Los Angeles NFL Brands Discussion

[4_tattoos]

The Arizona Cardinals changed their logos and uniforms a year prior to moving into the stadium in Glendale. Think there is any chance the Rams would do the same? Break out a new look in 2018 for their last season at the Coliseum, then make the move to Inglewood in 2019.

[WavePunter]

I hate how teams do this.. The whole "unveil a new look when we move into a new stadium" concept is ridiculous on multiple levels.. Firstly, it forces people to wait on something they want, essentially halting (or at least significantly slowing) merchandise sales, because the fans know that any money spent now will be wasted in only a couple years.. It also condenses two big "events" into one, which is another negative marketing idea.. Have a huge uniform unveiling that you can market and make a big deal out of, then have a huge stadium opening that you can market and make a big deal out of.. Plus, it pleases the fans and gets them excited twice.. If you really want to tie the two together, put a stadium patch on the jerseys when it opens

[The_Admiral]

It's going to take at least three years if not four to get the Kroenketorium built. That's a long time to resign yourselves to navy and beige. People want to buy blue and yellow stuff, they know they're going to get to buy blue and yellow stuff, so just sell it now. I see very little sense in waiting. You should want to dispense with all things St. Louis on general principle after writing a paper about how terrible it is.

[gosioux76]

It's going to take at least three years if not four to get the Kroenketorium built. That's a long time to resign yourselves to navy and beige. People want to buy blue and yellow stuff, they know they're going to get to buy blue and yellow stuff, so just sell it now. I see very little sense in waiting. You should want to dispense with all things St. Louis on general principle after writing a paper about how terrible it is.

It's just more evidence of the NFL being the world's least fan-friendly league. It's made more galling by the fact that they're so transparent about it.

[DDR]

I think you maximize merch sales (and I'm sure that's what Kroenke wants) if you wait to roll out a new look. Fans are gonna buy LA Rams gear now because they're excited, regardless of what it looks like. Then they'll buy the new look stuff in a year or two to be current.

I could see status quo in 2016, new look in 2017, new stadium opening in 2019.

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

I hate how teams do this.. The whole "unveil a new look when we move into a new stadium" concept is ridiculous on multiple levels.. Firstly, it forces people to wait on something they want, essentially halting (or at least significantly slowing) merchandise sales, because the fans know that any money spent now will be wasted in only a couple years.. It also condenses two big "events" into one, which is another negative marketing idea.. Have a huge uniform unveiling that you can market and make a big deal out of, then have a huge stadium opening that you can market and make a big deal out of.. Plus, it pleases the fans and gets them excited twice.. If you really want to tie the two together, put a stadium patch on the jerseys when it opens

I would like to mention that the idea of changing uniforms upon moving into a new stadium was practiced as far back as 1970, when the Pittsburgh Pirates changed uniforms mid-season upon their move into Three Rivers Stadium. Also in 1970, the Phillies changed uniforms in anticipation of moving into Veterans Stadium, even though their move was ultimately delayed until the next season.

[Sykotyk]

To think that merchandisers are trying to 'clear inventory' with the navy/gold stuff is ridiculous. Everything has "St Louis" on it. It's not selling. Any clothing is going to wind up in the third world as a charitable donation.

They could've... easily,... switched back to the blue/yellow throwbacks. Madden, graphics companies, etc, already have the templates for those. Anything that needed printing could've swapped colors. Unveil a new logo, wordmark, etc, with the new stadium if you wish. But, they could've easily have switched.

The Ravens switched the year they moved. Nobody said they had to play as the Browns for one year while the NFL retool. The reason for the Oilers fiasco was simply not realizing how detrimental keeping the Oilers name was and their failed attempt to play in Memphis for two years (they played there one year before moving to Vanderbilt's stadium).

[Quillz]

I assume the ram head is going to remain as the primary. Their new logo is just merely a new script logo for their name as "Los Angeles" oppose to formerly being in "St. Louis".

Yeah, it is. Nothing is changing as far the logos are concerned. The city name was simply altered on the partial wordmark and the full logo, that's it. The NFL site for the LA Rams is still using the ram head as the primary (which they should be).

