Utah Women’s Soccer Team Jersey Comes Under Fire
In recent months, the Utah Royals, a women's professional soccer team, has found itself at the center of controversy surrounding the name and logo of their jersey sponsor, America First Credit Union. The partnership between the two organizations has faced scrutiny due to accusations that the credit union's name and logo have racist and white supremacist connotations. This has sparked a debate among fan-led soccer groups and has even caught the attention of the state's governor and local media.
Founded in 1939 as the Fort Douglas Civilian Employees Credit Union, the company later changed its name to Federal Employees Credit Union and eventually America First Credit Union in 1984. The credit union's logo features an image of an eagle, which some claim has connections to white supremacist ideologies. However, a representative for America First Credit Union states that the name "America" in their name "denotes [their] connection to [their] founding members — civilian federal employees who worked at the American military bases and defense depots in Utah."
Furthermore, the credit union argues that the term "first" in their name is commonly used by banks and credit unions and simply reflects their focus on putting their members' financial needs first. However, this explanation has not satisfied some fan-led soccer groups, who have accused the credit union of ignoring the complex and hateful history of the term "America First" and the ongoing effects of American nationalism and white supremacy that it represents.
The controversy intensified in 2022 when Real Salt Lake, the parent club of the Utah Royals, announced that the stadium in Sandy, Utah, would be rebranded as America First Field. The stadium was previously known as Rio Tinto Stadium. In a statement released on March 30, two supporter groups for the Washington Spirit and D.C. United, also owned by Real Salt Lake, called for the credit union to change their name, arguing that it "ignores the complex and hateful history of the name and the ongoing effects of American nationalism and white supremacy that 'America First' expresses."
When asked for a response, a spokesperson for Real Salt Lake declined to provide a statement. However, the credit union stated that they would not answer questions about their future relationship with the soccer club or whether there had been any discussions about removing their logo from the jerseys.
The use of the expression "America First" dates back to 1916 when it was first used by former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson during his presidential campaign. It gained popularity in the 1920s during a time of growing anti-immigrant sentiment in the country. In the 1940s, it was used by the America First Committee, an isolationist group that opposed U.S. involvement in World War II. The group was associated with aviator Charles Lindbergh, who held anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant views. In more recent years, the term has been revived by former President Donald Trump, causing discomfort for many due to its connections to historical and present-day issues.
Since the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, there has been increased pressure for sports teams and institutions to change names and logos that have racist connotations. This has resulted in some changes, such as Dixie State University's rebranding to Utah Tech University in 2022 due to concerns about the name's impact on recruitment and retention efforts.
The controversy surrounding America First Credit Union's name and logo has also caught the attention of Utah's governor, Spencer Cox, who expressed his surprise and disappointment in a tweet, stating, "Just when you think this website can't get any more ridiculous. (I had to check if this was a parody account…sadly it is not)."
While the credit union's explanation of its name and logo may be valid, the language and symbols used in its branding have sparked a larger conversation about the history of the term "America First" and its associations with white supremacy and anti-immigrant sentiments. This has led to calls for the credit union to consider a rebranding, but it remains to be seen if they will take any action. Regardless of the outcome, the controversy serves as a reminder of the need for critical examination and understanding of the language and symbols we use.