New team = New Original Color Scheme

[B-Rich]

Something I was thinking about the other day... something that I took as given back when I was a kid in the 70s.

 

Any time a new sports team is added to a league (during expansion, particularly, but also sometimes as part of a joint relocation/rebranding) that team would almost ALWAYS have a new original color scheme that was not used in the league yet.   At the time, I almost thought ( in my 12 year old head) that it was a kind of unwritten rule, as who wants to have the same color scheme as another team in the league?  I sure know that when I was designing logos for whole leagues when I was a kid, it was KEY that no team shared the same color scheme.  Of course, back in the those days, most teams only had a two-color scheme (with white, of course, as an understood uni color option)

 

Looking back on it, it's amazing to me how far back this trend goes, and how far it generally continued and continues to this day.  A brief recap and rewind, only using new expansion teams and relocation rebrands (no "rebrands in place"):

 

NFL:

2002 - Houston Texans - Navy Blue and Red -- very similar to Patriots, but without silver. Only sort of original to NFL. 

1997 - Tennessee Titans - Two-tone blue with red and gray -- Original to NFL and major league sports..

1996 - Baltimore Ravens - Purple, Black and old gold -- Original to NFL and major league sports

1995 - Carolina Panthers - Black, Silver and Carolina Blue - Original to NFL; very close to Orlando Magic and Tampa Bay Lightning.

1995 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Teal, Black and Old Gold - Original to NFL and major league sports.

1976 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Orange, white and red - Original to NFL and major league sports.

1976 - Seattle Seahawks - Blue, Green and Silver - Original to NFL, addition of silver made it slightly different from Vancouver Canucks at the time.

1968 - Cincinnati Bengals - Black and Orange -- Original to NFL; used of course before by Orioles and MLB Giants.

1967 - New Orleans Saints - Black and Old Gold -- Original to NFL and major league sports.

1966 - Miami Dolphins - Aqua and Coral -- Original to NFL and major league sports.

1966 - Atlanta Falcons - Red, black (and at the time hint of old gold) -- Slight similarity to NFL St. Louis Cardinals, who only had a hint of black and for the most part back then were a red and white team.  So, Original to NFL ( especially with the trace of gold).

1960 - Minnesota Vikings -- Purple and gold/yellow - Original to NFL.

1960 - Dallas Cowboys - Royal Blue and white (at the time) -  NOT original to NFL.

 

NBA:

2008 - Oklahoma City Thunder -- Two tones of blue, orange and yellow - Original to NBA and major league sports (though sort of close to NHL Atlanta Thrashers)

2004 - Charlotte Bobcats -- Orange, two tones of blue, gray - Original to NBA and major league sports.

1995 - Vancouver Grizzlies - Turquoise, bronze, red - Original to NBA and major league sports.

1995 - Toronto Raptors - Purple, Red, Black, & Silver - Original to NBA and major league sports

1989 - Orlando Magic - Blue, Black and Silver - Original to NBA and major league sports (at the time, same color scheme was essentially taken up by Tampa Bay Lightning a few years later).

1989 - Minnesota Timberwolves - Blue, Green and Silver - Original to NBA (Seattle Seahawks had same color scheme in NFL at the time).

1988 - Miami Heat - Black, Red, Orange, Yellow - Original to NBA  

1988 - Charlotte Hornets - Teal, Purple (and a few other trace colors) - Original to NBA and major league sports.

1980 - Dallas Mavericks - Green and Blue - Original to NBA. 

1978 - San Diego Clippers - Sky blue and burnt orange - Original to NBA and major league sports.

1974 - New Orleans Jazz - Purple, Gold and Green - Original to NBA and major league sports.

 

NHL:

2018 - Vegas Golden Knights - Steel gray, gold, red, black -Original to NBA and major league sports

2011 - Winnipeg Jets II -Two shades of blue, red, silver - Original to NHL (very similar to NHL Tennessee Titans)

2000 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Blue, Red, Silver, Electric Green - Original to NHL (Electric Green was the difference)

2000 - Minnesota Wild - Forest Green, Red, Gold, Wheat - Original to NHL and major league sports.

