Los Angeles NFL Brands Discussion

[DustDevil61]

This is how you do it LA Rams. When Rick Neuheisel was named the UW Husky coach, the first thing he did at the press conference was hold up a gold UW helmet (UW had been wearing purple helmets for years leading up to it much to the distain of the fans).

Can you imagine if Stan would have done this? He'd of been even more or a hero than he already is to Los Angeles. Very easy.

Give Stan a year or two...it'll probably happen.

[TheOldRoman]

Also, the NFL limits teams to just four home games of alternates/throwbacks, right? So the Rams can't wear their current alternates for all the home games. Likewise, they can't just bring back a jersey from 1994 without notifying the NFL at least 2 years in advance. I think the Rams would have liked to trot out in 2016 wearing blue and yellow, but logistically, just won't be able to. So, they either have this weird hybrid look between St. Louis some games and old Los Angeles some others, or they simply wait until 2019 to roll out a new brand identity.

I don't think that's necessarily true. Teams need to give the league at least a year's notice for changes, so manufacturers can stop making new stuff and clear out their inventory. I think the Browns said the design process with Nike took two years, but I'm not sure if that is the time period required by the league. Something as simple as going back to jerseys which already exist (except for the whites) wouldn't require Nike to do anything.

That being said, the Rams have been rumored to rebrand for years and they've been rumored to move to LA for years. It's not likely, but they very well might have something ready to introduce at the draft. Heck, they might have been working with Nike already and had something completely different ready to roll for a move if and when it was made. This week the huge news of the move came down. Maybe they are changing but holding off in the info for a while.

[BrandMooreArt]

i dont think any designer/manufacturer would use black and navy for contrast between elements (you're not not putting a navy number on a black jersey) but to create a "deeper" color palette. for instance, with WVU's colors, you get a wider range of value, from yellow to black rather than yellow to navy.

in that example, black being a tertiary color (not in the sense of mixing colors as OSV pointed out but as being the 3rd in the palette in hierarchy) is just that - a 3rd color. they dont use it to separate elements or make anything more readable or stand out, they use it to create a unique color palette. overall, WVU's uniform is a much more modern take on the traditional design due to it's careful use of black

I disagree that royal blue works better with black than the old color, but both colors were wrong for them. They should have used a brighter, electric blue. And I don't see any way they could effectively use black with their current scheme. Any black you use would have to be separated from blue by white, and even then, it would look blue from a distance.

Also, McCarthy, since you're good with photoshop, would you mind photoshopping the photo you posted to have royal blue helmets and white numbers, while keeping the horns yellow? I think that's the perfect Rams look.

left the guy on the left in the regular uniform so you could compare and contrast

always felt like there was too much yellow on that jersey and that flipping the numbers to white was a very easy solution. I really like how this looks.

just for giggle times I took out the white stripe on Bradford's pants to see what that would look like.

I think if you're going to go that route it's still better just to use a single thick bold stripe rather than two small stripes.

thats much better. with the white stripe, your eye is attracted to it because it's the element that contrast the most and there is no other white in the uniform. take it away and the uniform is much more balanced. from top to bottom, you now have a uniform with great unity and rhythm - there isn't anything that is out of place. its a nice use of yellow-blue from top to bottom.

but, for a better palette and more contrast, i personally like the numbers in white like the example before.

The white needs to go from the pants, and yes, a single stripe would look better given the weight of the helmet and shoulder graphics.

The white numbers make the white pant stripe passable, but 1. the whole getup looks a bit dated and 2. it ceases to look like the Rams. I'd be much more inclined to keep the yellow numbers and switch the pants to white with a blue and yellow stripe. There is a whole lot of blue and yellow in that uniform and altering the color ratio is something to be explored.

i think that's where i am at with this too. i like the palette of navy, yellow, and white and think that moving those colors around would be a good option; i'd start with a yellow jersey for branding purposes. if you do white pants though, you have to put white in the jersey somewhere. thats the problem they have now, the top is too visually heavy with the gold numbers on blue jersey worn over white pants.

im also open to a new color being introduced, and i think thats certainly something Nike will explore. i'd be willing to bet that they will introduce at least 1 new color (that could just be a brighter yellow or blue or whaterver slight change to a swatch)- they've done it to most of the other NFL teams, even altering the Browns' orange

[Quillz]

The mothership is showing the "new" wordmark as the new primary logo, which is technically true, but there is no indication whatsoever that the ram head logo, officially an alternate but otherwise used in all day-to-day purposes, is being discontinued. In fact, the NFL has updated the Rams site to reflect the new LA branding, and it still uses the ram head logo. Thus, perhaps Chris should flip the logos around on the main site?

[The_Admiral]

I like that they keep hammering "L.A.'s original team." It leaves the Chargers with "L.A.'s second Clippers."

[Quillz]

I like that they keep hammering "L.A.'s original team." It leaves the Chargers with "L.A.'s second Clippers."

It's funny, too, because they're really not. They were the first pro team to move to LA. As far as I'm aware, the first professional sports team that was founded in LA was actually the Chargers, wasn't it? The Angels came a year later, the Kings shortly after that. All the other pro teams (Rams, Raiders, Dodgers, Lakers) moved in from elsewhere. It's also odd because I don't even know if your average Angeleno knew the Rams came before the Dodgers. It's an odd marketing angle, I think.

[Still MIGHTY]

I like that they keep hammering "L.A.'s original team." It leaves the Chargers with "L.A.'s second Clippers."

It's funny, too, because they're really not. They were the first pro team to move to LA. As far as I'm aware, the first professional sports team that was founded in LA was actually the Chargers, wasn't it? The Angels came a year later, the Kings shortly after that. All the other pro teams (Rams, Raiders, Dodgers, Lakers) moved in from elsewhere. It's also odd because I don't even know if your average Angeleno knew the Rams came before the Dodgers. It's an odd marketing angle, I think.

