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Rochester Rhinos rebranding as RNY FC

The new logo of Rochester New York FC, or 'RNY FC'
Rochester New York FC
The new logo of Rochester New York FC, or 'RNY FC'

The Rochester Rhinos, a name that’s been around for about 25 years, is changing.

The owners of the local soccer team, David and Wendy Dworkin, along with British professional soccer star and club co-owner Jamie Vardy, have announced a rebranding.

The team will now be called Rochester New York FC, to also be known as RNY FC.

FC stands for ‘football club’ and it’s a common way in Europe to identify soccer teams.

A statement from the team on Wednesday said that the RNY FC rebrand and slogan “Believe Impossible” recognizes the legacy and spirit of the Rochester Rhinos, while looking forward to an exciting new era of professional soccer in Rochester. 

RNY FC co-owner David Dworkin said, “We needed to evolve and become a modern-day football club with global appeal. With Jamie coming on board as a co-owner, now is the best time to do that. The Rhinos will always be part of our DNA and we will always celebrate the club’s successes. This is a new beginning and a journey that we are excited to embark upon.”

Vardy said, “I’ve been written off so many times in my career, nearly as many times as the Rochester Rhinos! The rebrand and slogan ‘Believe Impossible’ is what we are all about. We believe we can win trophies again and prove people wrong. This is what inspires me on and off the pitch. When we get knockbacks, we come back stronger.  We will never forget the legacy of the Rhinos and the great things the team did, but now it’s time to build on that and look forward as Rochester New York FC.”

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.