Cardinals Change Their Classic STL Cap Logo

[SFGiants58]

That's fantastic! I'm glad they finally decided to fix the cap logo's numerous problems with a new design. 

 

Good work, Detective @STL FANATIC!

[Gothamite]

Outstanding!  Great job.

[CardsFan79]

That's awesome.  Thanks for all the great investigative work.  It never even occurred to me to go that high in the organization.  Well done!

[C-Squared]

I don't have anything to add, I just think monogram logos are awesome. I hope to design just one killer monogram in my lifetime.

[Maroon]

Goold for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote about the new cap logo in his most recent recap: https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinals-notebook-faith-in-rotation-fades-with-wacha-s-dud/article_1d3c5ff6-e727-5065-adff-af3d4afbe0e3.html

 

 

Quote

 

On some of the new signage near the team’s clubhouse and at times on social media this season, there has been a smoother look to the Cardinals’ traditional interlocking “STL” logo. Consider it a hint. The Cardinals have quietly integrated a balanced, less irregular and sharp “STL” logo in some of the team's branding.

 

It’s appeared as part of tweets and on Fox Sports Midwest. The subtly different logo also appeared recently in advertising for Aug. 21’s Star Trek Night, and it will be featured on the side of the cap given out to purchasers of the Star Trek theme ticket.

 

One of the subtler changes to logo is how the trapezoid that makes the top of the “T” in the current logo has been replaced with a balanced rectangle. The upturn at the top of the “S,” which has been there for decades, is now mirrored with a downturn to the tail of the “S.” The new look logo has not appeared on the team’s official uniforms this season.

 

This is a slow roll out, and if adopted it would see widespread use in 2020.

 

A team executive declined comment because any tweaks to the logo or other branding changes aren’t official until after the current season.

 

 

[Pizzaman7294]

On 7/21/2019 at 12:16 PM, Gothamite said:

Looks like one of the old, inaccurate versions that was floating around for years.  

 

This is one that’s been on Wikimedia Commons for about a decade.  Serifs aren’t quite the same but the T is closer. 

 

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Louis_Cardinals_Cap_Insignia.svg

 

Pretty sure this was on the Wal-Mart $5 hats for a while

[STL FANATIC]

FWIW, that old "inaccurate" version above wasn't just a Wal-Mart logo or anything like that. At some point it was the team's official cap logo even though it wasn't their cap logo, and I know that doesn't make sense. But their official style guide used that mark for quite a few years. There are logos around Busch Stadium that are "permanent" (replaceable technically, but fairly permanent) that use that logo. Drives me nuts. They finally corrected their style sheets a few years back. And now of course they're changing to this new version.

[SportsLogos.Net News]

Cardinals Change Their Classic STL Cap Logo

August 8, 2019 - 14:24 PM

The St. Louis Cardinals have “soft launched” changes to their iconic “STL” logo via their social media channels. This information via the St. Louis Sports Business Journal. In a case of “it’s too subtle to notice unless someone pointed it […]

Read More...

[mattr1198]

It looks a lot more timeless. Really love extending the S, but kinda meh on the rest of it. Most certainly wasn’t necessary, but not too shabby

[STL HOME FAN]

I like the 1940-1945 STL

[BrandMooreArt]

really love this update. the current’s sharp corners / points were formed by some wonky paths, and the angles on the T just feels like a whole other style of letterform.

 

this 2020 version feels older, more vintage in all the right ways. i agree with Matt above, its a more timeless look that stems from the craftsmanship in the letterforms and spacing, and doing away with the uncomfortable details. it will look great on the caps. i hope they get around to the wordmark as well

[Gothamite]

The whole Cardinals identity is “so close, perfect in concept but weighed down by awful little details”.  Hope this is the start of a series of seemingly-minor tweaks.

[Digby]

"More timeless" is an interesting way to put it. I think I agree with that. Mostly it just feels like everything is more measured and considered in this update, compared with the old one, which is nice.

[BigRed618]

On 7/21/2019 at 12:16 PM, Gothamite said:

Looks like one of the old, inaccurate versions that was floating around for years.  

 

This is one that’s been on Wikimedia Commons for about a decade.  Serifs aren’t quite the same but the T is closer. 

 

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Louis_Cardinals_Cap_Insignia.svg

 

Funny thing... when I went to a Birds game and got some ice cream in a souvenir helmet bowl, it had that version of the logo...

 

Notice the T doesn’t have a trapezoid top.

[MilSox]

Anyone else seeing a St. Louis Browns influence?

[SFGiants58]

I’m getting some 1940-55 vibes!

 

 

...with a touch of ‘56-‘63:

 

[msu]

Reading this thread, there have been a lot of good to great STL logos. But the new one is the best. Good job, Cards, on a nice update.

[andrewharrington]

On 8/8/2019 at 7:03 PM, BrandMooreArt said:

really love this update. the current’s sharp corners / points were formed by some wonky paths, and the angles on the T just feels like a whole other style of letterform.

 

this 2020 version feels older, more vintage in all the right ways. i agree with Matt above, its a more timeless look that stems from the craftsmanship in the letterforms and spacing, and doing away with the uncomfortable details. it will look great on the caps. i hope they get around to the wordmark as well

 

It’s a very good rework, though I think rounding *every* corner was one step too far. It leaves the mark feeling artificially soft, particularly when the outline is applied. It reminds me of applying a stroke to type in Photoshop; all the corners are rounded and it looks kinda unnatural and algorithmic. Leaving certain corners sharp (where warranted) would have made the full color logo feel more polished and charming.