To think that merchandisers are trying to 'clear inventory' with the navy/gold stuff is ridiculous. Everything has "St Louis" on it. It's not selling. Any clothing is going to wind up in the third world as a charitable donation.

They could've... easily,... switched back to the blue/yellow throwbacks. Madden, graphics companies, etc, already have the templates for those. Anything that needed printing could've swapped colors. Unveil a new logo, wordmark, etc, with the new stadium if you wish. But, they could've easily have switched.

The Ravens switched the year they moved. Nobody said they had to play as the Browns for one year while the NFL retool. The reason for the Oilers fiasco was simply not realizing how detrimental keeping the Oilers name was and their failed attempt to play in Memphis for two years (they played there one year before moving to Vanderbilt's stadium).

Wasn't the Ravens identity forced upon them? The Browns couldn't legally take the Browns name to Baltimore, they had to completely start over as if they were an expansion franchise.

[Quillz]

The Arizona Cardinals changed their logos and uniforms a year prior to moving into the stadium in Glendale. Think there is any chance the Rams would do the same? Break out a new look in 2018 for their last season at the Coliseum, then make the move to Inglewood in 2019.

Well, assuming they filed a request now, they should be eligible in 2018 to change up their identity. At this point, it's all speculation, but it was strongly hinted by a Rams executive on a radio interview they are waiting for the new stadium to do a brand identity update.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Right, some treat the staggered Titans change as marketing genius, but it really was them stepping all over themselves during that move.

If they sold a bunch of Oilers gear, then Titans, so be it. But they intended to stay the Oilers. Rams-to-Rams isn't the same.

It looks like most L.A. fans already know what gear to buy... the throwback. It's not like it isn't available. Those aren't all Apex/Starter/Champion/whatever Dickerson jerseys those fans are sporting.

[ConcreteCharlie]

Are all NFL decisions really based off of merchandise? Are they really that evil?

Also I think it's pretty messed up that Oakland, San Diego, and St. Louis are trying to leave because they don't like their stadiums and they're throwing a temper tantrum.

[WavePunter]

But it won't be the throwback if they recolor the current uniforms royal and yellow, with a few minor changes (which is what I think they should do).. If the new identity is a "modernized" version of the throwback set (which the current kind of is), and the throwbacks become the blue/white set like we've heard, then the current "throwbacks" will essentially become obsolete as soon as they rebrand

[WavePunter]

Are all NFL decisions really based off of merchandise? Are they really that evil?

Also I think it's pretty messed up that Oakland, San Diego, and St. Louis are trying to leave because they don't like their stadiums and they're throwing a temper tantrum.

I agree.. You're the organization.. You're the billionaires.. You're the one who wants a new venue.. You're the one who should shoulder the brunt of that project.. I understand the city can pitch in for various reasons, or even to lure a team away from their current situation, but the way these owners EXPECT it is ludicrous..

[ltjets21]

Is this the first time a team moved away from a city, and then moved back?

[IceCap]

Is this the first time a team moved away from a city, and then moved back?

No. The Oakland Raiders started in Oakland, moved to Los Angeles, and then moved back to Oakland.

And they still might move back to LA!

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

Is this the first time a team moved away from a city, and then moved back?

No. The Oakland Raiders started in Oakland, moved to Los Angeles, and then moved back to Oakland.

And they still might move back to LA!

After the first year of the ABA, the champion Pittsburgh Pipers moved to Minneapolis and became the Minnesota Pipers for one season, before moving back to Pittsburgh.

[Gothamite]

Are all NFL decisions really based off of merchandise? Are they really that evil?

It's actually called "capitalism". And it's hardly limited to the NFL - every single sports league in this country makes their decisions for the exact same reason.

[colortv]

If the NFL really wants to be the success they want to be in LA then they need to revamp the identity as soon as possible to maximize the impact while the Rams coming still seems fresh to everyone.

[WavePunter]

I think major market access, ticket sales, sponsorship deals, etc have a lot to do with it as well

[Gothamite]

Would it be nice for them to start with new uniforms out of the gate? Absolutely.

Will they somehow not "be the success they want to be" without it? Hardly.