Minor/Independent/Collegiate League Baseball Logo/Uniform Changes

[SJAnfield]

I think the Arkansas redo is beautiful. MLB worthy even. Charlotte is a definite improvement. It's not amazing, but nice to finally leave the 90s.

[FiddySicks]

Arkansas is beautiful, and the admiral is right, the Chihuahuas is not serious enough for AAA, not in logo nor in name.

I dunno, they'll be in the same league with teams called the Bees, Isotopes, and River Cats. I don't think it's that out of place.

[McCall]

I know it's supposed to be the reins on the horse, but it looks like a really wide, froglike mouth. It's keeping me from loving it.

Looks like a knight riding something with one of those weird heads from Beetlejuice as a jet ski. Plus the stabbed dragon thing looks like a 5th grader drew it.

Admittedly Atkansas and Charlotte are a sharp turn in style from they'd been doing over the last few years and up through the El Paso design. Very cartoony with a not-so-thought-out wordmark (though Chihuahuas as some shaping to the whole thing at least). At least the Travs and Knights' wordmarks don't have all the bottoms of the letters angling up like every other has had.

[CDixonDesign]

Overall, Charlotte's identity is a huge upgrade, but...

-I'm disappointed they decided to drop the navy/green scheme for Gold.

-They decided to keep the "quirky" t in the Knights script. In the last wordmark, it represented a sword, it doesn't carry over to the new wordmark and just looks silly...

[the admiral]

I DO NOT LIKE BRANDIOSE. I DON'T EVEN LIKE THEIR PORTMANTEAU OF "BRAND" AND "GRANDIOSE."

[RoughRiders99]

More arched italics!?! Why? Just make it straight!! Either non-arched or non-italics.

Everything else is fine but man the wordmark looks like it's falling over.

Yeah that's what I was saying earlier in the thread. I wish they'd keep it "flat" or just pick ONE of the two (arched or italics).

[Gothamite]

I DO NOT LIKE BRANDIOSE. I DON'T EVEN LIKE THEIR PORTMANTEAU OF "BRAND" AND "GRANDIOSE."

I don't like the name either, as "grandiose" denotes a sense of scale and majesty, something that's never actually found in their work.

But at least it's better than Plan B, which sounds like what you do when everything else has gone wrong (which is why it's also the name for an emergency morning-after contraception pill).

[Sodboy13]

It also explains why many of Brandiose's recent releases can be described as "abortions".

[the admiral]

I think what troubles me more than anything is the fact that they're getting every single job in minor-league baseball these days, and it shows. It's like those "sportindude86 redesigns the whole league!" threads in the Concepts folder but in real life.

[PJBenterprises]

Rochester Red Wings (AAA affiliate / Minnesota Twins) will be unveiling a new logo (and merchandise) at a fan event on 11/1/13 at 3:30 PM.

[pagan696]

I know it's supposed to be the reins on the horse, but it looks like a really wide, froglike mouth. It's keeping me from loving it.

i see it more of a face shield vs the reins. i dig the dragon slay "K" but think more color contrast between the sword, handle, and dragon could be tweaked to make it look a little better.

... and missed in the concept, slaying "Homer's folk!? " that's terrible

[Burkell007]

Hate the color change for the knights, now all I can think of is central Florida, yet one more blue and green gone, it's by far the best color scheme in sports

[gosioux76]

That Charlotte Knights re-do is a mess. If we're have trouble making out exactly what's going on in the imagery, why would anybody else get it. Plus, one of those secondary logos — the one of a dragon with a sword in its sheath — makes it look like the dragon is stabbing itself.

Disappointed to see the Red Wings changing things up. Not a fan of their uniforms necessarily, but I've always liked the logo.

[Gothamite]

Rochester Red Wings (AAA affiliate / Minnesota Twins) will be unveiling a new logo (and merchandise) at a fan event on 11/1/13 at 3:30 PM.

The typography on this graphic doesn't exactly fill me with hope.

[CDixonDesign]

Rochester Red Wings (AAA affiliate / Minnesota Twins) will be unveiling a new logo (and merchandise) at a fan event on 11/1/13 at 3:30 PM.

The typography on this graphic doesn't exactly fill me with hope.

Don't read anything into it. Looks like it was simply put together by the marketing receptionist with Publisher.

