Republic FC and New Glory tap local graphic designer for Fan Can collaboration

New Glory Craft Brewery announced the release of a new look for one of its “year-round favorites” last week in collaboration with Sacramento Republic FC and a local graphic designer.

Dustin Avilla submitted the winning design for the 2020 Fan Can collaboration, which will grace the labels of Ubahdank IPA. The limited-edition can will be available at New Glory’s Sacramento taproom and all Republic FC home games.

The previous design, made by Geoff Ernst, sold nearly 9,000 cans between the two venues last year before being selected as the United Soccer League’s top club-brand beer.

“It’s amazing to see New Glory and Sac Republic and the art community all come together to collaborate on this one piece,” Avilla said. “I’ve been to several games and with so much excitement around a new stadium and MLS future, I though this was a great opportunity to be a part of it.”

Avilla features a roaring bear, designed in an Ed Hardy-style tattoo, surrounded by Republic FC red and stars, and encircled by hops and a careening soccer ball.

“I aimed to merge signature brand elements from both Sac Republic and New Glory in a way that created excitement and captured the club’s indomitable spirit,” Avilla said. “For New Glory, I incorporated the use of pattern and a repetition of the hops graphic – something that’s very signature to the original Ubahdank artwork.”

Republic FC, which kicks off its seventh USL season March 7 at home against FC Tulsa, is gearing up for its inaugural season in Major League Soccer in 2022, a move that was announced in October.

The soccer team isn’t the only Sacramento-area sports franchise to partner with a beer. In 2018, Knee Deep Brewing Co. introduced Sac Fly-PA in conjunction with the River Cats Triple-A baseball team.

This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 4:00 AM.