ABA's Rochester Razorsharks unveil uniforms

[ROCHitman]

What do you think? I have no idea who designed them and how management went about outsourcing the design. But I'm looking into it. With the new ABA planning on some 40 franchises this coming year, I think it'll be fun to critique all the new logo/jersey concepts the league will provide.

IMO, I think the wordmark could be bigger. I certainly like that shade of blue...it fits the SHARKS idea.

I'm curious though....who would want to wear #73?

On another note, I will be attempting to become an ABA official in two weeks at an invitation only tryout. The players have their own invitation only tryout. Many of you know I've been a high school official for several years and have been aching to move up in the ranks some.

Please wish me luck. This very well could be a dream come true.

[rtrich11]

I like em, but the only problem is that the fin at the bottom of the jersey will be tucked in.

[Gamingboy]

... Wow, Rochester has a BASKETBALL TEAM! ABOUT FREAKING TIME!

... Too bad we'll fold after a few games...

[Blackjack76]

Check out Sparts Marketing tomorrow for a "nice" beginning salvo on the ABA (it will be a two-part series with executives in the industry providing their insights next week.

By the way, not one designer of the ABA logos have agreed to be interviewed. Go figure.

[Slickster]

Geez that ECU font (PirateKeg) really gets around, doesn't it?

[artvandelay]

The mark is very hard to read. Plus, they obviously just downloaded the ECU font from the internet and used it.

[Slickster]

Upon further review, I like the capital R/shark fin/basketball logo a lot and I wish that was the focal point instead of the wordmark.

[bulldogbarks55]

The colors are fine, but using the logo as your wordmark AND on the shorts is major overkill. You're right, using the logo for the wordmark makes the lettering too small. Lettering on jerseys should stand out. White numbers outlined in black would show up a lot better on the blue shirt.

The "original" Zeniths lasted 10 games in '77-'78 before the entire league folded. They came back the next year in the CBA and kicked butt for the next four years. Visiting teams (and the Z's too) HATED playing on the "rug" at the Dome.

The late great Rochester Zeniths played most of their home games at the Dome Arena which is located at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in the suburb of Henrietta. It looks like a miniature Astrodome and seats about 3,500. The court there was literally a green, all-weather carpet placed over the concrete floor with no padding. It killed the players' legs.

BTW- note to you Rochester guys- The basket supports currently in use at the War Memorial are the ones from the Dome. They're Hydra-Rib. Also the Z's were the first team in pro basketball to use a collapsable rim. It was in '79. I ought to know. I worked for the Z's as PA announcer for the first four seasons in the CBA.

Good luck, RazorSharks, Rochester is a tough sell for anything but high school basketball.

[Ron Mexico]

Good luck on becoming a ref, ROC. Is this going to be a full-time gig, or do you have a second job? From what I've heard from someone I know that's a D-I NCAA ref, it takes awhile before you can fully support yourself officiating. Everyone starts somewhere, though.

As for the unis, they're okay for an ABA team. And congrats to the Razorshark, who has apparently joined the Rivershark and the Landshark in existence in the Animal Kingdom, despite being entirely fictitous.

[ROCHitman]

Good luck on becoming a ref, ROC.  Is this going to be a full-time gig, or do you have a second job?  From what I've heard from someone I know that's a D-I NCAA ref, it takes awhile before you can fully support yourself officiating.  Everyone starts somewhere, though.

As for the unis, they're okay for an ABA team.  And congrats to the Razorshark, who has apparently joined the Rivershark and the Landshark in existence in the Animal Kingdom, despite being entirely fictitous.

I'm in UPS management and officiate 3 high school sports as well as some lower level college softball and summer ASA ball and American legion baseball.

Becoming an profession official is my ultimate goal, but I've got other means to support myself.

I think Rivershark would have been a nice name to use. We have the ol' dirty Genesse River here.

[Brian in Boston]

Let's see...

The name Razorsharks is atrocious.

That said, the primary logo - featuring the shark - is pretty solid.

The secondary logo - featuring the R/basketball/sharkfin combo - is lame.

The uniforms are far too busy. The use of the secondary logo/wordmark combo on the front of the jerseys is a major mistake.

I'd grade the entire package as a D, and that's only because the primary mark is well-rendered. Otherwise, they'd be looking at an F.

In other words, a typically f***ed-up ABA identity package.

[dgnmrwrw]

I agree that the wordmark on the jerseys would be very hard to read, and that the shark's fin on the jersey would probably be tucked in.

[yh]

Maybe it's just my monitor but I can't seem to find the red, white and blue basketball in that logo. Are you sure this is for an ABA team?

Oh, and good luck Roc!

[youcan'tseeme]

I really like them.

[slapshot]

From one fellow official to another, good luck ROC!

I'm not a fan of the name, the uniforms, or Pirate Keg.

I like the rendition of the shark in the logo, and the lack of tri-colored basketball is a plus.

[Gamingboy]

I don't like the name Razorsharks either. Maybe they shoulda called them the Rochester Photographers, I can see the bad logo now: A old camera with a ABA basketball for the top flash bulb-thingy.

[Steve-O]

It's a Flynn, I can feel it.