NYCFC Debuts New Official Mascot

 

Provided by NYCFC.

New York City Football Club announced it will have a new official mascot this coming season, Sky Scraper, a pigeon who has already been a symbol among the fans.

Sky is a young rock dove who is a South Bronx native and grew up near Yankee Stadium, and beneath the rumble of the 4 train. Though they came from a family of die-hard baseball fans, Sky grew to love soccer after NYCFC debuted in 2015, and has been a dedicated supporter ever since then.

Sky's plumage has various shades of gray and an incandescent ring of purple feathers beneath their neck, which also happens to the color of the 7 train, which their fans will use to get to their new home, Etihad Park, opening in 2027. Sky wears a NYCFC baseball cap, sturdy work boots, and a star-shaped birthmark near their belly button, which Sky first noticed soon after they won the MLS Cup in 2021.

Provided by NYCFC.

NYCFC as had a pigeon serve as the unofficial mascot for the team, which has been "embraced organically by many supporters" while also being "derided by some." In making Sky the full-time mascot, it is a recognition of the fans who have been there from the start.

Lauren Scrima, NYCFC Vice President of Marketing, said in a statement, "For years, Sky and their fellow pigeons have shown up wherever our fans are - on matchdays, in the city, and in the culture around this Club. Sky has been with us since the beginning, cheering us on from the inaugural season through unforgettable moments like our MLS Cup win in 2021. Making Sky our official mascot is both a celebration of that history and a tribute to the incredible fan culture that has grown alongside this Club."