Florida Panthers Identity Update

[AsM29]

So after realizing that the Penguins had updated their wordmark, I went searching through my newest NHL files to see if I had missed anything else. Sure enough, I found a new updated identity for the Panthers. The interesting thing about this update is the way they labeled their different logos. By the way, this is my 1000th post.

Primary Corporate Mark

Primary Marketing/Merchandising Mark

Secondary Mark

Jersey Mark

Shoulder Mark

Wordmark

[Island_Style]

small upgrade but an upgrade.

[ColeJ]

i still think that the jersey mark, when on an authentic jersey with the metallica gold color and everything, is one of the most attractive hockey logos around.

i never realized just how much i loved it until i saw one in person, and i was sold. i love that logo.

[BallWonk]

i still think that the jersey mark, when on an authentic jersey with the metallica gold color and everything, is one of the most attractive hockey logos around.

i never realized just how much i loved it until i saw one in person, and i was sold. i love that logo.

I agree. What's more, that shoulder logo is my favorite shoulder patch in the NHL.

The Panthers for me are a perfect example of how good design can more than make up for a poor choice of team name. Not that there's anything wrong with "panthers" per se, but it just doesn't feel hockey-ish enough to me for a team that far south. A hockey team in Florida needs the kind of team name that when you hear it, you don't wonder what sport they play. (Or, conversely, a logo so anti-hockey that it's defiant, like the Florida Burn or something. Not that "Florida Burn" is a good team name, but something in that vein, which by the way would match that beautiful sun, palm, and stick shoulder logo better than "Panthers.") Yet as much as I think Florida completely missed the boat in establishing its identity, the fact that they have perhaps my favorite uniforms of any recent expansion team more than makes up for it.

[Sodboy13]

The Panthers' original unis were things of beauty. Simple, yet unique striping and shoulder designs, a well-executed color combo, a clever shoulder patch that places more emphasis on the team's location than name, and a front crest which shows that, in some cases, your logo doesn't have to parrot the team's primary colors to look great.

Quite a bit like the Blackhawks, actually, when you think about in those terms. Of course, Florida decided to start taking a piss all over the whole thing a few years back by emphasizing navy over red and adding the broken stick to the crest, which makes the crest too big, says "Hockey!!!!1!" in a fashion used by minor-league teams, and actually makes the jersey kinda uncomfortable to wear. Then Edge came along, and the team just decided to completely go off the cliff.

[CubsFanBudMan]

As I scrolled and saw all of those broken-stick logos, I thought for sure the jersey was going to get one, too. I'm glad that it did not. I think too many hockey teams hit you over the head with what sport they play in name and/or uniform/logo, and I agree that this is a great, yet underrated, identity that in the past (pre-navy dominance and pre-Edge) was even better.

I actually think the half-Panther with stick works with the wordmark here, so I guess this is a positive overall. Now, let's hope that "throwback" alt gets done right....

[Mingjai]

The Panthers for me are a perfect example of how good design can more than make up for a poor choice of team name. Not that there's anything wrong with "panthers" per se, but it just doesn't feel hockey-ish enough to me for a team that far south. A hockey team in Florida needs the kind of team name that when you hear it, you don't wonder what sport they play. (Or, conversely, a logo so anti-hockey that it's defiant, like the Florida Burn or something. Not that "Florida Burn" is a good team name, but something in that vein, which by the way would match that beautiful sun, palm, and stick shoulder logo better than "Panthers.") Yet as much as I think Florida completely missed the boat in establishing its identity, the fact that they have perhaps my favorite uniforms of any recent expansion team more than makes up for it.

I like the Florida Panthers name, but from the start, I caught the reference to the Florida panther, an endangered subspecies of cougar that inhabits the southern United States. I always thought that the Florida Panthers' regional reference was less obscure than the Tampa Bay Lightning's, but maybe I'm mistaken.

I also like the identity, though I probably wouldn't put it in the top 10 of NHL identities.

[JaMike81]

The Panthers for me are a perfect example of how good design can more than make up for a poor choice of team name. Not that there's anything wrong with "panthers" per se, but it just doesn't feel hockey-ish enough to me for a team that far south. A hockey team in Florida needs the kind of team name that when you hear it, you don't wonder what sport they play. (Or, conversely, a logo so anti-hockey that it's defiant, like the Florida Burn or something. Not that "Florida Burn" is a good team name, but something in that vein, which by the way would match that beautiful sun, palm, and stick shoulder logo better than "Panthers.") Yet as much as I think Florida completely missed the boat in establishing its identity, the fact that they have perhaps my favorite uniforms of any recent expansion team more than makes up for it.

I like the Florida Panthers name, but from the start, I caught the reference to the Florida panther, an endangered subspecies of cougar that inhabits the southern United States. I always thought that the Florida Panthers' regional reference was less obscure than the Tampa Bay Lightning's, but maybe I'm mistaken.

I also like the identity, though I probably wouldn't put it in the top 10 of NHL identities.

Tampa, Florida has the highest number of lightning strikes per year in the U.S. So that's what the team's name refers to.

[number81]

Wow. Funny how this one has really slipped under the radar.

I was watching NHL Network - Classic Series - 1997 Quarterfinals Panthers vs Rangers and noticed that the half panther concept has been around for a while. Florida was using a half panther logo / wordmark on their helmets in 1997.

I never remembered seeing that half panther before, but sure enough, it was on the Panthers CC page.

