Athens’ New Indoor Football Team is the Athens Crush

The wait is over. Athens’ newest professional sports franchise has a name.

The city’s new Indoor Football League (IFL) team will officially be known as the ATHENS CRUSH, with the team unveiling its name and new logo today as it prepares for its inaugural season at Akins Ford Arena in March 2027.

The announcement marks another major milestone for the franchise, which was awarded an IFL expansion team earlier this year, and has generated tremendous excitement throughout the Athens community.

“We wanted a name that was powerful, memorable, and uniquely Athens,” said Mike Sammond, President and CEO of the Athens Crush. “The Crush represents the energy, toughness, and excitement we want to bring to the arena every night. It gives us tremendous opportunities to build a fun, creative brand around football while connecting with the personality and spirit of Athens.”

The name also pays homage to one of Athens’ most iconic bands, R.E.M., and its song “Orange Crush,” one of the most recognizable songs ever associated with the city’s legendary music scene.

“Obviously, we know how meaningful R.E.M. and “Orange Crush” are to Athens,” said Sammond. “We loved the idea of creating a subtle connection to that incredible part of the city’s history while giving the name an entirely new identity through football.”

The Crush will play eight regular-season home games at Akins Ford Arena during its inaugural 2027 season. The team’s ownership group includes Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl Champion Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, UGA football legend and College Football Hall of Famer David Pollack, and former Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons star Brian Jordan.
 

A LOGO BUILT FOR ATHENS

The Athens Crush logo is as distinctive as its name.

At the center is a bold capital “A” representing Athens, appearing to be fractured or “crushed” by powerful claws. Within the design are elements representing Athens’ identity, including the state of Georgia, the iconic UGA Arch, and musical references honoring the city’s legendary music scene.

And those claws? They belong to a dinosaur.

“Once we settled on the Crush name, we realized the brand could become much bigger than football,” Sammond said. “The dinosaur gives us an incredible opportunity to create a mascot and an entire world around the team that will appeal to kids and families, while the logo itself incorporates elements that make it unmistakably Athens.”
 

NO ORANGE. PERIOD.

While R.E.M.’s “Orange Crush” helped inspire the team’s name, there was never any serious consideration of making orange part of the team’s color palette.

That decision was about as easy as it gets in Athens.

“With a team owned by a bunch of passionate Georgia football fans and alums, there was one color that was never going to make the cut,” said team owner David Pollack. “In Athens, orange is associated with our biggest college football rivals, and that’s one color we would never ever wear.”

Instead, the Athens Crush has developed its own distinctive color scheme and visual identity - one designed to stand on its own in a market steeped in sports tradition.

BUILDING A NEW ATHENS TRADITION

The Athens Crush will become the newest professional sports franchise in the Classic City and one of four new IFL franchises beginning play in 2027.

But the franchise’s mission extends well beyond the football field.

“We want the Athens Crush to become more than a football team,” said team owner Jerome Bettis. “We want it to become part of the fabric of this community - a place where families come together, businesses connect, kids meet their heroes, and the entire Athens area has something to look forward to on game day.”

The team has already begun building its front office, coaching staff, and community partnerships. Rob Keefe, who led the Bay Area Panthers to the 2023 IFL National Championship, serves as the Crush’s inaugural Head Coach and Director of Football Operations.

With the name and logo now official, the franchise will turn its attention toward building its roster, expanding its community partnerships, and preparing for its first season. Fans can purchase season tickets by visiting AthensCrush.com.

The wait is over. Athens is ready to CRUSH it!



About the Athens Crush:

The Athens Crush are a new professional Indoor Football League (IFL) franchise set to begin play in March 2027 at Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia. Led by an ownership group that includes Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, College Football Hall of Famer David Pollack, and former MLB All-Star and NFL standout Brian Jordan, the organization is committed to bringing high-energy, family-friendly entertainment and championship-caliber football to the Classic City. For more information, visit AthensCrush.com.

About the Indoor Football League:

The Indoor Football League (IFL) is the premier professional indoor football league in North America and the longest continuously operating indoor football league in the United States. Preparing for its 19th season, the IFL features fast-paced, high-scoring action played on a 50-yard field inside arenas across the country. For more information, visit