WideRight

PS:  Just letting folks know that over the past few days the Virginia Destroyers have made a push, and are now 2nd behind Charlotte, with Carolina in 3rd.  You Surge fans may want to get some allies on board to vote for the Surge.  

And here is the final 2007 uniform/logo rebrand from Reebok.  The LA Express. 

I suspect the 2 references are pretty obvious here.  Primary logo from AAF Express, secondary logo from XFL 1.0 Xtreme.   The Express also get a bit sucked into the idea of gradients and sublimated uniforms, with color shifting in various parts of the uniform.  

And, to all who look at the helmet and wonder why they did not go full AAF with the design, my only response is "Patience", since LA has been one of the most mutable of designs all along, this is not the final look for them. 

As the votes keep coming in for Expansion 2008, another USFL team gets a new design for 2007.  

The Orlando Renegades get rid of their script wordmark after nearly 20 years and make some very 2000's adjustments to their uniforms, including:

1. A new secondary logo doubles the tomohawk imagery.

2. The new wordmark acknowledges the common nickname of 'Gades.

3. A shift from black to a charcoal grey or dark graphite. 

4. The silver in their uniform is now more of a chrome, particularly on the helmet's facemask.

5. Renegade Blue is lightened a bit more, now almost in the realm of Panther or Honolulu Blue.

6. Sleeve and pant striping is bigger and bolder.

Expansion designs coming soon, but as we are in the 2nd half of the 2006 season, it is time for some of the 2007 designs to be revealed by Reebok.

First up is the least dramatic of the redesigns, the New Jersey Generals.  They tip the cap at their early years, removing some of the 1990's design elements like the epaulette-inspired striping, and go back to a more classic look.  A new wordmark and number font are the main changes for the Generals as they evoke more of a 1983 vibe for 2007. 

The poll on The USFL Lives is live, as is the comment section.  

I will start releasing full uniform mockups this weekend, so @BengalErnst can see which XFL teams helped influence the USFL designs of these three teams.  It won't always be exact or obvious, but I promise there are definite XFL elements in the designs of some helmets, some jerseys, and some pants, but typically elements and not the full look.  And this is not the first, the current Orlando  Renegades look is basically the Chicago Enforcers with blue instead of purple.  LA also had a short-lived LA Xtreme bib jersey, though now they look more like the Seattle Seahawks from the Hasselbeck period.  

Next up... LA Express get influenced by two short-lived leagues,  Generals go back to basics, and the Renegades go for some funky color adjustments (not major, just tweaked to be more contemporary).  

And for those of you hoping Dallas would get a team, patience is a virtue.  

One more version of the Hudson Valley Fort redesign, adjusting the width of the C and the striping at the bottom.  

I did think about just going with the London Monarchs logo, since that is a queen's crown, not a king's crown, and Charlotte is the Queen City of NC, but I just like the look of the Atlanta Legends crown quite a bit more than the Monarch crown.   Anyway, here is version 3 of a secondary logo with a castle motif. 

And, just because I know that @BengalErnst will appreciate this I can promise that all 3 uniform designs for the 28th USFL team are to one degree or another based on XFL designs, though perhaps not the teams you are thinking of. 

17 hours ago, Brian in Boston said:

 

 

I’ll be interested in seeing whether a secondary logo for the Monarchs can close the gap that I perceive between the top two packages, but it would have to be one hell of an ancillary mark.

 

 

Brian, (et al),

So after many variations, many other concepts, and a few very weird turns, here is my proposed 2ndary logo for the Monarchs.   It is based on the Hudson Valley Fort of the short-lived FXFL.  A lot more purple-dominant, than the primary, but still hopefully works as a part of the same basic identity package.   I have 2 versions and would love some feedback on which works best.  

And I have to say that I agree with the idea that trying to mimic styles of a particular 5-10 year period of design and at the same time stick to existing logos at the same time is a huge issue.  The truth is that I have had to be flexible, pulling designs from a limited number of real world or concept logos to try to show progression over time.  There are just not a lot of good options in each time period.  For me WLAF/NFLE designs are the closest to the original USFL aesthetic.  XFL 1.0 was very far from that look, very "xtreme and kewl", which is just not the USFL.  The only other option between 2000-2010 is the UFL, which had only a handful of teams, and then you have to wait until 2019-2023 for the AAF, XFL 2.0, XFL 3.0, and USFL 2.0.   I did not find a lot in arena football that would work, thought there are some very good logos in that league (Rattlers, for example).   So, in an effort to try to repurpose actual logos, the timeframe is not always going to align perfectly.  The minimalism of the 2020's vs. the love of gradients or multiple outline complex wordmarks earlier in the decade, the obsession with darkening colors and BFBS, or the explosion of teal and purple in the 90's, are just not all going to perfectly fit into the USFL alt history timeline.  it is an inherent issue with the limitations of the alt history genre, as well as with my efforts to stick with real world designs as much as I can, rather than just inventing a league from scratch. 