2009-10 version for comparison.

I like the old one more. Not a big fan of the cropped white bottom fur.

Also - the 5 year anniversary patch also used a half panther look:

[BBTV]

Was never a big fan of their logo package. IMO, logos should be simple and iconic. They should be (relatively) easy for kids to draw on their book covers (they still have book covers, right?) While it's nicely designed and executed work, IMO there's too many lines and shapes for it to be an effective logo.

[The_Admiral]

Pretty good logos wasted on the most irrelevant and forgettable franchise in pro sports.

[BBTV]

Pretty good logos wasted on the most irrelevant and forgettable franchise in pro sports.

You really think the Predators logos are pretty good?

[The_Admiral]

Pretty good logos wasted on the most irrelevant and forgettable franchise in pro sports.

You really think the Predators logos are pretty good?

Yeah, I guess the Preds are near the bottom of the list as well. Thrashers too. The Panthers combine a generic suburban arena with years of listless mediocrity, and are unsuccessfully selling the hardest sell of the Big Four in the most sports-apathetic part of the country. They're just blegh. None more grey.

[Stampman]

Was never a big fan of their logo package. IMO, logos should be simple and iconic. They should be (relatively) easy for kids to draw on their book covers (they still have book covers, right?) While it's nicely designed and executed work, IMO there's too many lines and shapes for it to be an effective logo.

I used to do that with the various logos--so the Red Wings and Blackhawks kind of bugged me--I got to where I could do a reasonable facsimile of the head, but I could never get the wheel right for the Wings.

Then I started drawing band logos more...

[CubsFanBudMan]

Seeing the old half-Panther makes me like the new one even more, mostly because I'm not a fan of oversized final letter designs. Didn't realize that it was really only subtle tweaks to an existing logo. Hadn't seen that old one in a while.

That said, I can't decide whether the gold (logo) red (Florida), blue (Panthers), yellow (underline) progression down the logo is a good/necessary thing. I guess it works. But now it somehow seems more separate to me.

And I hadn't thought about the Panthers logo in those terms BBTV, although I generally agree with that sentiment. That aside, I think it's a great logo, one of my favorites in the NHL. But you make a good point.

Hate to admit it (as someone who went to my share of games at the "generic suburban arena" -- as good a name as any they've used) but the admiral makes a good point as well. It will probably be a long time before any kids even try to draw that logo on their notebooks. Tough sell. Maybe they can sell the Broward Co. market (and further north) on hockey when they become the only major sports franchise not downtown.

[Arts11]

Wow, I never realized how sharp-edged that Panther logo was. Reminds me a lot of ClipArt you'd find in Microsoft Office.

[tBBP]

Seeing the old half-Panther makes me like the new one even more, mostly because I'm not a fan of oversized final letter designs. Didn't realize that it was really only subtle tweaks to an existing logo. Hadn't seen that old one in a while.

That said, I can't decide whether the gold (logo) red (Florida), blue (Panthers), yellow (underline) progression down the logo is a good/necessary thing. I guess it works. But now it somehow seems more separate to me.

And I hadn't thought about the Panthers logo in those terms BBTV, although I generally agree with that sentiment. That aside, I think it's a great logo, one of my favorites in the NHL. But you make a good point.

Hate to admit it (as someone who went to my share of games at the "generic suburban arena" -- as good a name as any they've used) but the admiral makes a good point as well. It will probably be a long time before any kids even try to draw that logo on their notebooks. Tough sell. Maybe they can sell the Broward Co. market (and further north) on hockey when they become the only major sports franchise not downtown.

I wouldn't quite say that so fast...

...Interesting enough, the Panthers' main logo was one of the first sports logos I can recall drawing on my notebook paper, folders...whatever I could find to draw on back in my adolescent years. Used to LOVE it. Was one of my favorite logos then...it's still one of my favorites now.

[DelayedPenalty]

Seeing the old half-Panther makes me like the new one even more, mostly because I'm not a fan of oversized final letter designs. Didn't realize that it was really only subtle tweaks to an existing logo. Hadn't seen that old one in a while.

That said, I can't decide whether the gold (logo) red (Florida), blue (Panthers), yellow (underline) progression down the logo is a good/necessary thing. I guess it works. But now it somehow seems more separate to me.

And I hadn't thought about the Panthers logo in those terms BBTV, although I generally agree with that sentiment. That aside, I think it's a great logo, one of my favorites in the NHL. But you make a good point.

Hate to admit it (as someone who went to my share of games at the "generic suburban arena" -- as good a name as any they've used) but the admiral makes a good point as well. It will probably be a long time before any kids even try to draw that logo on their notebooks. Tough sell. Maybe they can sell the Broward Co. market (and further north) on hockey when they become the only major sports franchise not downtown.

I wouldn't quite say that so fast...

...Interesting enough, the Panthers' main logo was one of the first sports logos I can recall drawing on my notebook paper, folders...whatever I could find to draw on back in my adolescent years. Used to LOVE it. Was one of my favorite logos then...it's still one of my favorites now.

I won a coloring contest when I was 9 or 10 years old by drawing John Vanbiesbrouck's mask on a "father's day tie". Back in the day I was a bandwagonner with whatever new teams came out (San Jose, Tampa Bay, Florida). My Mom found my old very small Panther's jersey in a box downstairs not too long ago while cleaning out for a garage sale. I'm keeping it for when I have kids! I also have a Vanbiesbrouck sweater that I still wear!