NBA Uni-Palooza

By Bowen Hobbs

Over the past week, numerous NBA teams unveiled new uniforms for the upcoming season. While some changes were simply tweaks, others were completely new uniform concepts. Here is a team-by-team analysis of the changes:

Minnesota Timberwolves: The T'wolves decided to go with the theory of addition by subtraction in creating their new threads. The new home and road uniforms are sans green, which the previous uniforms used a significant amount of. The streamlined color palette of blue, black, and silver is also accompanied by a simplified collar and an updated number font that is easier to read.

Overall, with the removal of green, the team took away one of its trademarks and now looks rather similar to the Magic. On the upside, the revised collar and jersey numbers streamline the uniforms and remove some of the wonkiness of the previous set. Grade: C

Utah Jazz: The Jazz have been in identity limbo for a while now (and some would argue they've been in identity limbo since they came to Utah). After deciding in 1996 to scrap the music note logo, the team went to a purple/teal/copper/light blue/black scheme and a logo system based on their mountainous home state. While the team played well in those duds, going to two NBA Finals, the uniforms were rather guerish (although they lasted for eight seasons). In 2004, Utah switched to a navy/light blue/purple scheme that lasted for six seasons. Critics of that scheme thought the navy and light blue were too similar to the Denver Nuggets (their biggest rival), and it always seemed the dueling blues were never fully accepted.

The team's new scheme (navy/yellow/green) is unique to the NBA, but not too unique as the Nuggets, Pacers, Grizzlies, and Thunder also use navy and yellow in some capacity. The new uniforms are, like the logo, a celebration of the past. Gone are the piping, wordmark and number outlines, and other modern uniform conventions. Present are simple block numbers and rectilinear side panels. The double outline on the side panels, while matching the trim, looks overdone next to the minimalist numbers. Like the logo set, the uniforms are nothing new, and quite frankly, pretty boring. The uniforms would have been much better with a green-centric scheme. Grade: C-

Los Angeles Clippers: Perpetually within the unfriendly confines of the little-brother complex, the Clippers updated their logo. The new logo updated the LOS ANGELES wordmark, the C and S in Clippers, and the basketball (the old version had an extra line that normally doesn't appear on a ball from that angle. The secondary logo was also tweaked, updating the serifs of the letters and adding a silver drop shadow to the LA. The uniforms were edited more substantially, however. The old uniforms used block numbers and solid blue side panels. The new uniforms, however, use an updated number font and a less "default" design for the sides that looks like a modernization of the Bulls uniforms. A Los Angeles script replaces the Clippers script on the road jerseys as well.

Overall, the updated logo doesn't go nearly far enough to differentiate the Clippers from their "big brother" the Lakers. The uniforms, however, are a complete upgrade, giving the Clippers their first semblance of an identity in years. Considering the uniform designers were painted into a corner by having to use a bad logo, their feat is all the more impressive. Grade: A- (uniforms); F (logos)

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs needed a new identity since their last re-brand coincided with the arrival of a certain someone. It's a weird symmetry, with their latest aesthetic changes coinciding with that player's departure. The new-look Cavs have darkened their red to burgundy and replaced their metallic gold with yellow. The navy takes a back seat in the latest branding effort as it is relegated to the logos only. The uniforms look like the Cavs and Celtics had a baby. The team removed the side panels and piping for a clean, simple, retro-based look. The new uniforms' only embellishment is within the 5-stripe trim and the nuances of the type, along with the phrase, "All for one. One for all." placed along the inside of the collar. The uniforms are designed to remind the Cavs of their history, while allowing them to look forward.

The uniforms, as a whole, are well-designed, clean, and combine the best parts of retro and modern. Pay attention, Utah, as this was the way to go retro but not out-of-date. Grade: A

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors have leaked their home jersey, but they have yet to unveil their full uniforms. The jerseys feature the bridge logo on the front with the player's number with the logo. The trim is problematic, as the armholes are solid blue, the side panels are yellow, and the collar is blue and yellow. A little consistency between the uniform elements would greatly improve the jersey. The side panels and armholes don't look as out of place when paired with the shorts, as on this picture of the away set. However, I will reserve judgment for for when I see the full unveiling. Grade: Incomplete

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs also have yet to unveil their new uniform set, but it was leaked on the internet. It looks like the team essentially swapped the navy and royal on the road set. It will be interesting to see what the team does with the alternate jersey it unveiled last year.

That covers the NBA's uniform changes up to today. Stay tuned for additional updates on the Warriors and Mavericks.

