Hockey Logos (and Names)

[leopard88]

Does anyone have a theory as to why nearly every hockey logo includes some sort of hockey equipment (stick, skates, puck and/or combo of the above), while that is much more rare in other sports? There are obviously examples of this in other sports (Dolphins, St. Louis Cardinals, Yankees), but not a great deal and not always in such dominant fashion. On the other hand, countless hockey logos include this, particularly at the minor league level.

On a semi-related note, am I the only one that is driven crazy by the fact that so many people naming minor league hockey teams fell compelled to include the word "ice" (or occasionally "blade") in the name (RiverBlades, IcePilots, IceBreakers, EverBlades, IceGators, IceHawks, just in the ECHL)? Even when sport-specific references exist in other sports, they tend to be more subtle, like "Curve", "Diamondbacks", "Spikes." I'm sure I am missing examples in other sports, but that is primarily because it takes some thought to come up with any.

P.S. I know that not ALL hockey logos fit in this category, so please don't feel compelled to provide examples of logos that don't.

P.P.S. On second thought, maybe I should also include basketball in the first paragraph, but for some reason that doesn't seem to bother me as much.

[WideRight]

Actually, I think Baseball is just as bad. It seems like half the MLB teams have a logo basically comprised of a ball with the team name in front of it. BORING!!!!!!

So, baseball, basketball, hockey. The question is, why doesn't football do this?

1. Because a logo of a helmet would look stupid on a helmet.

(The best example of this was a joke helmet someone drew with the

browns' logo -- a helmet--on the side of a brown's helmet.)

2. Because the football, unlike pucks, and other balls, is not a nice sphere.

(Some teams, mostly Arena teams, do try to incorporate it.)

3. Because, unless you are the 1960 Houston Oilers or Chargers, a goalpost

is not a great logo. (I suppose today it would need to be a team with a Y

in its name, since nearly all goalposts are in a Y shape now.)

[Puck]

Basically, a cheap way to distinguish their brand from others.

As far as minor league hockey teams incorporating the word "Ice" (or "River" in the old ECHL) goes about the same thing. How many teams were named Dogs? Or Kings? Now you throw Ice or River in front of them, wow, a whole new name to themselves. It's almost on par with 4th grade girls and made up languages or rappers with creating their own lexicon.

[TruColor]

Because a logo of a helmet would look stupid on a helmet. (The best example of this was a joke helmet someone drew with the browns' logo -- a helmet--on the side of a brown's helmet.)

[Galwegian]

I always thought it was because minor league hockey teams are often set up in towns/markets where there's not always a real strong history of hockey- so the hockey stick in the logo or the "ice" in the name is there to sort of remind people of what the team is, and "educate" them on what the team does- and like Puck says, it distinguishes their brand.

I'm not sure that I agree with this approach, by the way- if people don't even know that hockey involves ice and sticks, how likely are they to buy season tickets, etc.? I'm sure it's more complicated than that, of course, but it at least appears kind of silly.

[leopard88]

Because a logo of a helmet would look stupid on a helmet.  (The best example of this was a joke helmet someone drew with the browns' logo -- a helmet--on the side of a brown's helmet.)

If the new helmet has a picture/logo of a helmet on it, shouldn't the picture/logo also have a helmet on it (and so on, and so on . . .)?

I am drawing a blank on the name for that sort of infinite pattern.

[Mingjai]

Because a logo of a helmet would look stupid on a helmet.  (The best example of this was a joke helmet someone drew with the browns' logo -- a helmet--on the side of a brown's helmet.)

If the new helmet has a picture/logo of a helmet on it, shouldn't the picture/logo also have a helmet on it (and so on, and so on . . .)?

I am drawing a blank on the name for that sort of infinite pattern.

Which is why the Dolphins' Dolphin on the helmet isn't wearing an actual Dolphins helmet. . . .

Did that make sense to anyone?

[BBTV]

Actually, I think Baseball is just as bad.  It seems like half the MLB teams have a logo basically comprised of a ball with the team name in front of it.  BORING!!!!!!

So, baseball, basketball, hockey.  The question is, why doesn't football do this?

1. Because a logo of a helmet would look stupid on a helmet.

    (The best example of this was a joke helmet someone drew with the

        browns' logo -- a helmet--on the side of a brown's helmet.)

2. Because the football, unlike pucks, and other balls, is not a nice sphere.

    (Some teams, mostly Arena teams, do try to incorporate it.)

3. Because, unless you are the 1960 Houston Oilers or Chargers, a goalpost

    is not a great logo.  (I suppose today it would need to be a team with a Y

    in its name, since nearly all goalposts are in a Y shape now.)

