MLS Chicago Original Identity

[Sodboy13]

Given the vast resources of many on here, I thought I'd go on a bit of a fishing expedition to see if any of you have this.

When Chicago was first awarded an MLS franchise, Nike took the reins on the identity formation. What they came up with was the team name "Rhythm." In the vein of the Burn and Clash, this team also had an incongruous animal mascot - a cobra. I believe orange may have been targeted as one of the primary colors. The whole thing was mercifully cast aside and scrapped before any Houston 1836-type debacle could ensue, and we ended up with the first-rate identity of the Fire. However, Fire merchandise was hard to come by that first year - not only because of demand, but because Nike would not produce any Fire merchandise, as punishment to the team for rejecting its "Rhythm" concept.

I don't know if anything I've just typed is accurate. I just remember reading it back in 1998 around the time of the Fire's debut, and for some reason it's all popped back into my head. Can anyone out there offer confirmation on this?

[The_Admiral]

The Fire should've punished Nike for such a crappy concept.

[gueman]

Given the vast resources of many on here, I thought I'd go on a bit of a fishing expedition to see if any of you have this.

When Chicago was first awarded an MLS franchise, Nike took the reins on the identity formation. What they came up with was the team name "Rhythm."

However, Fire merchandise was hard to come by that first year - not only because of demand, but because Nike would not produce any Fire merchandise, as punishment to the team for rejecting its "Rhythm" concept.

Can anyone out there offer confirmation on this?

Is it common for the equipment supplier be involved in the logo creation/branding? Just curious.

[dfwabel]

Given the vast resources of many on here, I thought I'd go on a bit of a fishing expedition to see if any of you have this.

When Chicago was first awarded an MLS franchise, Nike took the reins on the identity formation.  What they came up with was the team name "Rhythm."

  However, Fire merchandise was hard to come by that first year - not only because of demand, but because Nike would not produce any Fire merchandise, as punishment to the team for rejecting its "Rhythm" concept.

Can anyone out there offer confirmation on this?

Is it common for the equipment supplier be involved in the logo creation/branding? Just curious.

It depends on how you look at it. Nike created the "O" for the University of Oregon and it is primary identifier for the institution. Any University of Oregon student/alumni who looks at this board could shed more light onto the situation than I could, but for graphic standards, athletic and academic, this one could be the most notable.

As for the Fire, I do not know more on their original identity, but I have no problem with their current logos and wordmarks.

[Avenger]

Nike Team Sports was heavily involved in the Broncos rebranding in '96. Also, I know Nike footed the bill of CU's recent logo redesign and graphic standards development.

[Gothamite]

However, Fire merchandise was hard to come by that first year - not only because of demand, but because Nike would not produce any Fire merchandise, as punishment to the team for rejecting its "Rhythm" concept.

I find this very doubtful.

While Nike may be evil, they're not going to turn down a buck out of spite. Money rules all.

More likely that the decision was made at the last-minute, and Nike wasn't able to put merchandise in production right away. Like Adidas and the New York Red Bulls.

[jalpz9]

Actually believe it or not, Nike did do that in retaliation (at least as far as I 'member reading on bigsoccer). I'm sure murtaugh (Section 8 rep/head honcho) will give you the full low down.

[pcgd]

I could be wrong on this, but I believe Reebok acts as a design studio, selling their services to the professional ranks.

[Gothamite]

Actually believe it or not, Nike did do that in retaliation (at least as far as I 'member reading on bigsoccer).  I'm sure murtaugh (Section 8 rep/head honcho) will give you the full low down.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to need confirmation before I believe that.

I believe that Nike would be petty. I have a hard time believing that Nike would refuse to sell anything out of some sense of petulance, like a spurned lover.

Turn down money? Not Nike's style.

[murtaugh]

When Chicago was first awarded an MLS franchise, Nike took the reins on the identity formation. What they came up with was the team name "Rhythm." In the vein of the Burn and Clash, this team also had an incongruous animal mascot - a cobra. I believe orange may have been targeted as one of the primary colors. The whole thing was mercifully cast aside and scrapped before any Houston 1836-type debacle could ensue, and we ended up with the first-rate identity of the Fire. However, Fire merchandise was hard to come by that first year - not only because of demand, but because Nike would not produce any Fire merchandise, as punishment to the team for rejecting its "Rhythm" concept.

This is correct. There are a few patches of the original logo still floating around and we're trying to secure one for the club museum in the new stadium.

Colors were saffron, forest green, electric blue, and black as I recall. Been ahwile since I've seen it...

Nike did not make any Fire merchandise available to the public in the inaugural season in retaliation. The head coach even had to go to local soccer stores to buy training gear for the team and they sewed on patches. The club had to use a local manufacturer to make (very poor) replicas in order to fill an obligation to season ticket holders. Of course, we just went and won the league/cup double that year... Nike made a cheap white championship tshirt after we won the league title that I still have one of I think.

Also, Chicago Wind, Blues, and AC Chicago were finalists after Rhythm was roundly rejected; basically Nike had come up with it in 1995/96 as the identity for when Chicago was going to be one of the original 10 teams and simply resurrected it in 1997.

[harperdc]

It depends on how you look at it. Nike created the "O" for the University of Oregon and it is primary identifier for the institution. Any University of Oregon student/alumni who looks at this board could shed more light onto the situation than I could, but for graphic standards, athletic and academic, this one could be the most notable.