1999 - Atlanta Thrashers - Navy, Light Blue, Red, Copper, Gold, White - Original to NHL and major league sports.

1998 - Nashville Predators - Dark Blue, Gold, Silver -  Original to NHL and major league sports.

1997 - Carolina Hurricanes - Red, Black, Silver - NOT original to NHL. Pretty much same colors as  Buffalo Sabres (at the time). 

1996 - Phoenix Coyotes - Black, Brick Red, Hunter Green, Sand Sienna, Purple. Original to NHL and major league sports.

1995 - Colorado Avalanche - Burgundy, Light (steel) blue, Silver -  Original to NHL and major league sports.

1993 - Florida Panthers - Red, Navy, Metallic Gold & Yellow  - Original to NHL and major league sports. 

1993 - Anaheim Mighty Ducks - eggplant, Jade, Sliver and White -  Original to NHL and major league sports.

1992 - Tampa Bay Lightning - Black, Blue and Silver - Original to the NHL.

1992 - Ottawa Senators - Red, Black and Metallic Gold - Original to NHL. 

1991 - San Jose Sharks - Teal, Gray, Black - Original to NHL and major league sports.

 

MLB:

2005 - Washington Nationals - Red, Blue, hint of gold - Sort of original to MLB, just because of the presence of the gold.  

1995 - Tampa Bay Devil Rays - Black, Purple, with traces of yellow and green (spectrum) - - Original to MLB and major league sports

1995 - Arizona Diamond Backs - Purple,Turquoise, Copper, Black - Original to MLB and major league sports

1993 - Colorado Rockies - Black, Purple, Silver - Original to MLB and major league sports.

1993 - Florida Marlins - Teal, Black, Silver - Original to MLB, but very similar to San Jose Sharks from a few years earlier. 

1977 - Toronto Blue Jays - Royal Blue and Light blue with a hint of red. Original to MLB

1977 - Seattle Mariners - Blue and Gold/Yellow - NOT original to MLB.

1972 - Texas Rangers - Red & Blue --  NOT original to MLB.

1969 - San Diego Padres - Brown and gold/yellow - - Original to MLB and major league sports.

1969 - Montreal Expos - Red & Blue -  NOT original to MLB.

1969 - Kansas City Royals - Royal Blue & White  -  NOT original to MLB. 

1969 - Seattle Pilots - Blue and Yellow - Original to MLB (at the time)

 

Not surprisingly, baseball with its traditionalist nature seems to be the least to adhere to the "new team, new colors" viewpoint.

 

Comments, observations and discussion welcomed. 

 

 

 

 

[Lucas718]

The Seattle Pilots were not the first to use blue & yellow.  Here's your 1937 Boston Braves

And also worn by the Phillies for one year.  1938:

 

 

 

Also, you listed the 2002 Houston Texans, but wasn't Buffalo still primarily Navy & Red at that time?

[_DietDrPepper_]

When the Pilots joined no one had had the blue and yellow scheme, it was original at the time. 

[Lucas718]

Except for the fact it had been used before, therefore NOT original to the Pilots.  Unique (at the time), yes.  Original, no.

[MCM0313]

1 hour ago, Lucas718 said:

The Seattle Pilots were not the first to use blue & yellow.  Here's your 1937 Boston Braves

And also worn by the Phillies for one year.  1938:

 

 

 

Also, you listed the 2002 Houston Texans, but wasn't Buffalo still primarily Navy & Red at that time?

That craptastic Bills set used royal blue in their trim on the navy jersey, and as the main color of the numbers on the white jersey, and a tiny bit of grey ("nickel") as well.

 

As far as blue and yellow in MLB, didn't the Phillies also do that at some point prior to WWII?

 

 

[Cosmic]

1 hour ago, Lucas718 said:

Also, you listed the 2002 Houston Texans, but wasn't Buffalo still primarily Navy & Red at that time?

Technically, the Bills also had royal blue and nickel in their color scheme. The Texans were the only ones that were exclusively navy/red/white.