Today we have another Double Play Design. Leading off are the St. Louis Cardinals, who finish a two-game series with the Brewers today. The Cardinals are one of many teams with a red/navy color scheme. That was the first thing I sought out to change, as the navy (while classic) doesn't say anything about cardinals, and over a third of MLB uses some blue/red scheme. I opted for a red/burgundy/yellow scheme because it was original and worked well for a cardinal. I didn't want to overhaul the iconic "bird on a bat" logo, but I did tweak the typography. I added a slight bevel to bring the team into the 21st century. The jerseys evoke memories of Stan Musial, a Cardinals great by using placket piping with additional piping running down the sleeves and along the belt loops. The numbers are no longer the default MLB Block. Instead, I used a thinner block font, giving the Cardinals a unique look from the back, as well as their trademark jersey fronts. The home uniforms start with a white base and are paired with red cap featuring a white STL. The away jerseys are emblazoned with St. Louis instead of Cardinals. The primary away uniforms are grey and are paired with a red cap that contains a yellow STL. The away alternates use a burgundy jersey with yellow type and are paired with a burgundy cap with a red brim. The Sunday Alternates have burgundy piping on a white base and are also paired with the burgundy caps. The STL logo appears on the left chest of the jersey.


Up second, we have the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers biggest issue is that they use two different D logos: one for the cap, and another on the jerseys. I decided to eliminate the jersey D in favor of the cap D since the jersey D looks a little flat. I developed a new primary logo based on the team's logo from the 80s. The secondary logo is the cap D with a thin outline. The tertiary is a standalone tiger head, which is used on the BP jerseys. The uniforms use placket piping with no sleeve trim, as it is classic Detroit Tigers. The jerseys also uses the primary logo as a patch on the left sleeve. The home uniforms use a white base and are paired with navy caps emblazoned with a white D outlined in orange. One of my goals for the home uniforms was to add some orange in order to differentiate the Tigers from the Yankees (who, like the Tigers, have at least two version of their signature NY logo). The D on the jersey and the numbers are also outlined in orange. The alternate home uniform is similar to the primary home uniform, but uses a navy jersey. The away uniforms feature a new Detroit script that is rendered in an Old English typeface. The new script replaces the cursive Detroit the team currently wears. The away caps feature an orange D outlined in grey and match the colors of alternate away jerseys, which are complemented by orange piping. The Sunday alternates take a different approach than the other uniforms, starting with a white cap that contains orange piping over the seems. The cap is paired with a white uniform that has orange pinstripes, creating a retro look that implies tiger stripes.

Feel free to leave a comment on any of the plethora of new NBA uniforms, the Cardinals or Tigers concepts above, or anything sports branding related.

A Mid-Desert Classic?

By Bowen Hobbs

Earlier this week, the Arizona Diamondbacks unveiled their logo for the 2011 MLB All-Star Game. Traditionally, All-Star Game logos are unveiled during the previous year's game and are prominently displayed in the upcoming host city's ballpark for an entire year or longer. The Diamondbacks' unveiling was considerably low-profile in comparison. The logo was not unveiled at this year's ASG in Anaheim, nor is there any visual representation (last I heard) of the logo or event currently at the stadium.

Much of the lack of promotion has to do with SB 1070, the controversial Arizona Immigration Bill. Numerous businesses and some MLB players have, in response to the bill, publicly stated that they will boycott the game and the state. Protestors have even petitioned Commissioner Bud Selig to move the game away from Arizona, although there is no indication that he will oblige.

Regardless of the politics surrounding the event, the logo has been unveiled and the game (barring an unforeseen event) will take place in Arizona. Speaking of the logo, there are some issues with it that could be improved and some things the team did well. The overall shape of the logo combines the ideas of the Southwest and a baseball diamond well. In addition, the use of the Diamondbacks' proprietary typeface instantly gives any viewer with baseball knowledge an indication of the the game's location, while the mountain in the background helps those without baseball knowledge identify where the game will be held. On the other side of the coin, the logo could use help in some areas. The D'backs A logo is placed at the top of the mark and is centered. The issue is that the A logo is italicized and while the bottom of the mark is centered, the top of the mark isn't, leaving the upper right corner of the A logo dangerously close to the edge of the diamond. Color-wise, the team could have chose something other than the sky blue/periwinkle color, which clashes with the black/sedona red/cream color scheme of the D'backs. An orange or a blue closer to aqua would have balanced the color scheme better. Lastly, the black outline on the diamond is noticeably thicker than the black outline of the text and the off-white outline surrounding the mark. If the outlines were evened out the logo would have more impact.