I was just about to reply and tell you that you were crazy for saying that nearly half the baseball teams do this.

Luckilly, I decided to check my facts before posting. It turns out 16 (just over half) baseball teams incorporate some kind of sport-specific imagary in their primary logos (as opposed to 7 NHL teams). I never would have guessed. I personally don't mind it if it is just a shape (like a diamond, or the home plate shape) but when it is just a literal ball, it looks bush league IMO. For some reason the Cardinals doesn't bother me that much, I guess just because it's always been there.

Offending Teams:

Orioles

Red Sox

Rockies

Marlins

Dodgers

Brewers

Twins

Mets

Yankees

Phillies

Pirates

Padres

Giants

Mariners

Cardinals

Rangers

[officeglenn]

I was gonna say that the National Lacrosse League was a particularly bad offender for this sort of thing as well ? at one point, nearly all the teams' logos featured a lacrosse stick in some fashion ? but lately things have improved.

Arizona, Buffalo, Calgary, Philadelphia, Portland and San Jose all still feature lacrosse sticks, but recent expansion teams like Colorado, Edmonton, and Minnesota have all bucked the trend. I don't think Rochester has ever had a stick in their logo, and Toronto's primary logo was recently swtiched over to what used to be their secondary and doesn't feature a stick (specifically, the CN Tower playing a stick as if were a guitar. )

[Mr. no funny nickname]

Because a logo of a helmet would look stupid on a helmet.  (The best example of this was a joke helmet someone drew with the browns' logo -- a helmet--on the side of a brown's helmet.)

If the new helmet has a picture/logo of a helmet on it, shouldn't the picture/logo also have a helmet on it (and so on, and so on . . .)?

I am drawing a blank on the name for that sort of infinite pattern.

Because I have too much time on my hands. How about this.

[leopard88]

I personally don't mind it if it is just a shape (like a diamond, or the home plate shape) . . .

Without going behind you and counting, I'm sure the number drops a bit when you exclude this part of the category (Orioles, Padres (unless you count the Swinging Friar secondary, in which case you would also have to count the O's "Fun Bird"), Phillies). In any event, even the ones with balls in them don't bother me much either. Maybe it is really all the bears, penguins, sailors, ducks etc. in skates and/or with pucks in their mouths that bother me. It just seems like the vast majority of minor league hockey logos fall into the same pattern.

[Titanole]

Long time lurker here.

One of the worst offenders of this "equipment in the logo" phenomenon is American soccer. It's not so bad at the first division level, although more MLS clubs have a soccer ball on their badge than not. But in the lower divisions it is an epidemic. Easily 80+% of USL clubs have a soccer ball in their logo. Some small, some hideously large.

I dream of a day when American clubs can have a logo without feeling the need to remind people what sport they play.

[ProvidenceRI]

I am drawing a blank on the name for that sort of infinite pattern.

Infinite regression

[leopard88]

I am drawing a blank on the name for that sort of infinite pattern. 

Infinite regression

Thanks. I got one word out of two.

[B-Rich]

I always thought it was because minor league hockey teams are often set up in towns/markets where there's not always a real strong history of hockey- so the hockey stick in the logo or the "ice" in the name is there to sort of remind people of what the team is, and "educate" them on what the team does- and like Puck says, it distinguishes their brand.

I'm not sure that I agree with this approach, by the way- if people don't even know that hockey involves ice and sticks, how likely are they to buy season tickets, etc.? I'm sure it's more complicated than that, of course, but it at least appears kind of silly.

I always wanted to have a team called the "Ice Monkeys"....

[slapshot]

You find it more in minor league sports because it's not always easy to instantly recognize a team to its sport or affiliation.

[maz]

As for Pittsburgh, 2 out of the 3 major leauge and no college teams have sports equipment.

Pirates: crossed bats and a pirate head.

Penguins:Penguin in skates with a stick in a triangle

Steelers:no equipment in it, just a circle, 3 diamonds, and "steelers" script

{i know the topic is pro teams but i like Pitt's logo}

[logodawg]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned any NBA teams. Hell some teams logos are just their name and a basketball

LA Lakers

LA Clippers

Pistons

Knicks (more or less)

I might be forgetting some

[appleclock]

Most NBA logos seem to have a basketball somewhere. I think I counted 21.

[Cujo]

Because a logo of a helmet would look stupid on a helmet.  (The best example of this was a joke helmet someone drew with the browns' logo -- a helmet--on the side of a brown's helmet.)

If the new helmet has a picture/logo of a helmet on it, shouldn't the picture/logo also have a helmet on it (and so on, and so on . . .)?

I am drawing a blank on the name for that sort of infinite pattern.

Because I have too much time on my hands. How about this.

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