The Madrid expansion franchise in the European League of Football has taken a key step in building their identity, as the organization announced on Tuesday that the team will be called the Madrid Bravos.
A Bravo is a term for a Spanish Fighting Bull, a staple of Spanish culture for centuries. This is portrayed in their logo, a cartoon image of a dark bull with red horns. The Bravo is also reflected in their helmet, as a white horn of a bull can be found on both sides of the red helmet with the tip of the horn pointing forwards. Additionally, the word “bravo” can translate to “brave” in English, signifying the courage fighting spirit of the team. The team’s primary colors will be black and red, while gray and orange will also likely be found in its uniforms.
Jaime Martin Lostao, general manager of the Bravos, remarked that this announcement serves to finalize the “officialization” of turning an idea of an expansion franchise into reality. He commented that they wanted to choose a name that all of Spain could identify with, and that just limiting their target fanbase to Madrid would serve as a barrier to expanding the reach of American football and the league to the whole country. The name “Bravos” was one that they felt fit this description.
The Bravos still have yet to finalize many other key facets of their identity, such as full uniforms and their stadium, but those should be revealed in the coming months. The 2024 ELF season will likely begin in late May or early June, so there is plenty of time for them to continue to prepare their franchise ahead of kickoff next season.