In Other News… The Milwaukee Admirals unveiled a new road jersey. It's black and features the team's skull crest. It replaces the former grey road sweaters. Overall, not bad, but I prefer the crest on the light blue alternate jerseys… The San Diego Padres are rumored to have new uniforms for next season. Here's hoping they're brown!… The Dallas Cowboys are looking into editing their uniforms. Maybe Jerry Jones did see the inconsistency on his giant JumboTron… As I had mentioned before, the New Jersey Nets are considering a name change. They even filed the official paperwork to do so within the last week. The leading rumored new name: Knights… The University of Texas Pan-American has updated its logo from this to this… Lastly, I recently did an interview with the Clinton Lumberkings (Class A; Midwest League) Director of Media Relations, Dave Lezotte. We discuss design, sports, and the 2009 Midwest League All-Star Game. To listen to the interview, click here.

Today, we have another Double Play Design. We start with the Brewers' current opponent, the aforementioned Arizona Diamondbacks. Starting with colors, I wanted to keep the red/black/gold scheme the team currently uses over their old purple/teal/copper scheme for two reasons: The purple and teal are incredibly dated, and the red/black/gold scheme ties in nicely with the color schemes of the Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Coyotes, giving the Phoenix area (aside for the Suns) a unified color palette, a la Pittsburgh (black/gold). I decided to get rid of the A logo, as it has seen better days. In its place, I developed a new primary logo featuring a modified version of the team's db-snakehead logo within the team name. The secondary is the modified db-snakehead, while the tertiary is a hybrid of the A logo and the D-snake. The uniforms feature a unique style of trim that I like to call "diamond trim", which was somewhat inspired by these jerseys. The home jerseys start with an off-white base, featuring the D-backs wordmark and the tertiary logo on the right sleeve, and are paired with the db cap. The away uniforms use a sand colored base, similar to the current Padres away uniforms. They away jerseys are emblazoned with an Arizona wordmark and utilize the db logo as a patch on the right sleeve. They are paired with the new A logo caps. The Sunday Alternate is similar to the primary home jerseys, except it is a vest with a black undershirt and uses no sleeve patches. The Sunday Alternates also use a black hat with a red brim instead of the all-red cap found on the homes.


Up second, we have the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have had a slew of identities in the short existence. The current identity is one of the most generic in MLB. The Rays' current colors are navy, light blue, and yellow. Navy is the team's primary color, which doesn't help them differentiate themselves from the Yankees and Red Sox. With that in mind, I decided to scrap the existing color scheme for a dark green/orange/yellow scheme that gives off a much more tropical vibe. The logo set (aside from the tertiary) is completely new. the primary logo consists of a baseball/sun rising over the RAYS wordmark, which features a segmented gradiation that implies sun rays. The secondary is a custom interlocking TB that also features the segmented gradiation. I kept the manta ray logo as the tertiary but edited the colors to fit within the scheme. The jerseys and pants contain compound placket piping. The home uniforms start with a white base and green caps with orange brims.The RAYS wordmark appears on the front of the jersey while the manta ray is placed on the left sleeve. The home alternate is a green version of the primary home jersey. The aways use a solid green cap and pastel yellow jerseys and pants. Both away jerseys use the TB logo on the left chest in addition to the manta on the sleeve. The Sunday Alternate is an orange cap paired with an orange jersey. Like the home sets, the jerseys have RAYS across the chest and the manta on the sleeve.


Feel free to comment on the new 2011 MLB All-Star Game logo, the Admirals new road jerseys, the rumored changes for the Padres and Cowboys, the Nets possible new name, Texas Pan-Am's new logo set, or anything sports branding related.

The Badge of Cowardice

By Bowen Hobbs

Baseball is the most traditional of the four major U.S. team sports. And, for better or worse, that aspect of the game permeates almost every part of the sport, from the look and feel of ballparks and uniforms to the league's reluctance to expand the use of instant replay. One aspect in which it hinders the sport is in the application of sleeve patches. It would seem that the tradition of the left sleeve as the primary placement option for logo patches is completely arbitrary. It also leads to what I will dub the "Badge of Cowardice".

