Super Bowl XLII Logo

[Mac the Knife]

For those of us who buy Super Bowl programs every year, today and the next few days are much anticipated as we await their arrival in time for the big game.

I received mine today, and on page 237 of the souvenier copy (the poor man's version, the one without the hologram) there's a depiction of what I can only presume to be the logo for Super Bowl XLII. And, as the topic description implies, it sets a new standard for ugly in Super Bowl designs.

The design is about the size of a nickel in the program so scanning it and blowing it up would make it look worse than it actually is, but here are the lowlights:

- The chief element is a silhouette of the state of Arizona in Cardinal, outlined on one edge by an orangeish-rustic gold border so as to give a 3-D appearance. The depiction is arched in a fashion... best way I could describe it is as if the state were flat and being bent over a piece of pipe.

- The roman numerals "XLII" are depicted (1) in three colors (the aforementioned Cardinal and orangeish-rustic gold, along with a shade of blue that looks to me very close to the Detroit Lions famed Honolulu Blue, and (2) of a nice font, but the colors are of such a contrast in the depiction that you don't notice that right away.

- Stars streaking across the upper and lower portions of the design, across the depiction of the state of Arizona, in the orangeish-rustic gold (top) as well as a different, darker shade of blue (bottom).

- A recycling of the font currently being used in the Super Bowl XLI logo, "South Florida," etc. (by the way, I like this font; anyone know what it is?), with "Super" in white at the top of the state depiction (above the orangeish-rustic gold star streak) and "Bowl" in white near the bottom (above the blue star streak).

- Two additional lines going across the Arizona depiction, inside the area of the "XLII," to add to the appearance that the whole thing is in motion.

While some will undoubtedly like this, I for one am profoundly disappointed. If its by someone who frequents the CCSLC I apologize for the criticism, but if the XLI game program's depiction is correct the logo for XLII is little short of jarring, particularly in comparison to past designs that implement the game site into the look. To me, it seems as if the designer were trying to launch Arizona into the 24th Century or something... and through a tube at that, no less.

Anyway, I just thought I'd let your minds chew on this one a bit, imagining what the design looks like based on what I've listed above. But IMHO, whatever your mind comes up with, reality will probably not be as good.

[maxweb81]

Can you find a better pic or show the one you got if u can?

[scraw28]

Is it that bad?

[meetthemets]

Are we ever going to see it or just start a bunch of threads about how bad it looks?

[Mac the Knife]

You people have no imaginations...

Keeping in mind that this was scanned from an actual image that would easily fit under the diameter of a nickel...

HERE!

Happy now?

[See Red]

Not at all what I was expecting but that looks like something from 80's. The last few Super Bowl logos have looked like generic ones that you'd expect to see a few years into a Madden Franchise. They couldn't have gone with a desert theme or somehow used the unique design of the stadium? Terrible, terrible logo. You're right, Mac... even worse than I had imagined.

And to answer your question... happy that you posted the logo. Unhappy with the logo.

[FiddySicks]

Honestly, other than the colors, I really dont dislike the design.

[NJTank]

Worst Super Bowl Logo Ever

[dfwabel]

A few days ago..MEANS posted this, on a thread now on page 2 linked here:

http://boards.sportslogos.net/index.php?showtopic=45086

"i've seen it, it has XLII skewed to the right in front of a somewhat distorted/skewed graphic of the state of AZ, with 2 stars (1 above and one below) shooting off to the right. colors are NFL blue, NFL Red, and turquoise and dark red.....this years theme phrase is "who want's it more".

I think (s)he had an idea on what he was talking about and saw. I was not a doubter, publically, so thanks for the lead into our imagination. What else are you doing now, Natrone?

As for worst ever, remember there were some games where the logo we see advertised was not even on the field but the sixe of the Kicker's "X". I think it like that up to SB X or XI. Underwhealming to say the least. It may have been nicer to have to flow better with the architechure of the stadium

After missing my Fox Sports Net, changed into FSC, and there is little AFL, but the Grand Final, how come the NFL does not "taper" the shield and other field logos so that the appear to jump from the screen? Field ads near the goal posts in La Liga look somewhat siminar to that. I hope many of you know what I am describing.