They were still LA's first pro team.

I think it works just fine.

[Quillz]

According to a radio interview...

"Kevin Demoff has already stated that the old blue and yellow color scheme will return in 2019 when they move to their new stadium in Inglewood. Also mentioned was that they will have the blue and white uniform as alternative throwbacks."

I didn't hear this radio interview myself, this was posted by a Reddit poster. However, it makes sense, and if true, I'm glad that both the blue and yellow and blue and white eras will be represented.

[Quillz]

I like that they keep hammering "L.A.'s original team." It leaves the Chargers with "L.A.'s second Clippers."

It's funny, too, because they're really not. They were the first pro team to move to LA. As far as I'm aware, the first professional sports team that was founded in LA was actually the Chargers, wasn't it? The Angels came a year later, the Kings shortly after that. All the other pro teams (Rams, Raiders, Dodgers, Lakers) moved in from elsewhere. It's also odd because I don't even know if your average Angeleno knew the Rams came before the Dodgers. It's an odd marketing angle, I think.

They were still LA's first pro team.

I think it works just fine.

It works, it's just strange that they're choosing to market the return of the Rams based on that, as the Dodgers, Angels and Lakers have all now eclipsed the Rams for total time spent in LA. I would hazard a guess most people don't care who was first, they care who has been there the longest. And tie that in with the revelation the blue and yellow won't be back for at least one season (though that was to be expected), seems they just could have found something a little more marketable.

[DustDevil61]

I like that they keep hammering "L.A.'s original team." It leaves the Chargers with "L.A.'s second Clippers."

It's funny, too, because they're really not. They were the first pro team to move to LA. As far as I'm aware, the first professional sports team that was founded in LA was actually the Chargers, wasn't it? The Angels came a year later, the Kings shortly after that. All the other pro teams (Rams, Raiders, Dodgers, Lakers) moved in from elsewhere. It's also odd because I don't even know if your average Angeleno knew the Rams came before the Dodgers. It's an odd marketing angle, I think.

It's a misnomer, making "original" as "first" interchangeable. But the point stands as an excellent "Suck it, Spanos!"

[The_Admiral]

Well, that note about the blue/white will make infrared41 happy, at least. Kinda hope they're in their actual colors well before 2019, or well before March.

[Quillz]

Rams just posted this on Facebook:

Again, I don't think the actual "status" of the wordmark plus this alternate logo is changing. They will both be unofficial alternates compared to the real alternate ram head that is otherwise used everywhere else for all applications, so that new LA Rams page on the mothership might want to swap the logos around.

[Lights Out]

I like that they keep hammering "L.A.'s original team." It leaves the Chargers with "L.A.'s second Clippers."

When the Raiders move to San Diego and take the other half of the SoCal fanbase, the Chargers will be more like "LA's new Chivas USA."

[Quillz]

You know, I was a bit too young to really appreciate when LA had two teams... My assumption was the Rams were akin to the Lakers and Dodgers, and the Raiders were akin to the Clippers and Angels, being the younger team. But maybe it was the other way around? I was always a Rams fan myself, but I think I went to the Coliseum a few times to watch the Raiders.

[mattb6]

This definitely looks like blue and yellow to me (from the Rams Twitter)

[HOOVER]

What about that enhances the contrast? It doesn't even look intentional - looks like more of the panel color inconsistency issues Nike's had with these templates (see: New York Jets), which begs the question - what is the point of the black?

I'd be okay if the Rams went with navy blue, yellow and white and I'd prefer royal blue, yellow and white, but to add a third color just because is a bad idea and an outdated trend in and of itself. That's what teams like San Jose State did in the early 2000's (which is why I used that picture) and current ***COLLEGE*** teams are doing in one-off Nike games commercials. It's a completely ill-fitting practice for an NFL team of the Rams' prestige for an every game uniform. They only need blue and yellow. Anything else would only serve to make them look worse.

Again, this is purely your opinion. I have mine, and it's different, but that doesn't make it wrong. I was simply speculating and suggesting what could happen or what I'd like to see happen. If it makes you feel better to try to convince everyone that you're the wise resource of this online message board, then knock yourself out.

[hawk36]

Seeing the Rams logo more that I ever had before I just noticed the odd highlights on the logo. They don't make sense and, honestly, are unneeded. Two light sources? Just remove the white.

[Cujo]

This definitely looks like blue and yellow to me (from the Rams Twitter)

[Sport]

What about that enhances the contrast? It doesn't even look intentional - looks like more of the panel color inconsistency issues Nike's had with these templates (see: New York Jets), which begs the question - what is the point of the black?

I'd be okay if the Rams went with navy blue, yellow and white and I'd prefer royal blue, yellow and white, but to add a third color just because is a bad idea and an outdated trend in and of itself. That's what teams like San Jose State did in the early 2000's (which is why I used that picture) and current ***COLLEGE*** teams are doing in one-off Nike games commercials. It's a completely ill-fitting practice for an NFL team of the Rams' prestige for an every game uniform. They only need blue and yellow. Anything else would only serve to make them look worse.

Again, this is purely your opinion. I have mine, and it's different, but that doesn't make it wrong. I was simply speculating and suggesting what could happen or what I'd like to see happen. If it makes you feel better to try to convince everyone that you're the wise resource of this online message board, then knock yourself out.

I like to think I have something to offer here, yes. You can have an opinion and I'm allowed to tell you why it's a bad idea. That's how this message board works.

[Digby]

Seems like something will have to change for someone should the Chargers move as well, no? Two blue and yellow teams in the same stadium isn't going to fly.