The Badge of Cowardice occurs when a team uses a logo that naturally faces right (like the Marlins' F) and places it on the left sleeve of the jersey (like the Marlins' home jerseys). The result is the logo appears to be moving away from the front of the player, as if it is retreating from any action the player may find himself in. This is especially obvious on logo patches that include a person or animal mascot. The issue, for the most part, is exclusive to baseball, although some hockey teams can be included. Here is a rundown of the offending teams:

The Blatant Offenders

Florida Marlins: As described above, the Marlins' home jersey features the Badge of Cowardice. The black alternate jerseys also feature the Badge, but the grey away jerseys do not. A simple fix would be moving the patch over to the right sleeve, where it looks much more appropriate (as showcased by Hanley Ramirez).

Houston Astros: The Astros also sport the Badge, but it doesn't contain a person or animal mascot. It's of one of the 'Stros alternate logos, the streaking star over Texas. It appears on every jersey the team is using (not counting batting practice or throwbacks). Part of the logo's effectiveness is that it conveys a strong sense of motion, but that only works when the logo is positioned properly.

San Diego Padres: I like the Swinging Friar as much as the next person, but it should be placed on the right sleeve. When it appears on the left sleeve, like on the team's blue alternate jerseys, the Friar doesn't appear to be in mid-swing; instead, it appears the Friar has just struck out.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox only wear a sleeve patch on the away jerseys. Maybe that's one jersey too many. It's not that I don't like the hanging socks logo, but it literally looks like two little feet running away when placed on the left sleeve. It definitely looked better on the Home Run Derby jerseys.

Chicago Cubs: The Cubs are an interesting story. As a team known for falling short, they should be doing everything possible to change that mentality. But, since 1997, they have been sporting the Badge of Cowardice on their home and away jerseys. Apparently the cub has had enough of losing and decided to just walk away.

The Borderline Offenders

Milwaukee Brewers: The Brew Crew are flirting with the Badge of Cowardice, as the M-on-Wisconsin logo displays a sense of motion toward the right, while being placed on the left sleeve on the home, home alternate, and road alternate jerseys. At least the primary away jerseys use the Milwaukee logo.

Cincinnati Reds: The Reds use Mr. Redlegs on their home and alternate jerseys, and that patch looks great. The road jerseys, however, are a different story. The primary logo is used, and it is placed on the left sleeve. Although it's not as obvious as the Marlins, the wishbone C implies some movement, and shouldn't be placed "against the grain", so to speak.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers qualify as borderline because people in Western culture read left to right. Their home and away jerseys use the LA logo on the left sleeve, although the logo, by nature, would flow better on the right sleeve.

Colorado Rockies: Staying in the NL West, the Rockies primary logo is pretty symmetrical, except for the streaking baseball. That ball, however, is the reason they've ended up in the borderline category, as it gives the logo a direction.

Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates barely make this list, but they do because of the pirate's bandana. It may be nitpicking, but great design is in the details.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals also barely made this list. But they did make it (for all of their jerseys), and it's for the same reason as the aforementioned Dodgers.

Washington Nationals: Uniform-wise, they've been one of the most maligned teams in MLB for the Natinals debacle and more recently for placing an upside-down number on Miss Iowa's jersey. They also have the dubious distinction of making this list for the DC logo on the left sleeve of all their jerseys except their navy alternate.

There you have it, 12 teams of 30 are either blatantly sporting the Badge of Cowardice or are on the borderline of doing so. Maybe some day that will change.

Today, we have another Double Play Design. Up first are the current Brewers' opponent, the Chicago Cubs. For the Cubs, I decided the logo set was iconic enough to stay, but the uniforms needed some work. The primary home uniforms keep the pinstripes, and the primary logo stays on the left chest, but the Badge of Cowardice is no more as the patch moves to the right sleeve. The home alternates feature a blue jersey that is similar to the current blue jerseys, with sleeve trim added and the National League logo removed in favor of the primary logo. The home alternates also use plain white pants, which also appear on the Sunday Alternates. The primary away uniforms have a new script that is reminiscent of the Chicago Theatre. In addition, the uniform numbers are no longer red. Instead, all the type on the aways is blue with a single red outline to match the elements within the jersey, as well as matching the road jersey to the homes. The away alternate jersey is the same as the home alternate, but is paired with the grey pants. The Sunday Alternate is a sleeveless jersey and a take on this classic, except altered to fit within today's specifications. The tertiary logo appears on the crest, while the primary logo appears on the right sleeve. To cap it off, the hats feature a white C, similar to the current batting practice caps.


