and look forward to kickoff late in the spring.”
RGVFC became the USL’s 25th franchise this summer. RGVFC, which will play at a 9,400-seat stadium in Edinburg, Texas that is modeled after the Dynamo’s BBVA Compass Stadium, is one of five teams that will begin USL play next year, joining expansion brethren Orlando City B, Bethlehem Steel FC (owned and operated by the Philadelphia Union), Swope Park Rangers (owned and operated by Sporting Kansas City) and FC Cincinnati in the league.