I like that you used yellow as the main jersey color.  Not sure I like the grey sidepanels and pant stripe, because I think the chevrons alone looks better than the chevrons within a stripe.  Just my $0.02.

A really oustanding concept.  Love the colors, the use of the Pacific Northwest Native imagery, and the treatment of the numbers.  Really great look. 

21 minutes ago, Bomba Tomba said:

Yes, this, maybe even the colors too

If Surge wins, I could see a makeover sometime between 2008-2023 that could move them more to a Birmingham Bolts style helmet.  That is possible.   Honestly, most teams, particularly those not originally part of the USFL, are likely not going to look exactly the same in 2023 as they do in 2006/2008, so that is certainly a possibility. 

That is outstanding. My only quibble is that I don't think your Ohio shape is actually the shape of Ohio, not on any map I have seen.  Other than that I love everything you have done here. 

And the third expansion bid, the Charlotte Monarchs.

The sharp-eyed will notice elements from both the London Monarchs (WLAF/NFLE) and the Atlanta Legends (AAF).  The color scheme is heavily influenced by the Charlotte Hornets NBA club, which I explain away by having Larry Johnson and Muggsy Bogues among the ownership group.  No pinstripe jerseys, I promise, but a healthy dose of teal and purple (which I know is very 1990's, but is in play here because of the former Hornets).    

This design does not yet have a secondary logo.  I want to do something other than another variation on the crown (since already the main logo is not the same as the helmet logo), but want to avoid the cliche of a lion.  

So, you now have all 3.  Starting Thursday at the website you can vote for which club you think should join the USFL in 2008.  You can also use the comment thread on the page to try to sway others.   The polling will stay open through Week 11's recap and then the winner will be announced in Week 13's recap. 

3 hours ago, Blindsay said:

The Surge Logo looks more 1998 than 2008…

Yeah, that is a bit hard to avoid as I pull ideas/designs from everything from WLAF to XFL, to AAF, to XFL 3.0, UFL, etc.   Sometimes the eras are not exact because there is something of a limited pool.  The same is true for color schemes, the Surge colors are way more 90's than mid 2000's, and they are not going to be the worst offenders on that front.  

I still think it is the kind of a logo that makes sense for a USFL squad, more than most of the 2001 XFL logos do.  

And, while I am here, let's release the 2nd of the 3 bids.

The Tidewater Football Group has revealed their design, and to the very likely surprise of no one, the design is based almost exclusively on the 2011 Virginia Destroyers of the UFL.   I modified the shape of the ship a bit, using elements of the AAF San Diego Fleet, and they won't have a torpedo helmet stripe, but the colors and the main logo are very much based on the Destroyers from the UFL.    The question is, can the Norfolk/Virginia Beach region win out over the two wealthier NC regions, especially with the worst current stadium situation of the three?

The Tidewater Group's bid logo now becomes a secondary logo for the team as well, though this logo is unlikely to appear on the uniform. 

OK guys, a Chris Creamer exclusive.  The three bids for the final 2008 expansion team should go live on Thursday, when the Week 7 Midseason Report is published, but I will release each bid here first, complete with team colors, nickname, logo, and helmet design. 

Three very different designs and motifs for 3 very different bidding groups.  Today I will release the NC Triangle bid (including a special peak at their secondary logo which appears nowhere else unless this team becomes the winner.   Tomorrow I will release the Charlotte bid, and then Tuesday the Tidewater/Hampton Roads bid.   

Voting will begin on Thursday, along with a comment section on the webpage where you can try to persuade your "fellow owners" at the owners' meeting to vote for the best bid.  

So, here is your sneak peak at the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill bid.... The Carolina Surge. 

And a special extra peak, the secondary logo, which those of you old enough to remember the early days of the Arena Football League may recognize as a modified version of one of the classic Arenaball clubs.  

12 hours ago, ManillaToad said:

Gonna give my honest opinion: the proposed eagle isn't very good. It's a generic triangle-shape, and like others said it has similarities to the Skyhawks logo. The current one has a lot of character, and I think it'd be crazy for a team that went 17-0 to totally change their logo just a couple years later. It reminds me of the Dolphins changing their logo to be more sleek and "modern", and losing all of its soul in the process.