[Brian in Boston]

In my opinion, the Charlotte Knights logo package is, unfortunately, another in the line of "misses" that Brandiose has turned out over the past two years.

The wordmark is solid, if imperfect. I particularly like the fact that its font pays homage to the similarly-styled lettering that graced minor-league Charlotte Hornets jerseys circa 1950. That said, within the "KNIGHtS" wordmark, I think that the presence of the "Queen Charlotte's Crown" on the "H" and the "t" being rendered as a cross take away from the mark. They clutter what could be a simple, clean, classily-rendered wordmark."

The primary/home cap logo is, again, solid, if imperfect. I love the Knight's helmet topped with a crown. What I'm not crazy about is the particular style of the stylized "C" surrounding the helmet. I'm not seeing a C "in the form of a horse's tail", as Brandiose and the Charlotte Knights claim. I'm seeing a letter "C" rendered in a font that seems not particularly well-designed and clashes with the wordmark font.

The road cap logo is a complete miss in my book. Look, I'm open to modern, stylized logos. I can be a fan of pared-down simplicity. Lord knows that after excoriating Brandiose over the "everything-PLUS-the-kitchen-sink" and "more-is-less" design ethos that I thought plagued the company's work on behalf of the Lexington Legends, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and Stockton Ports, that I should welcome a stylized and simple logo in the Knights' identity package. That said, this logo isn't it. This looks like nothing so much as a crude sketch of a brainstormed idea dashed-off early in the design process. It looks unfinished. Gothamite and sc49erfan15 raise pertinent questions: Is the knight riding a jet ski or a giant, frog-like creature? Either one would be apropos, given that the knight is clearly trying to make his way through... a flowing river? And if the knight is, in fact, making his way through water, where might I have seen a similarly-stylized depiction of water? Oh, that's right... in the logo adorning the road cap that Brandiose designed for the West Michigan Whitecaps. Wow, a logo that's rudimentary AND derivative.

The alternate cap logo - featuring a stylized "K" comprised of a sword plunging through the chest of a winged dragon - is decent. That said, I find something awkwardly disturbing about the fact that a minor-pro franchise which features a dragon - Homer - as its beloved, kid-friendly mascot, will also sport a logo showing a dragon being skewered by a sword.

The batting practice cap logo would likely be my favorite part of the new Charlotte Knights identity package... if the point of the sword that forms the upper-right stroke in the stylized "K" were allowed to peek out from behind the letter's stem.

Is this logo package an upgrade over what the Charlotte Knights had? Sure. Then again, given what the Knights had been sporting up this point, that's not exactly saying much.

I don't want to come across as hyper-critical, or be accused of kicking folks while they're down, but I'm getting a "spread-too-thin" vibe out of Brandiose over the past couple of years. I take no pleasure in saying so, as Jason and Casey not only strike me as great guys, but they're also the talent behind some of what I consider to be the finest identity packages out there (Clearwater Threshers... Lakeland Flying Tigers... Myrtle Beach Pelicans... Asheville Tourists). It just seems to me that a lot of their latest work isn't up to the quality of earlier efforts. I wonder whether the fact that they've become so popular amongst potential clients means that they're being asked to do too much? If you look at the sheer number of sports projects that they seem to be working on, factor in their work with other clients/partners like Hat Club and Mishka, then add their side-projects like the Clink Room to the mix, you have to wonder whether they can give any single project the amount of attention that they used to early in their career?

[uuh70]

IMO, The Knights is a downgrade. They had a unique look and color scheme and threw it out the window.

Well since every team plays in a cookie cutter Populous park its only fitting they all have gimmicky brandiose logos

[Krona]

In my opinion, the Charlotte Knights logo package is, unfortunately, another in the line of "misses" that Brandiose has turned out over the past two years.

The wordmark is solid, if imperfect. I particularly like the fact that its font pays homage to the similarly-styled lettering that graced minor-league Charlotte Hornets jerseys circa 1950. That said, within the "KNIGHtS" wordmark, I think that the presence of the "Queen Charlotte's Crown" on the "H" and the "t" being rendered as a cross take away from the mark. They clutter what could be a simple, clean, classily-rendered wordmark."