The Toronto Blue Jays are next in the order. Historically, they've had uniforms that were very… un-traditional. In 1997, the team moved slightly toward tradition with these until 2004, when the Blue Jays inexplicably removed most traces of blue to the point where their jerseys simply say Jays. Black took over as the team's main color and remains so today. My goal with the Jays was to take this logo and modify it to create a consistent, unique, and most importantly, fitting identity. The primary logo takes the current blue jay head, places it against a stylized maple leaf, and changes the color scheme to royal and powder blue. The secondary is a standalone jay head, and the tertiary is a partial of the primary without the wordmark (which now features the team's signature inline style). For the primary and alternate homes, I brought back the contrast paneled caps, with white panels at home and light blue for the roads. The home uniforms are bold and feature the wordmark within a broad chest stripe that is complemented by equally broad sleeve stripes, creating a modern, yet retro look. The type is a stylized block font, with the inline added, and the logo appears below the wordmark on the front of the jersey to remind fans of the glory years. The home alternate jersey is blue with a white chest stripe. The away uniforms use a powder blue base (Could you picture anything else for the Blue Jays?) and utilizes the broad stripe theme from the homes. The away alternate jerseys are also blue, but with a powder blue chest stripe. The Sunday Alternate is a sleeveless jersey, worn with a royal blue undershirt, and features a less aggressive chest stripe. The Sunday cap is solid blue and uses the jay-head-and-maple-leaf logo.

Feel free to leave a comment on the Badge of Cowardice, the Cubs and Blue Jays concepts above, or anything sports branding related.

Eastern League: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

By Bowen Hobbs

Continuing my breakdown of the branding efforts of teams within Minor League Baseball (look here for the International League and Pacific Coast League), today we will look at the Double-A Eastern League. Like much of MiLB, the Eastern League features some teams with crisp, dynamic identities, while other teams could use a total re-brand. Without further adieu:

The Good

Harrisburg Senators: The team re-branded between the 2005 and 2006 seasons, shifting from a red and black scheme to a look that clearly associates the Senators with their parent club, the Washington Nationals. The home and road caps use a stylized H with the flag/streaking baseball as the crossbar of the letterform. The home jerseys use the Senators wordmark across the chest while the away jerseys opt for a matching Harrisburg wordmark. The Senators did a good job of associating with the parent club while carving out a niche of their own.

New Britain Rock Cats: The old logo, while it has some good points, needed to become more of a sports logo and less of a cartoon. The new logo, unveiled before the 2007 season, accomplishes just that focusing on the cat as a baseball player and not as an extra from Grease. The team also uses a secondary RC-Paw logo on its home caps, while the away caps should be updated from the 1996 design. Aside from the out-of-place road caps, the identity is well executed.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats: The old logo wasn't terrible, but the color scheme certainly benefited from the update. The forest green and brown/gold was swapped out for kelly green and yellow, giving the new look more contrast and family-friendliness. The logos and type are very professional and clean. The home caps are green with an NH, while the away caps are black with an FC. The jerseys are what one would expect with the Fisher Cats wordmark on the homes and New Hampshire on the aways. Overall, the set is well done and serves as an example of what a Minor League Baseball logo should be.

Richmond Flying Squirrels: I have already covered the Flying Squirrels here, but in case you missed it, here are the main points: The logo is very well-rendered throughout the face and the body (which is abstracted to convey speed), but the hands are slightly awkward, as they are somewhat ambiguous in terms of which direction they face. That aside, the logo set and typography were developed with a lot of attention to detail. Overall, the set is very good, which is why it's in this section of the Good, Bad, & Ugly.

Trenton Thunder: The difference between the old logo and the new one is night and day. Whereas the old logo uses six colors plus white and is rendered poorly, the new mark uses bold lines and only four colors (plus white). In addition, the old emblem could be used for almost any team with the name Thunder, while the new logo implies a baseball context with the cloud holding the lightning bolt like a bat. The home and road caps use the thunder cloud from the primary logo, and the team also has an alternate cap with a secondary logo of a lightning bolt holding a bat. The designer in charge of this identity did a great job of giving the team a new take on its mascot.

The Bad

Akron Aeros: Let's start with the colors: the Aeros use black, purple, silver, red, aqua, and yellow, plus a percentage of black laid over the red for the cat's stripes. Including white, the team uses eight colors. That is far too many for any team. Second, looking at the type, the warping on the AEROS wordmark is a little awkward. Furthermore, AKRON is in Copperplate. What is the point of using a typeface that belongs on the side of old buildings within the context of a futuristic scheme? The motion line and planet aren't bad, nor is the rendering of the cat (although a cat doesn't necessarily say Aeros to me). It's time to update the entire package. Both caps (the away uses a black brim) use the cat over an A, but there is no precedent within the rest of the scheme for using the style of A from the caps. While some of the pieces are good, they don't come together as a unified brand.

