“The Pittsburgh Riveters!”
That’s what crowds will likely be chanting when the city’s newest women’s professional soccer team takes to the field next spring. The name, “The Riveters” was announced Wednesday morning after an online poll that reportedly garnered 53% of the nearly 10,000 votes cast.
The name is, of course, a nod to “Rosie the Riveter,” a symbol of female empowerment made popular during World War II, when many women went to work in factories and other industries while men were sent off to war. The graphic was designed by J. Howard Miller, a Pittsburgh-area native who worked for Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company during WWII.
“Because it’s so Pittsburgh-focused and it’s so much about women’s empowerment and women’s strength, it just seemed to be a really natural fit for us,” said Dan Visser, the Riveters and Riverhounds’ (the men’s team) sporting director.
The Riveters’ coach and team members are still being determined, but they’ll play in the United Soccer League’s women’s group with home games at Highmark Stadium on the South Side.
“We’re already hard at work building the inaugural Riveters’ team and are very excited about the level of talent we’ll be able to showcase on the field next summer,” said Visser in a release from the team. “We’re confident this special group of women will not only give fans something to cheer about, but also inspire the next generation of young girls in Western Pennsylvania and beyond.”
Their male counterparts, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, have been playing in the city since 1999. Visser and his team hope the new female team will bring additional pride to “the City of Champions.”
“This is a really unique place and kind of niche place for us to be in and as a women's team and something that I think people can get behind both just as a general sports fan.”
The team’s logo, primarily black and yellow, of course, features the iconic Rosie the Riveter with her red bandana. And the entire franchise hopes the new crew will be, well, riveting for fans.
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