Hartford City FC trademarks a logo ahead of NASL expansion

During their weekly NASL roundup, Reckless Challenge found something of interest to North American Soccer League fans. Hartford City FC has been rumored to be close to an official expansion announcement for the past several weeks, and have now filed a logo with the United States Patent and Trademark Office:

The filing date with the USPTO was May 28, 2015, and the logo appears above. It's a nice looking offering, though you'll note the date 2017 in the crest, which is also mentioned in the filing. This contrasts with reports that the club was looking to begin play in 2016, but sounds a bit more realistic, especially with Dillon Stadium undergoing renovations this summer.

All in all, it's looking like just a matter of time until Hatford officially announces NASL expansion, giving the New York Cosmos their first northeastern US rival in the modern era of the league. It's about time, isn't it?