Bowie BaySox: It's not the worst logo in MiLB, but it could be more interesting. The colors are unique, combining the parent-club Baltimore Orioles' black and orange with teal to establish the BaySox part of the identity. The stylized B makes a good cap logo, but the type could be better. The BOWIE BAYSOX wordmark and the word BASEBALL under it are typeset in Copperplate, and while they could have gotten away with using it on the main wordmark, the serifs on BASEBALL are quite difficult to see at smaller sizes, making the word less legible. The home jerseys use a different wordmark, which is a script designed to look like the Orioles' wordmark. The issue is that the B in Baysox has too much of an opening at the bottom, causing it to read as "Raysox". Once again, I've seen worse identities in MiLB, but I've also seen numerous schemes that were better.

Portland Sea Dogs: Once a Marlins affiliate, the Sea Dogs changed their color scheme when switching to the Red Sox, but didn't change the logo or wordmark. The logo isn't a bad concept, but there is certainly room for improvement. The P is rather generic, and the sea dog could use some bolder lines to give it more attitude. The caps use the P logo, and the home jerseys use the Sea Dogs wordmark. The away jerseys, however, use the word PORTLAND typeset in the Red Sox jersey letters, which should probably be incorporated into the identity if the team is going to use them in that capacity.

Reading Phillies: I generally do not care for the idea of using the parent club's name because it leads teams to take the easy way out. By "easy way out" I mean using the parent club's graphic identity without the team establishing it's own brand. The R-Phils, did however, establish their own graphic identity. They have a custom wordmark and are the only team in MiLB using pink (if only as a highlight color for the red type). The wordmark isn't great, but at least it is unique, and the team was somewhat handcuffed by being named after its parent club's home town. The R-Phils use a number of caps with variations on their R logo , but the primary jerseys use the Philadelphia team's font, while the batting practice jerseys use the custom wordmark.

The Ugly

Altoona Curve: The logo is a great idea, but the color scheme and illustration style make the mark appear dated. The color scheme (black, burgundy, forest green, silver) lacks pop as most of the colors are on the dark side on the scale and the two lighter colors (silver & white) are desaturated. The secondary logo, an A with a smoking/speeding baseball, is adequate for the identity, while the tertiary logo look rather unbalanced. The jerseys don't match the rest of the identity since the team used the Pirates' typeface.

Binghamton Mets: When I mentioned the "easy way out" this is exactly the type of brand-borrowing I was talking about. The illustration of the bee could use an update, and it is slapped against an existing Mets wordmark. The caps put the bee inside a B, and the jerseys just say Mets.

Erie SeaWolves: The logo competes with the Omaha Royals for the title "Worst Logo in MiLB". It's supposed to look like an old sailor's tattoo, but unfortunately for the SeaWolves it's a sports logo, not a tattoo. The hat shading is illogical, the fur looks unrealistic (even for a logo), the wolf is wearing two bandanas (which isn't necessary), and the crossed bats look like clip art. Furthermore, the typography is downright awful. Nothing says SeaWolves like a vertically arched sans serif typeface with drop shadows combined with a gradient on the supporting type (making it illegible). The caps use the same wolf head and crossed bats, and the jerseys use the same generic wordmark. This identity is in the ugly category for every reason.

Today's design features my attempt to re-brand the Erie SeaWolves. I scrapped everything: the wolf head, the type, even the colors. Speaking of colors, I chose to work with navy, orange, and grey to show the team's affiliation to the Detroit Tigers. The primary logo takes the idea of the existing SeaWolves logo of a pirate-wolf over crossed bats, but re-renders it. The wolf-head is no longer a three-quarters view, but instead is a straight-on view over the crossed bats for more of a Jolly Roger feel. I have also added scars and a meaner scowl to the wolf. The wordmark in the primary logo is a custom typeface with notches removed from the letterforms to match the distress on the wolf's hat as well as the wolf's scars. The supporting logos include two partial logos, an E monogram, and a ball-and-bats Jolly Roger that could become a secondary mascot a la Mr. Celery.