Ohio's current logo is one of the best in your league. It has that 1980s rival major league feel to it, which is the aesthetic I associate with the USFL. Would hate to see it go.

 

You  make a good point. I may have to consider delaying any Ohio logo change for a bit, until there is a clear change of regime.  It does seem that while many teams do modernize/change their logos over time, most of the more radical changes tend to be teams that do not have much history of success:  Tampa Bay (Bruce to the flag), Jets (Namath era to JETS script, then back again, then back to JETS again), Patriots (Pat to Elvis).  We do occasionally see teams with pretty strong traditions make a big switch: Broncos in 96, 49ers attempt in the 90's with the infamous 1-day logo, Giants switching from the name to the monogram, Dolphins almost constant logo evolution, etc. 

But, it does make sense that a good amount of time should pass from the early 2000's 16-0 team to a new leadership team (GM/Coach) in place, maybe the 10th anniversary or later. 

That said, while I like the idea of the WLAF glory logo, the design of the eagle itself feels very dated.  I don't see a team in the 2000's or 2010's or 2020's having the eagle depicted in quite the same way.  So, perhaps more of a subtle evolution, like the Atlanta Falcon or Jax Jaguar than a more radical shift.   

Hi All,

I am about to reveal the winning Portland selection on the Alt History Website, and then have a few big projects coming up, but I was hoping to get your thoughts on one particular redesign.   

So, in the next few days we will have:

1.  Portland revealed

2. The three bids for the USFL's 28th team revealed, each with their logo, name, helmet & colors. 

3. We will start to see the 2007 updates as well: New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Orlando.

4. 2008 will have 2 expansion teams and a new look for Pittsburgh. 

Right now, I am hoping for some feedback on two options for a new-look Ohio Glory.  I want to maintain most of what Ohio is, a patriotic red, white, and blue club, with a lot of flag elements in their design, and clear references to the Ohio state flag.   But, that said, I think the actual WLAF logo for Ohio feels dated, and the eagle itself is not great looking. 

So, I searched the internet for a lot of eagle ideas, found quite a few, designed a bird based significantly on the design of Alberto Martinez Sanchez, a very talented designer from Spain I found on Behance.  I have written him to see if he is cool with me modifying and using the design as a base for what I want to do with Ohio.  Waiting to hear back. 

The issue is how close to the original "eagle with streaming banner" design do I want.  I want to retain elements of the Ohio flag, and I want it to read very patriotic, but I am not sure about whether or not the banner is vital.  

Here are two variations I have developed so far, one playing off the Ohio flag's use of stars on its blue field, and the other retaining the red and white pennant, but not in the eagle's mouth.   

Thoughts, preferences, ideas?  (I have looked at a modified Hartford Colonials look, but it really does not work without the

Ugh.  not horrible, but is this.... (below) really all that hard?     Maybe I am just and old fuddy duddy, but the image below just seems like a better look to me. 

1 hour ago, jbird669 said:

That stags logo is fire. 

As with most of the logos, all credit should go to the original designers.  For the Stags that was  the DBB Ad Agency in Edmonton along with a team rep, Trevor Sieben, at least according to this article: https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/local-sports/timeless-edmonton-elks-logo-design-team-embraces-tradition-and-history-while-embracing-new-name#:~:text=Trevor Sieben%2C the director of,new primary and secondary logo.

I will take credit for those where I started from scratch, but one of my goals for this USFL project was to try to stick as much as possible with real team logos from other teams that may or may not exist in a world that contains the USFL.  That is why you get things like the UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions, or the Edmonton Elks', or the Birmingham Fire, Barcelona Dragons, or Tennessee Titan logos repurposed as the Pumas, Stags, Atlanta Fire, Seattle Dragons, or Nashville Knights.  

I try to do more than just recoloring when I think more is needed (see the updated Seattle logo), but my starting point is always the amazing work of the original artists, so they deserve the credit.   I will take credit mostly for the uniform designs, which tend to be more my own work.  And the occasional new logo as time goes by from the onset of a team to through evolution.

But, thanks for the compliment, as always, but in the case of the Stags, thanks to the Edmonton Elks.

Once Again @Brian in Boston is a bit psychic.  I thought about the Kraken, but that logo is so tied to the letter S, which makes no sense for Portland, and the colors of brown, orange buff would not work for a nautical team.   But, it works really well for an elk or deer.

