Great question! For the 66ers, they asked us to stay away from the Route 66 road sign. There was some trademarking/confusion issues with that emblem and so they wanted to tell the story of the people who worked on Route 66 - particularly the blue-collar mechanics in the Inland Empire. They also wanted a real modern look but also tribute to the minor league logos of the midcentury - most of which were swinging bats. There wasn't an intended Padres connection (different angles of the character as well). The first time we jumped the shark was the Clearwater Threshers.
The primary logo was crafted to resemble the costume and for the sleeve emblem we asked, "What if this identity existed all along, but there was a throwback Champ from yesteryear - what would that look like?" The sleeve emblem is the fraux throwback concept.