The caps allow for multiple options of using the wolf head and crossed bats logo and the E monogram. In addition, there is also a wraparound cap that mimics the captain hat the wolf is wearing. The primary uniforms are somewhat conservative, yet not the expected templated jerseys that many teams use. While the collar and pants use a double orange stripe, the sleeves use a triple stripe that gives the subtle impression of a sea captain. The alternate home and away jerseys are navy versions of the primaries. The home jerseys use the SeaWolves wordmark and the Jolly Roger patch, while the away jerseys use an Erie wordmark and the wolf head and crossed bats logo. Alternates 3 and 4 are a bit less conventional. Alternate 3 uses the wraparound cap design and pairs it with a jersey featuring horizontal broad stripes for a uniquely pirate feel. Alternate 4 is an all-navy set paired with a white cap for an old-timey vintage appearance.


Feel free to leave a comment on the Good, Bad, & Ugly of the Eastern League, the SeaWolves concept above, or anything sports branding related.

Your 2010 Georgia Tech "White" Jackets

By Bowen Hobbs

Over the course of the last week, Georgia Tech unveiled its new football uniforms for the 2010 season. The school did something different than in years past: while Tech unveiled a "home" and an "away" uniform, both jerseys were white. The reason the team went double-white is because they traditionally wear white at home, and every year (at least it seems like it lately) they would have a dark jersey that they unveiled that was almost never worn (if at all). The team thus decided to go double-white as a way to have two signature looks in white. Now, Georgia Tech is certainly not the only team in college football with two white jerseys, but I believe they are the only team with no dark-colored jersey. Here's a look at teams with multiple white-jerseyed uniforms:

Oregon: The Ducks have five different jerseys (green, white #1, white #2, black, and yellow), four helmets (green, white, black, and carbon fiber), and three sets of pants (green, white, and black), not counting their throwbacks. They are known for their mix-and-match combinations to the point that there is a website that tracks their weekly uniform combinations. The Ducks have two different white jerseys (one with green numbers, the other with silver), but both are designed to be worn on the road. The team's three colored jerseys (green, black, yellow), as well as the throwbacks (kelly green), are worn at home.

Nike Pro Combat Schools: Seven of the 10 schools that were part of Nike's new Pro Combat line chose white for their new jerseys. Those schools are Miami, Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Missouri, Ohio State, and LSU. And let's face it, most of these schools have or will wear the new duds at home (as they should, fans appear to be very interested in the new unis), leaving the visiting teams to wear their dark uniforms. But all of these schools have more traditional home uniforms that they wear routinely at home. Well, except…

Louisiana State: The Tigers consistently wear white at home. In fact, it's rare to see the team in its purple jerseys, although there is usually a team (I'm looking in your direction, Mississippi State.) that usually wears white at home for a week just to mess with the Tigers.

This begs the question: What happens if Virginia Tech (a Pro Combat school) or perhaps Clemson decides to wear white at home? Will Georgia Tech have to scramble back to Russell Athletic for new alternate jerseys? Will they just wear white anyways and forfeit a timeout like USC did when wearing red while visiting crosstown rival UCLA (who wore light blue) in 2008? There is a major competitive issue regarding how teams could exploit the Georgia Tech uniforms. Theoretically, Tech could be forced to play all of its conference road games (The NCAA requires teams to agree on a home team wanting to wear white, but in-conference games are governign by the conference in this case.) with only two timeouts in the first half. Who's to say a team like VT, Clemson, or even Georgia wouldn't want or need to use this type of tactic for a shot at a bowl game?

The NCAA isn't the only sport in which teams opt to wear white at home. The NFL has a few teams, most notably the Cowboys and Redskins, who consistently wear white at home. The Redskins are rumored to have started the trend to mess with the Cowboys, and they apparently aren't the only team to employ the tactic. The Eagles and Panthers have worn white just to mess with Dallas, and they have had some success in it. There are also a few teams, such as the Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Jaguars, who have went with white at home because they believe it helps them "beat the heat". The Siants wore white at home during parts of the 2008 and 2009 seasons just because they wanted to. And in a twist of events that could only involve Al Davis, the Raiders wore white at home in 2008 against the Chargers at the behest of then-coach Lane Kiffin, who wanted to stick it to the Raiders' eccentric owner.

In MLB, every team has at least one white uniform, while some teams have two, and others use off-white. And the NHL, a staple in the white-at-home landscape for many years, switched their policy after the lockout to have the home team in a colored jersey, while the away team is relegated to the white sweaters.

