Alex Wright, one of the co-owners of Detroit City FC was “surprised” to learn Ford Field has been offered as a venue as part of the effort by Tom Gores and Dan Gilbert to bring an MLS expansion team to Detroit.

Wright was also “surprised” and “disappointed” to learn DCFC and Northern Guard, the club’s passionate supporter group, were used in renderings released Thursday to announce the amended bid.

In the atrium rendering showing MLS at Ford Field, there are DCFC scarves at a merchandise kiosk. And some of the fans walking in the atrium are holding flags with imagery used by the Northern Guard.

“We were surprised and disappointed to see the images included in the release,” Wright told the Free Press in a text message. “Surprised because we weren’t consulted about the usage and disappointed because we know how much time and effort our supporters have put into building this club.”

Rossetti, a Detroit-based architecture firm, later issued an apology on Twitter: “In regards to the recent Ford Field renderings which incorrectly included DCFC merchandise: ROSSETTI takes full responsibility for our mistake and want to express our sincere apologies. We're fixing the renderings ASAP.”

Wright told the Free Press by phone there is “no formal relationship” between the Gores-Gilbert-Ford family partnership seeking a Detroit MLS expansion franchise and DCFC. "So we were surprised to see our materials included in the bid.

“We think this was something that was done in haste, more thoughtless than malicious,” Wright said. “But we do care deeply about our team and its identity.”

The Gilbert-Gores partnership reportedly had a trademark application for “Detroit City Soccer Club” denied recently. It was too close to DCFC, the soccer club that plays at Hamtramck’s Keyworth Stadium.

“It felt good that we put all this time and effort in the development of our intellectual property and it was good to see the government agree with the value and uniqueness,” Wright said.

News that Ford Field was included in an amended bid surprised Wright on Thursday.

“I was under the understanding that the MLS was looking for soccer-specific venues and based on our experience in this market, a unique environment is one of the keys to success for soccer,” he said.

Wright and the rest of the Le Rouge ownership group are busy trying to bring professional soccer to metro Detroit, but not MLS.

They have been in talks about joining the North American Soccer League, which has filed an antitrust lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation, insisting the league's survival hinges on the case.

It’s unclear what league DCFC will play in next season.

“We gotta start selling season tickets in a month,” Wright said. “With us right now, we’re really anxious to go pro.”

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