[Roger Clemente]

I like it. Probably wouldn't rank in a top 10, but I don't think their's anything wrong with it. It kind of reminds me of the Super Bowl XXXVI logo.

I like how they are keeping a consistant font in the Roman Numeral and hope that they use all the way up to 49.

After missing my Fox Sports Net, changed into FSC, and there is little AFL, but the Grand Final, how come the NFL does not "taper" the shield and other field logos so that the appear to jump from the screen? Field ads near the goal posts in La Liga look somewhat siminar to that. I hope many of you know what I am describing.

Probably because if you were at the stadium, those extremely distorted graphics would be extremely distracting and extremely ugly. I can not express the extremeity of my message.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[See Red]

Honestly, other than the colors, I really dont dislike the design.

For me it's the colors and just how boring it is. No desert theme. No usage of the stadium's unique design. If they want to go with a simple design, they've shown in the past that they're capable of doing far better than this. This logo looks like it was designed in Paint. The host committee's logo was better.

Like I said, when I see this logo, I think of something I'd see three or four years into a franchise in Madden where EA sports throws together a generic logo for future Super Bowls.

[Dilbert]

Okay so a stadium that looks like it belongs in the future is going to host a Super Bowl with a logo that looks like its from 1981. Way to go Arizona

[ninersdd]

Anything associated with the Cardinals turns to coal, let's face it

It also looks like the great state is splitting into 3

[ZapRowsdower8]

It looks straight out of the mid-80's, and I love it! It makes me want to go watch Weird Science or Back to the Future!

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Wow. They would have never used that logo back in 1983. I don't like to use the word "perfection" unnecessarily, but I think we may be pretty close.

[FiddySicks]

Am I the only one who kinda gets the whole Space Mountain kinda feel from this logo? Kinda ties into AZs new stadium perfectly.

[psilcosyn]

This is REALLY nasty.

The perspective seems off on the bottom half of the logo.

Imagine wearing a shirt with that on it, or having those colours against the field on Super Sunday.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

the logo per se isn't too bad it kinda reminds me of a flying soucer going sideways, the thing i don't like is the lions blue.

[Paniro127]

I like it, remember, this is only a scan, and it's probably not even the final design... (Crosses Fingers Strongly)

Only thing I don't like is the Blue text. if it were White Numbers outlined in black, with a little yellow & Blue Splashed somewhere (AZ's Flag colors), then it would be great...

[MEANS]

A few days ago..MEANS posted this, on a thread now on page 2 linked here:

http://boards.sportslogos.net/index.php?showtopic=45086

"i've seen it, it has XLII skewed to the right in front of a somewhat distorted/skewed graphic of the state of AZ, with 2 stars (1 above and one below) shooting off to the right. colors are NFL blue, NFL Red, and turquoise and dark red.....this years theme phrase is "who want's it more".

I think (s)he had an idea on what he was talking about and saw. I was not a doubter, publically, so thanks for the lead into our imagination. What else are you doing now, Natrone?

As for worst ever, remember there were some games where the logo we see advertised was not even on the field but the sixe of the Kicker's "X". I think it like that up to SB X or XI. Underwhealming to say the least. It may have been nicer to have to flow better with the architechure of the stadium

After missing my Fox Sports Net, changed into FSC, and there is little AFL, but the Grand Final, how come the NFL does not "taper" the shield and other field logos so that the appear to jump from the screen? Field ads near the goal posts in La Liga look somewhat siminar to that. I hope many of you know what I am describing.

thanks for pointing out i gave you guys the scoop a few days ago. I really don't like the logo either. as far as those wanting the stadium and more AZ desert type items for the logo, well the rest of the style guide has desert and stadium icons, which are actually pretty cool, too bad this couldn't translate to the logo. I really hate asymmetrical event logos. And yes this is the final logo.