The NBA has the "white-at-home" rule, but has relaxed it a bit. The Cavs wore multiple different colored jerseys at home over the past couple years, from throwbacks to CavFanatic promotions. And the Pistons have worn their red alternates at home a few times. San Antonio used a silver uniform as a home alternate before they were outlawed, while the Lakers were grandfathered into the NBA's white-at-home rule and wear their yellow uniforms as their primary home set, with the white only being worn at home on Sundays and for special occasions.

Personally, I would like to see the NBA go to a system in which the home team wears their colored jerseys. With the advent of alternate uniforms and throwbacks, teams could use the opportunity to wear color at home as a merchandising tool, similar to what the Cavs have done the previous couple years. The Lakers wouldn't have to be grandfathered in to a new rule, and could wear their white jerseys more often, while the purple sets could become the alternates. Fans would get to see their teams' alternate uniforms (like the Suns' orange, the Bucks' red, or the Mavs' royal blue) in person, and not just on TV. As a general rule, the dark jerseys sell more than the whites (unless the team in question wears a color like purple, which isn't terribly popular among most fans). Teams could use that trend to market their primary dark jerseys, as well as their alternates, using the idea to actually "wear what the players are wearing" while having the entire arena blanketed in a sea of color, from the court and the fans, to the players.

This week's Double-Play Design features one of the greatest rivalries in sports. The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Starting with the Sawx, I had two main objectives: 1) To make the Red Sox the "Red Sox", and 2) to give the team's identity an essence of vintage baseball, thus showing respect to the team's rich tradition. Objective #1 was easy to figure out, while #2 forced me to look into Boston's baseball past. I found that the current typeface is a modernized version of their original font, so I reverted back to the original version, which is more legible and consistent. I also changed the team's white to off-white, giving the identity an affinity for yesteryear. I kept the cap logo the same, but with the slightly modified typeface, and I added a navy stroke to the tertiary logo to avoid this issue (look at his right sleeve). The uniforms use a piping style from the team's history, as seen in this Norman Rockwell painting, and the socks patch is moved to the right sleeve, so it no longer looks like it is running away from its opponents. The home sets focus on red as the primary color, using red caps to accent the red type and trim on the off-white uniforms. The home alternate is a red jersey with navy type, matching the home cap. Boston's current away uniforms look more like Yankees knockoffs than Red Sox uniforms. Although they share the style of the 1986 aways, what Red Sox fan would want to be reminded of Bill Buckner? In my concept, I returned the aways to using red type, which sits on a grey base. I used an all-navy cap for the road sets, allowing the Red Sox to reclaim this look to a certain extent. The away alternate jersey once again matches the look of the cap, this time as a navy jersey with red type. The Sunday Alternate uses the socks logo as a chest patch and is paired with a navy cap that features the socks logo and a red brim.


Next up are the New York Yankees. My main issue with the current Yankees identity is consistency. The Evil Empire uses two different NY logos on the hats and jerseys. And the Bronx Bombers' current primary logo is royal and red, while the team only wears navy and grey on its uniforms. So with those issues in mind, I changed the primary logo to navy and grey, and decided to keep the cap NY while eliminating the others, as they are superfluous. I also developed a tertiary logo that plays off the idea of the Yankees' being known for their signature pinstripes, which are the background within a navy circle containing the NY logo. As for the Pinstripes' uniforms, I refuse to believe that they are too classic, and changing them would be blasphemy. I do understand the logic of preserving the primary home uniform, but I took the opportunity to use the cap NY on the jerseys, thus unifying (and improving) one of the greatest uniforms in sports history. The home alternate is a navy jersey with the NY logo on the chest in white. The Yankees' current away uniforms are nothing special and have not changed since the 1970s. They are actually very similar to the current White Sox road uniforms. In this situation, I decided to have the Yankees resemble their nickname and wear pinstripes. The aways start with a slightly darker grey base than the standard Cool Base grey and feature NEW YORK in block letters. They are paired with a navy cap that uses the NY logo in grey, creating a simplified look that doesn't unnecessarily contain white. The away alternate follows this trend of simplicity by using grey type on a solid navy jersey. The Sunday Alternate provides a unique take Yankees' history. Starting with a cream-colored base I developed a pinstriped cream-colored cap with navy pinstripes and a navy bill. The jerseys are blank on the front but have the tertiary logo as a patch on the left sleeve, providing the team with an alternate uniform that pays tribute to the past, and fits with their storied history.


Feel free to comment on Georgia Tech's all-white campaign, the use of white vs. colored jerseys in sports, or the Red Sox and Yankees concept above.