The primary/home cap logo is, again, solid, if imperfect. I love the Knight's helmet topped with a crown. What I'm not crazy about is the particular style of the stylized "C" surrounding the helmet. I'm not seeing a C "in the form of a horse's tail", as Brandiose and the Charlotte Knights claim. I'm seeing a letter "C" rendered in a font that seems not particularly well-designed and clashes with the wordmark font.

The road cap logo is a complete miss in my book. Look, I'm open to modern, stylized logos. I can be a fan of pared-down simplicity. Lord knows that after excoriating Brandiose over the "everything-PLUS-the-kitchen-sink" and "more-is-less" design ethos that I thought plagued the company's work on behalf of the Lexington Legends, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and Stockton Ports, that I should welcome a stylized and simple logo in the Knights' identity package. That said, this logo isn't it. This looks like nothing so much as a crude sketch of a brainstormed idea dashed-off early in the design process. It looks unfinished. Gothamite and sc49erfan15 raise pertinent questions: Is the knight riding a jet ski or a giant, frog-like creature? Either one would be apropos, given that the knight is clearly trying to make his way through... a flowing river? And if the knight is, in fact, making his way through water, where might I have seen a similarly-stylized depiction of water? Oh, that's right... in the logo adorning the road cap that Brandiose designed for the West Michigan Whitecaps. Wow, a logo that's rudimentary AND derivative.

The alternate cap logo - featuring a stylized "K" comprised of a sword plunging through the chest of a winged dragon - is decent. That said, I find something awkwardly disturbing about the fact that a minor-pro franchise which features a dragon - Homer - as its beloved, kid-friendly mascot, will also sport a logo showing a dragon being skewered by a sword.

The batting practice cap logo would likely be my favorite part of the new Charlotte Knights identity package... if the point of the sword that forms the upper-right stroke in the stylized "K" were allowed to peak out from behind the letter's stem.

Is this logo package an upgrade over what the Charlotte Knights had? Sure. Then again, given what the Knights had been sporting up this point, that's not exactly saying much.

I don't want to come across as hyper-critical, or be accused of kicking folks while they're down, but I'm getting a "spread-too-thin" vibe out of Brandiose over the past couple of years. I take no pleasure in saying so, as Jason and Casey not only strike me as great guys, but they're also the talent behind some of what I consider to be the finest identity packages out there (Clearwater Threshers... Lakeland Flying Tigers... Myrtle Beach Pelicans... Asheville Tourists). It just seems to me that a lot of their latest work isn't up to the quality of earlier efforts. I wonder whether the fact that they've become so popular amongst potential clients means that they're being asked to do too much? If you look at the sheer number of sports projects that they seem to be working on, factor in their work with other clients/partners like Hat Club and Mishka, then add their side-projects like the Clink Room to the mix, you have to wonder whether they can give any single project the amount of attention that they used to early in their career?

Well said.I like the fact that they step out of the confines of "what a baseball logo should look like" but it doesn't always work. Not sure if they are spread too thin. It seems like they are following their reputation of delivering a unique product. They are extremely innovative, but that doesn't always translate to likeable. What disappoints me is the success rate of the last couple years. You don't have to hit it out of the park every time, but it used to be 4 out of every 5 did. Not nearly as much anymore.

In my opinion, the Charlotte Knights logo package is, unfortunately, another in the line of "misses" that Brandiose has turned out over the past two years.

The wordmark is solid, if imperfect. I particularly like the fact that its font pays homage to the similarly-styled lettering that graced minor-league Charlotte Hornets jerseys circa 1950. That said, within the "KNIGHtS" wordmark, I think that the presence of the "Queen Charlotte's Crown" on the "H" and the "t" being rendered as a cross take away from the mark. They clutter what could be a simple, clean, classily-rendered wordmark."

The primary/home cap logo is, again, solid, if imperfect. I love the Knight's helmet topped with a crown. What I'm not crazy about is the particular style of the stylized "C" surrounding the helmet. I'm not seeing a C "in the form of a horse's tail", as Brandiose and the Charlotte Knights claim. I'm seeing a letter "C" rendered in a font that seems not particularly well-designed and clashes with the wordmark font.