So, we take the Edmonton Elks' primary and bing, bang, boom, you have the Portland Stags.   I was actually not aware of the White Stag sign in Portland, but now I think I will try to incorporate it into a secondary logo.  

Here is the third option for Portland voters, and yes, there is a very good chance that the helmet will be modeled on the outstanding Chicago Staggs design.

We are about two articles away from the poll going live, which means Monday or Tuesday at the latest.  

You guys are just too good at guessing my intentions. 

Here is design option #2 of 3.   Based on the Memphis Southmen of the 1970's World Football League, but with influences from several other Bear (particularly bear head) logos,  including the Memphis Grizzlies NBA, U. of Montana, and about 4-6 others.    Those of you who remember my WFL redux will likely see the elements from that project in this one. 

Tomorrow I will reveal the 3rd and final identity option, which comes to us from a relatively recent design.  The actual voting on the USFL Lives website will also start probably over the weekend or Mon/Tue at the latest.   

SPOILER ALERT---- I am about 3-5 days away from posting info on the USFL Alt History Website about expansion, so if you don't want to know yet, look away.

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I get the feeling no one is looking away.  OK, here's the scoop.  

Portland will be getting the first of the two 2008 expansion teams, returning to the league only 5 years after the Portland Thunder unceremoniously departed for Las Vegas.   The PDX Football Group, the winning ownership group, is letting you (and the public at large) decide what identity they will use for their new club. 

The team colors are set;  Deep Forest Brown,  Blaze Orange, and Woodland Buff.  

The names are all iconic animals of the Pacific Northwest. 

All three logos are based on real teams from real leagues.   

I am presenting them here first, one at a time, and then all 3 will be part of the online poll that you can participate in to help me design Portland's new USFL team. 

Today I present the first of three designs, the Portland Pumas.  Fans of alternative football will recognize the design for this logo.  It is the main logo of the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the short-lived United Football league, modified a bit to remove the "S" of Sacramento, and to align with the new color scheme.  

I will reveal the other two logos over the next few days, all leading up to the poll, which will be open until the 2006 Week 4 USFL games are simulated and reported.  Then I will present the full uniform and logo plans for the winning design. 

Next up a logo and animal based on a league that predates the USFL.  A modernized classic from a very different part of the country. 

Working on the 2005 Playoffs right now, but within the next 1-2 weeks, once the offseason hits, there will be announcements about the two expansion clubs for 2008 as well as the 3 teams that are getting Reebok redesigns in 2007.   There will be 2 opportunities for website visitors to vote during the 2006 season, 

1. Vote on the identity of 2008 expansion team #1

2. Vote on the three bidders for expansion team #2 complete with idenities & logos.  

I will also reveal the 2007 identities for New Jersey (minor changes), Orlando (more significant), and Los Angeles (even more). 

Don't want to get too far ahead with postings here compared to what I am revealing on the actual alt history USFL website. 

I find the Memphis uniforms to be wholly uninspired and boring, which means they are instantly better than every single XFL uniform. 

That said, they could/should have...

1) had a yellow pant set with a blue stripe.

2) skipped the shoulder yoke, way too close to Pittsburgh.

3) Had a traditional number font instead of reusing Pittsburgh's.

4) Oh, who am I kidding, they should have silver and scarlet uniforms with the old paddlewheel logo on the helmets.  No reason to go blue/gold and "update" anything.  I do like the secondary logo, but the speeding boat logo is not doing it for me.

Lean into the 1980's aesthetic, no need to change it, a classic look that would be respected as not trying to be new or kewl. 

Hey all,

here is the full design sheet for the new look of the Chicago Machine.  I copied this on my phone (traveling) from the Alt history page.  If the quality is bad, you can see a better version on that page.  I will link to Imgur for the original soon.  
 

And, yes, it should reference the Houston Roughnecks, not Renegades. 

While I am slightly annoyed that the Maulers have moved away from their 1980's color scheme, just as I am for the Showboats, what I think is a bigger issue is the decision to go with a black helmet and a single yellow stripe on it.  When you mix that with the round logo, you end up with something that looks like "Steelers light".  

But what could Pittsburgh do?

1. Go with a yellow helmet?

2. Go with no stripe on the helmet, or perhaps a grey stripe with some rivets to look like metal. 

3. Go with a yellow jersey, maybe with a black yoke, like the Gotham image.

4. As @Gosox317 wrote, go with two crossed hammers on the helmet, or put the Mauler guy inside a keystone shape instead of a 

    roundel. 

5. Use black and grey as dominant colors and use the yellow sparingly.

6. Go back to purple and orange (I know this won't happen, but I still want it.)