 

I think this was a bigger deal when there were fewer teams in the league and/or there were very popular, "new" colors that were out there in general pop culture. I'm not sure there's an equivalent today for the teal/purple/neon fad from the 80s and 90s. For a team like the Seattle NHL team, there's already 31 other iterations out there, and it's less and less likely that you can avoid stepping on someone's toes without getting really obscure. I think teams place more of an emphasis today on finding the right colors for them, whether that's marketable red/black, or colors that fit their "story".

[MCM0313]

2 hours ago, Cosmic said:

Technically, the Bills also had royal blue and nickel in their color scheme. The Texans were the only ones that were exclusively navy/red/white.

 

I think this was a bigger deal when there were fewer teams in the league and/or there were very popular, "new" colors that were out there in general pop culture. I'm not sure there's an equivalent today for the teal/purple/neon fad from the 80s and 90s. For a team like the Seattle NHL team, there's already 31 other iterations out there, and it's less and less likely that you can avoid stepping on someone's toes without getting really obscure. I think teams place more of an emphasis today on finding the right colors for them, whether that's marketable red/black, or colors that fit their "story".

It seems to me like most teams today want to wear white, black, and grey, nothing else, regardless of their actual colors. This is especially prominent in the NBA and in college sports. Of course, this isn't the same topic as how a team goes about choosing its initial branding.

[Cosmic]

9 minutes ago, MCM0313 said:

It seems to me like most teams today want to wear white, black, and grey, nothing else, regardless of their actual colors. This is especially prominent in the NBA and in college sports. Of course, this isn't the same topic as how a team goes about choosing its initial branding.

That actually kinda makes sense... I almost said that white would be the modern hype color to go along with the hyperclean Apple-ization of everything. 

[MCM0313]

1 hour ago, Cosmic said:

That actually kinda makes sense... I almost said that white would be the modern hype color to go along with the hyperclean Apple-ization of everything. 

 

Everyone wears white to some degree though. Some emphasize all-white alt looks, but few emphasize their regular whites.

 

I just wish more teams would wear actual colors.

[MilSox]

7 hours ago, Lucas718 said:

The Seattle Pilots were not the first to use blue & yellow.  Here's your 1937 Boston Braves

And also worn by the Phillies for one year.  1938:

 

 

 

Also, you listed the 2002 Houston Texans, but wasn't Buffalo still primarily Navy & Red at that time?

 

5 hours ago, MCM0313 said:

As far as blue and yellow in MLB, didn't the Phillies also do that at some point prior to WWII?

 

 

 

That is the Phillies up above. But I think the A's also did blue and gold for a couple of their last year in Phily.

 

Crazy to think blue and gold is such a basic color combo, yet no one in MLB did it for more than a couple years until the Pilots/Brewers came along.

[MCM0313]

Just now, NicDB said:

 

 

That is the Phillies up above. But I think the A's also did blue and gold for a couple of their last year in Phily.

 

Crazy to think blue and gold is such a basic color combo, yet no one in MLB did it for more than a couple years until the Pilots/Brewers came along.

Shoot, somehow missed the Phils there. And forgot about the A's using that scheme briefly.

[daveindc]

Here's what I would love to see for future and potential expansion teams:

 

NHL:

Seattle: Unique shade of blue, maybe like the old Seahawks' steel blue, and lime green. Either that, or navy and lime green.

 

MLB:

Portland: Red and black, or red and green.

Vegas: Dark gray and gold. Maybe with black trim. Similar to the Golden Knights.

Charlotte: Carolina blue and black or dark gray.

Montreal: Will most likely be another blue and red scheme, which would be brutal.

 

[Quillz]

4 hours ago, MCM0313 said:

 

Everyone wears white to some degree though. Some emphasize all-white alt looks, but few emphasize their regular whites.

 

I just wish more teams would wear actual colors.

I'm gonna be that technical "but white IS a color" guy.

[Gothamite]

And in some cases, white is very much a team color. Consider the Jets and Colts; would anyone seriously say that they have only one team color?

[pianoknight]

3 hours ago, Gothamite said:

And in some cases, white is very much a team color. Consider the Jets and Colts; would anyone seriously say that they have only one team color?

