MBU rebrand about getting back to roots – Epstein

IN KEEPING WITH what the club is calling an evolution, the owners of the Montego Bay United (MBU) have reverted to the Seba United logo and colours for the foreseeable future.

The club was founded in 1972 and used the name Seba, a name taken from the Bible.

However, in 2011 when Orville Powell acquired the club, he changed the name from Seba United to Montego Bay United so as to create more of a relationship with the city from which it hails.

The club’s new owners are trying to recapture the club’s glorious history, which includes becoming the first rural team in Jamaica to be crowned national champions in 1987.

They repeated in 1997 and were runners-up on four other occasions. The club was the first team to win the inaugural Jamaica National Building Society Federation cup in 1992, and did so again in 1995, on the way, winning the parish title on many occasions.

In 1998, the club’s very own Theodore Whitmore scored twice in the World Cup in France, securing victory against Japan.

Chairman of the club, Yoni Epstein, said MBU wanted to get back to its roots.

“The importance of the red and green colours. The championship nature that those colours were to the club in its past. MBU is a much stronger brand and name in Montego Bay given what the city of Montego Bay is to Jamaica and to the tourism industry. While football is a cornerstone of the city, we wanted to ensure that we develop something that was embedding the rich history of the football club as well as the city,” said Esptein.

“We want to create something more internationally appealing that can cover for the local, international and the large diaspora supporters.”

MBU strongly believes that the returning to the old colours will attract both old and new supporters.

“Just from making the red and green the home jersey last season, the comments and feedback from initial logo and branding are very in keeping with the history and the support is tremendous as to the direction the club is headed in that perspective,” said the chairman.

The new logo presents two palm trees with seabirds in flight and is meant to bring forth the essence of Montego Bay, paying homage to the club’s fans. Heralding its triumphant SEBA days, the club chose crimson red and forest green as its primary colours.

In the meantime, president of the club, Dr Germain Spencer, said “the team has no intention of going back to the name Seba United, we are just changing the colours”.

The palm trees are an iconic symbol representing both the club’s and the city’s strength and resilience, as well as Montego Bay’s reputation as Jamaica’s tourism capital. The birds in flight symbolise the club’s unyielding spirit as the team gets ready to soar above challenges and achieve greatness.

The forest green colour reflects the team’s deep roots and pride in its lush island, while the fiery red ignites a spirit of passion, determination and a relentless pursuit of victory.