<---- current UO student, and very proud and happy with the way Nike have treated our design.

not only is the O a simple and clean design, the O itself

is very representative of two great athletic institutions at our school - the outer is the same shape as our football stadium, Autzen Stadium (one of the loudest places on the west coast and in the whole nation), and the inner is the track at Hayward Field, the place where Oregon's track program and specifically its running made its stake, including some kid from the Oregon coast named Steve Prefontaine.

That said, many of the faculty did not like the change to the new script and O as a primary mark - too modern, too athletic for professors doing official professor-y work, and with that as the case they've allowed letterheads and other staionery materials to bear the university's official seal:

I love the new look (though it took me a year or so to get used to it as opposed to the interlocking UO that was the logo up until '98) and, yes, I love the uniforms we have had the last couple of years for football - hey, at least they don't have piping going weird places or strange blotches of color, or sublimation. they've been a clean design and, barring the fiasco that was our Civil War blacks this past year (uggh), I'm happy with them. We still use Donald Duck on some merch and promotional stuff (and no, we haven't seen the ugly Roboduck since the second game after he was introduced, he was practically stillborn) and we still use the simple "OREGON" with yellow and green - not everything we have has a swoosh on it

if anyone ever goes through Eugene, the Niketown store downtown here has a lot of stuff on the wall describing the creative process - and even showing half-done and rejected concepts - of the new UO identity. Pretty fascinating for the graphic design gurus out there.

[swilson160]

I don't know if anything I've just typed is accurate.

Let me guess: you're a speechwriter for President Bush?

[rams80]

Also, Chicago Wind, Blues, and AC Chicago were finalists after Rhythm was roundly rejected; basically Nike had come up with it in 1995/96 as the identity for when Chicago was going to be one of the original 10 teams and simply resurrected it in 1997.

O/T

What were the other originals?

[Gothamite]

That said, many of the faculty did not like the change to the new script and O as a primary mark - too modern, too athletic for professors doing official professor-y work, and with that as the case they've allowed letterheads and other staionery materials to bear the university's official seal:

I doubt that it had anything at all to do with the professors - athletic marks are not commonly used for non-athletic purposes.

When I attended Oregon in the early 1990s, the University never used its interlocking UO logo for academic matters. They used the seal back then, too.

Wisconsin's "motion W" isn't used for regular school matters, either. They use the school seal, or a different W mark:

[impulsive106]

if anyone ever goes through Eugene, the Niketown store downtown here has a lot of stuff on the wall describing the creative process - and even showing half-done and rejected concepts - of the new UO identity. Pretty fascinating for the graphic design gurus out there.

Is there anything involving a duck logo?

[Krona]

That said, many of the faculty did not like the change to the new script and O as a primary mark - too modern, too athletic for professors doing official professor-y work, and with that as the case they've allowed letterheads and other staionery materials to bear the university's official seal:

I doubt that it had anything at all to do with the professors - athletic marks are not commonly used for non-athletic purposes.

When I attended Oregon in the early 1990s, the University never used its interlocking UO logo for academic matters. They used the seal back then, too.

Wisconsin's "motion W" isn't used for regular school matters, either. They use the school seal, or a different W mark:

Actually, the administration uses it a lot, and tried to force their hand on the subject. when I first moved to Eugene (2002), there was big to do about everyone being instructed to use the new "O". I think enough stink has been made that they allowed the use of the crest, but I see the "O" on just about everything school related. my girlfriends diploma was just about the only thing ive seen in four years that doent have the new logo. about the autzen/hayward thing....didnt the shape of autzen change sigificantly after the remodel? one side sure is much bigger...

[The_Admiral]

Well I'm glad I know how to say Oregon in Latin now.

[VitaminD]

Well I'm glad I know how to say Oregon in Latin now.

And in the genitive case, no less.

[harperdc]

I think the shape of Autzen is the 'traditional' style...but it still looks good and you can see what they're trying to achieve

I don't know if there were any logos involving the duck...part of the recent 'remodelling' in the last five years or so included getting rid of the Donald-through-the-O logo on the football field, partially because Disney wanted to start charging some licensing fees (the old, old athletic director had a close relationship with Walt Disney, that's how we got the Donald logo in the first place).

next time I go to the Nike store I'll try and take pictures. it's a really cool, big thing on one of the walls inside the store. pretty fascinating actually.

also, yeah, the story I told came to me directly from one of my Journalism profs - that was my "visual communications" class, actually, which is why she was talking about it.

[edit] grubstreet, are you still a student at UO? I'm really close friends with the other current Duck that I know posts here (gordiedelini, friend of mine from high school)...I knew Gothamite had gone here, but I didn't know if there were any other current guys.

[murtaugh]

What were the other originals?

most of them actually were used for the original MLS names in 1995/96;

the only differences are;

? Metrostars were originally 'Empire Football Club' and then 'Metro Stars' (two words).

? DC United were 'Washington Spies'.

? Dallas Burn's logo had wings, it was a pegasus (you can still see old versions of the horse-head logo head-on with wings), it was dropped for similarities to the Mobil Oil Company logo.

(Dallas' slot was originally Chicago's, as well - inability to come to an agreement with Soldier Field led to Chicago not entering in 1998).

? San Jose's management originally wished to use the name 'Earthquakes' but were overruled by Nike and MLS (it was a league-owned team), and were saddled with 'Clash'

There was also originally a Long Island team but I do not think they got to a logo development stage. It was merged with the Empire FC/Metro Stars efforts in 1995; hence why they were NY/NJ in 1996.