 

Cornhusker guy agrees. 

[B-Rich]

 

On 3/17/2019 at 3:21 PM, MCM0313 said:

 Of course, this isn't the same topic as how a team goes about choosing its initial branding.

Yes, this brings up a tangential topic-- how re-branding and re-coloring dilute the differentiation.  A few cases in point (all from the NBA)

• Raptors had a very original purple, red, black, and silver scheme (with purple being the predominate color and "away" jersey).  Now they are down to red, black with silver as a far third tertiary, which puts them essentially in the same appearance as the Bulls and Trail Blazers.
• Grizzlies had that original turquoise, bronze and red, moved to Memphis then added BFBS, moved to Memphis, then switched to a two-tone blue and yellow look that was essentially the same as Denver Nuggets' look.
• Old '70s Cleveland Cavaliers had their original wine and gold look, unique to the NBA, then changed to a blue and orange that was essentially the same as the Knicks. 

 

On 3/17/2019 at 1:00 PM, Cosmic said:

I think this was a bigger deal when there were fewer teams in the league and/or there were very popular, "new" colors that were out there in general pop culture.  For a team like the Seattle NHL team, there's already 31 other iterations out there, and it's less and less likely that you can avoid stepping on someone's toes without getting really obscure. I think teams place more of an emphasis today on finding the right colors for them, whether that's marketable red/black, or colors that fit their "story".

 I think the last sentence is more spot on-- it's what fits their story-- and what sells, not so much that as the ability to find an original color scheme...  a while back, I did a run on just  2 color scheme sets, and using relatively basic colors (no magenta, pewter, copper, or special shade of Cowboys metallic 'blue' or 'green') you can get 85 different two-color combos...

 

 

[MCM0313]

15 minutes ago, B-Rich said:

 

Yes, this brings up a tangential topic-- how re-branding and re-coloring dilute the differentiation.  A few cases in point (all from the NBA)

• Raptors had a very original purple, red, black, and silver scheme (with purple being the predominate color and "away" jersey).  Now they are down to red, black with silver as a far third tertiary, which puts them essentially in the same appearance as the Bulls and Trail Blazers.
• Grizzlies had that original turquoise, bronze and red, moved to Memphis and added BFBS, then switched to a two-tone blue and yellow look that was essentially the same as Denver Nuggets' look.
• Old '70s Cleveland Cavaliers had their original wine and gold look, unique to the NBA, then changed to a blue and orange that was essentially the same as the Knicks. 

 

 I think the last sentence is more spot on-- it's what fits their story-- and what sells, not so much that as the ability to find an original color scheme...  a while back, I did a run on just  2 color scheme sets, and using relatively basic colors (no magenta, pewter, copper, or special shade of Cowboys metallic 'blue' or 'green') you can get 85 different two-color combos...

 

 

1. Awesome chart.

 

2. Didn't the Grizzlies basically use black as their default secondary even in Vancouver? 

[nyratk1]

20 hours ago, daveindc said:

MLB:

Montreal: Will most likely be another blue and red scheme, which would be brutal.

 

They should do royal blue, sky/powder blue, red. Straight red/blue no.

[B-Rich]

4 hours ago, MCM0313 said:

2. Didn't the Grizzlies basically use black as their default secondary even in Vancouver? 

 You know, I hadn't really noticed that (the later-year Vancouver Grizzlies were sort of forgettable) but it turns out you're right (for those later years):

 

Appears they dropped all aspects of "bronze" from the unis and replaced it with black. THAT is what transitioned to Memphis.

In the early days, the away unis were turquoise, and still had  a good amount of bronze:

 

[SFGiants58]

22 hours ago, daveindc said:

Here's what I would love to see for future and potential expansion teams:

 

Montreal: Will most likely be another blue and red scheme, which would be brutal.

 

 

Not really, no. I’m kind of under the impression that the people who want to bring the Expos back would like the old identity restored without any modification. I’m fine with the colors (French flag colors, which I believe is important for a French Canadian team - the target audience after the Francophones alienated the Anglophones), but I really don’t want one of the ugliest logos in Big Four history brought back.