There was a palpable amount of excitement in the lower league soccer world when USL league 2’s Des Moines Menace revealed their kits for the club’s 30th season in 2024. Was it the color scheme? The partnership with Hummel? They were factors, but top of the list was the return of the angry (dare I say…menacing?) soccer ball head crest. The excitement generated was so impactful that the club has decided to make the change in crest permanent for the 2025 season.

“Last year’s retro look received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Menace fanbase and helped us to celebrate our historic 30th season,” explained Ken Davy, business director for the Menace. “As a result, we felt it was only appropriate to embrace the ‘90s style design for our new look – allowing us to bridge the past and present, while making a bold, dynamic statement for today’s fans.”

The old face has gotten a few tweaks. The original scribbling of the club name is now in red, the club’s main color. And the red streaks are gone, replaced by a flaming outline which pays homage to the previous Menace crest as well as going full ‘90s. As Davy puts it, ”The community embraced our throwback to the retro ‘90s look, and we felt that the refresh seen in our new crest was an exciting next step for the club.”

And the reaction so far from the fanbase? “We’ve seen a very positive response from the public and our supporters,” according to Davy. “New crest merchandise has been a hot item in the team’s e-shop, and we can feel the excitement beginning a bit earlier than normal as we prepare for summer soccer in the USL2.”

- John Howard-Fusco