For soccer fans in the United States, it’s the news that we’ve been waiting a long time to hear. And it’s finally here. FOX Soccer will be enhancing its coverage of the Premier League beginning with the 2011-12 season kicking off on August 13 with a new name, new studio, improved graphics and overall improved presentation.

As EPL Talk exclusively revealed yesterday, Fox Soccer Channel today officially announced they’re changing the name of its network to FOX Soccer on August 13 and have introduced a new logo and branding (as well as new logos for FOX Soccer Plus, FOXSoccer.tv and FOXSoccer.com).

“We’re going to a new studio, moving from a luxury “condo” at [current home] 1440 Sepulveda [Blvd.] to a mansion of sorts at Studios A & B, where the NFL on Fox and other properties are produced,” said FOX Soccer General Manager David Nathanson in an interview with MultiChannel News. The article mentions that FOX Soccer will begin producing shows from Studios A and B at the Fox Network Center in Los Angeles, with “marked increases in size and design from previous sets.”

The coverage of its Premier League programming will feature a fresh feel and high-tech on-air graphics. The new branding will also encompass VIZ RT effects and super slow-motion replays.

“[The new branding is] the next stage of our evolution,” said Nathanson. “Our fans and viewers already refer to us as FOX Soccer. It’s a modernized, uniform look across the properties, Fox Soccer, Fox Soccer Plus, FoxSoccer.com and our broadband service Foxsoccer.TV. The re-branding symbolizes our continued commitment to push the limits and evolve with the game in this country.”

“Our audience comes to FOX Soccer for one thing: to interact with the game they love. They are smart, they want new technologies, they want the best coverage,” added Nathanson.

The new FOX Soccer logo is pictured above. Read on to see the new logos for FOX Soccer Plus and the other FOX Soccer entities:

FOX Soccer TV network logos:

FOX Soccer TV network logos (blue version):

FOX Soccer Website logos:

FOX Soccer Website logos (blue version):

What do you think of the new FOX Soccer logos and branding? Share your feedback in the comments section below.

Personally I think it’s a breath of fresh air and feels a lot closer to the main FOX look-and-feel. It’s also a good sign that FOX Soccer has decided to launch the new name and new logos and branding to coincide with the 2011-12 Premier League season, which is definitely FOX’s pride and joy. Let’s hope, at the same time, that more thought is given to the pre-match and half-time coverage (as well as post-match coverage) to raise the bar and get closer to the standards that other networks such as ESPN have reached.

Now that there’s the new name and new logos, FOX Soccer has an excellent opportunity to improve its overall production and to make it a must-see channel not only during a game but before it, at half time and after it.