The road cap logo is a complete miss in my book. Look, I'm open to modern, stylized logos. I can be a fan of pared-down simplicity. Lord knows that after excoriating Brandiose over the "everything-PLUS-the-kitchen-sink" and "more-is-less" design ethos that I thought plagued the company's work on behalf of the Lexington Legends, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and Stockton Ports, that I should welcome a stylized and simple logo in the Knights' identity package. That said, this logo isn't it. This looks like nothing so much as a crude sketch of a brainstormed idea dashed-off early in the design process. It looks unfinished. Gothamite and sc49erfan15 raise pertinent questions: Is the knight riding a jet ski or a giant, frog-like creature? Either one would be apropos, given that the knight is clearly trying to make his way through... a flowing river? And if the knight is, in fact, making his way through water, where might I have seen a similarly-stylized depiction of water? Oh, that's right... in the logo adorning the road cap that Brandiose designed for the West Michigan Whitecaps. Wow, a logo that's rudimentary AND derivative.

The alternate cap logo - featuring a stylized "K" comprised of a sword plunging through the chest of a winged dragon - is decent. That said, I find something awkwardly disturbing about the fact that a minor-pro franchise which features a dragon - Homer - as its beloved, kid-friendly mascot, will also sport a logo showing a dragon being skewered by a sword.

The batting practice cap logo would likely be my favorite part of the new Charlotte Knights identity package... if the point of the sword that forms the upper-right stroke in the stylized "K" were allowed to peak out from behind the letter's stem.

Is this logo package an upgrade over what the Charlotte Knights had? Sure. Then again, given what the Knights had been sporting up this point, that's not exactly saying much.

I don't want to come across as hyper-critical, or be accused of kicking folks while they're down, but I'm getting a "spread-too-thin" vibe out of Brandiose over the past couple of years. I take no pleasure in saying so, as Jason and Casey not only strike me as great guys, but they're also the talent behind some of what I consider to be the finest identity packages out there (Clearwater Threshers... Lakeland Flying Tigers... Myrtle Beach Pelicans... Asheville Tourists). It just seems to me that a lot of their latest work isn't up to the quality of earlier efforts. I wonder whether the fact that they've become so popular amongst potential clients means that they're being asked to do too much? If you look at the sheer number of sports projects that they seem to be working on, factor in their work with other clients/partners like Hat Club and Mishka, then add their side-projects like the Clink Room to the mix, you have to wonder whether they can give any single project the amount of attention that they used to early in their career?

Well said.I like the fact that they step out of the confines of "what a baseball logo should look like" but it doesn't always work. Not sure if they are spread too thin. It seems like they are following their reputation of delivering a unique product. They are extremely innovative, but that doesn't always translate to likeable. What disappoints me is the success rate of the last couple years. You don't have to hit it out of the park every time, but it used to be 4 out of every 5 did. Not nearly as much anymore.

[hawk36]

I like the lower-right logo of the dog swinging the bone, but not impressed with the rest of the set.

Really hate that "EP" logo, which doesn't seem to match anything else.

Looking at the C, looks more like a Reds' minor league team than the Padres.

[jaha32]

Of all three of these, the Chihuahuas, Travelers, and Knights, nothing about these even makes me think "baseball" logo (other than the swinging chihuahua logo emulating the swinging Padres logo). Although not necessary, I personally like to see something that tells me it's a baseball logo, even if it is just a diamond shape.

On the Travelers, I do like the sort of rocky texture given to the horse, but I can't seem to grasp what is going on with the neck and mane area. How does the neck loop around the leg of the A, almost as if it morphs into snake? It ruins the logo for me. The neck also gets awkwardly thin in the alternative logo. Also, I just wish there was more consistency between the logos. I know it is minor league baseball so variety and fun is what it is all about, but the LR fashion cap logo looks different than the rest of the wordmarks and letter logos. Why do the two horse logos have different manes? All in all, it's a decent rebrand, but too much variety and it's mainly that snake-horse that bugs me.

On the Charlotte Knights, again, to me there is just too much variety and not enough consistency. How many identities does one team need? There's a knight, a horse, and a dragon. Just too much for me. And couldn't they have at least used the same sword in the logos that have sword? The crown just seems like an after-thought that was slapped over the H in the wordmark. Also, missing the old color scheme. There is a lot I like about these logos individually, but as a set, they just seem to be all over the place with swords and dragons and knight helmets and horses.