San Diego Padres

[Lights Out]

The Padres have basically the same situation as the Astros - they've bounced from color scheme to color scheme, they have a relatively tame one now, but let's face it, they will always be defined by their "weird" colors from the past. And just like the 'Stros, it's time to dump the conservative color scheme and embrace the weirdness. Without the yellow and brown, they don't have a solid identity. Bring back the yellow and brown, and everyone knows it's the Padres.

I used the current scripts, because I like them. The numbers are centered on the front of the uniforms simply because I like that look. The hat goes back to the old classic style.

Comments?

[andrewharrington]

I'm not really a fan of what you've posted here, but somebody has got to bring back brown and gold (yellow). The broncos are out, because of all the history and value they have in orange and blue (yes, that's orange and blue, not blue and orange, and definitely not dark blue and orange, but that's another story). The Padres, I think are a good candidate, since they don't have a ton of equity in their current color scheme, but I'd really love to see the Boston Bruins go brown and gold, because it wouldn't be that much of a change, and it looks great.

[Bmac]

Not feeling the brown on brown logo on the hat. Or the numbers on the middle of the front of the jersey. And the yellow numbers sort of get lost on the white jersey, perhaps switch to brown with a yellow drop shadow? Otherwise, nice job.

[ESTONES6]

the brown and yellow seem too close. I don't like the vest idea at all. the number on the San Diego front... no.

[Lights Out]

I went with a vest because the initial brown-and-yellow uniforms were gaudy-looking faux vests, and if they ever went with a modernization of those uniforms, they would have to go with a real vest for tastefulness purposes. As for the brown and yellow colors, those are the shades they actually used.

In my next update, I'll remove the front numbers and change the number color on the white jersey, as well as change the hat.

[Lights Out]

[Bmac]

I like the update. That hat is great! Also, I say keep the sleeveless jerseys.

[fishheatcats]

I can dig it! Love that so-horrible-it's-awesome color scheme. I would darken up both colors just a bit, and maybe try to come up with some original script logos. I'm not sure the current logos work with the old school color scheme.

FYI a rebrand could be on the horizon, because about a week before Opening Day the Padres sent out an e-mail to all the creative personnel of the other teams asking everyone to not to use the "home plate" primary logo, and instead just use the "SD" cap logo, on any collateral or in-game promotional pieces involving the Padres. The new ownership apparently wants to move away from that look. There's so much friggin blue in pro sports I'd welcome any and all of the wacky combos from the past making a return.

[CJworks]

I'm not feelin this too much, I never liked this color scheme (IMO, it doesn't represent San Diego whatsoever). The concept is nice, but I'm just not liking it.

[agentrygraphics]

y'know, as much as it wouldn't be very visible on TV, etc...I really like the idea of the brown letters outlined in yellow on the cap.

[BrianVlietDesign]

Mustard and brown MUST come back. And these would be a decent look, I feel. However, I think there should be something on the shoulders.

[The_Admiral]

The whole idea of the redesign was to look swooshy and wavy and oceany, so recoloring it to brown and yellow doesn't make any sense. Also, you wouldn't be able to read yellow on white. Also, vests are bad.

[sterling007]

I'd like to see the Padres back in this, but it would have to be done right. Its a good color combo, but it can get ugly fast. I agree that the Bruins would be a perfect fit. I was hoping before OKC was given the name "Thunder" that they might use this combo. The only team I can think of in the NBA that could make this work (not saying they should or would) would be the Cavs.

[Lights Out]

New scripts. The home is in brown, the away is in yellow. They're both slightly-modernized versions of the old scripts from the actual mustard-and-yellow set. Comments?

[The_Admiral]

Those aren't modernized so much as mildly tweaked. There is nothing modern about those scripts. They look okay, if you want to present San Diego as some sort of musty old time warp, which I'm pretty sure it generally isn't, which is why I'm generally okay with the Padres' current colors.

[Lights Out]

Nobody calls the Dodgers' scripts, Giants' scripts, Red Sox scripts, etc. "musty old time warps" even though they could hardly be called modern too.

As for the Padres' current colors and uniforms, they're a disaster IMO. The blue doesn't really differentiate them that much from the rest of the league, most of whom use similar shades of blue in some role. The sand color is ugly when used for anything but an accent color. The camouflage uniforms, while a nice statement of supporting our troops, have been executed very garishly and don't even match the team colors.

I do like the scripts that they use overall, but they definitely need some tweaking. The "Padres" script looks like it wants to be the Dodgers' script and the Twins' script at the same time. The "San Diego" script is a little off-balanced visually, IMO.

But it's the colors that really ruin their current set. Without the sand, they look the same as half the league. They do nothing to create a vivid, unique, and memorable identity for the team - all of which the mustard and yellow did back in the day.

[The_Admiral]

Nobody calls the Dodgers' scripts, Giants' scripts, Red Sox scripts, etc. "musty old time warps" even though they could hardly be called modern too.

Well, no, but you're willfully failing to make a distinction between dated and timeless. Everything is to some extent a product of its time, but not everything transcends its time. The Dodgers : blue jeans :: the Padres : leisure suits. Does that make any sense? I don't know how to better articulate that the Padres using geometric lowercase in brown and yellow looks eminently late-1970s, which clashes with the fact that neither San Diego at large nor its ballpark looks eminently late-'70s. It's necessary for San Diego to convey a smooth and contemporary look. Presumably, they're not out to show the world that their city is the world's largest unrenovated Taco Bell.

I agree with you that the execution of the camouflage uniforms is poor, and worse yet, it's gone from poorly done to overdone. The home script is okay, but the bowtie road script is terrible. I don't think the colors are to blame, however. I find their colors rather pleasant and San Diegan. Lots of teams wear navy, yes, but I don't think the onus is on them to drop it when the Brewers have been dipping their toes in the retro pool for several years now, which would free up navy and beige for the Padres.

[illwauk]

I'm still not a fan of the drop shadows. I can tolerate it on the home jersey, but brown and yellow have more than enough contrast to make it unnecessary on the roads.

[Lights Out]

Yeah, I'll get rid of the drop shadows on the next update, but I'm still trying to come up with scripts that work in mustard-and-brown but don't look too '70s.

BTW, who says late-'70s design can't be timeless? I think their script from that era is quirky enough to be interesting but simple enough to last them a while - unlike the uniform sets that followed. And how is mustard-and-yellow not contemporary? Last I checked, they were the ONLY team in the MLB to use that color scheme back when they used it, and if they reintroduce it, they will still be the only team in the MLB to use it. It might remind some people of an unrenovated Taco Bell, but which uniforms does everybody think of when they think of the Padres? It's definitely not the camo unis.

[The_Admiral]

I think of the navy shirts with khaki pants, which is also kind of a problem, because they look vaguely like vacationing dads. I can't tell you precisely why brown and yellow isn't a contemporary color palette here in 2010, but it's the same way teal and purple would not be very contemporary in 2010 either.

"What Makes Design Dated?" might be a good topic for the General Design folder, which I don't spend enough time in.