New Trenton Thunder logo

[PhilliesPhan1325]

Is the alternate logo supposed to form a "T" or am I just looking at it for too long?

[SabreGuy]

cesarano, that's a mighty long post, so I think I'd rather just reply than do the whole "quote, reply, quote, reply" thing, cause it could get lengthy and muddled, what with the quotes within quotes, etc. And no, I won't ignore you because you're from NYC, as some of my more recent posts might have lead you to believe.

Of course a lot of what you say makes sense, in terms of reality. My post was mostly one of nostalgia. The player development system is really the bane and boon of minor league baseball. The minor leagues may have ceased to exist all together were it not for the current player development system... but at the same time it destroyed true minor leagues. I'm not really at peace with that, which I freely admit.

You're right, there's not a lot of independent baseball where I am. I'm actually originally from Buffalo, so my minor league experience is with the Bisons, who, despite a revolving door of parent clubs with varying degrees of success, have chosen to co-opt the "Bisons" name from the old International League/American Association clubs in Buffalo. And for the most part, after moving from AA to AAA, have managed to have their own separate identity that has lasted through at least 2 parents.

And so, while I'm aware that I'm watching a developmental squad for the Cleveland Indians, I also identify with the old Bisons and the co-opted (or stolen, if you will) history. I'd RATHER be watching an independent team... well, I'd rather be watching a MAJOR league team in Buffalo, but I'd settle for a high quality independent team. But I take what I can get.

The problem is, this is the team I'm given. If I want to root for the local team, this is it. Now, how can I, as a fan, identify with the team if, during my fanhood, they changed from the Buffalo Pirates, to the Buffalo Indians, to the Buffalo White Sox, back to the Buffalo Indians, back to the Buffalo Pirates, and back again a THIRD time to the Buffalo Indians?

Sure, the players change, the names change... but I'm of the "you root for the uniform" school. If the players keep changing, but the team identity remains the same... I feel more connected.

Honestly, scam or no scam, as a fan in a minor league area... I'll take the illusion. At least it means I don't need to buy a new set of merchandise every 2 years when the parent affiliation changes.

[TBGKon]

I am grateful that the team has not adopted the parent club name (i.e., Trenton Devils, SWB Yankees, Maine Phillies). To me, that lowers the value of the team to its community, but that's another topic.

Oh, I think that's DEFINITELY something they did right, here. Nothing makes less sense to me than the minor league team adopting the major league parent's name and identity. Cheesy logos aside, becoming the Trenton Yankees would have been stupid. I actually am offended that Scranton/Wilkes-Barre did that this year. Red Barons was a GREAT identity, and I loved their old SWB cap logo... now they just look like a joke... a little league team in one of those leagues where all the kids teams are named after MLB clubs.

Maybe THAT is my major problem with the "taking the parent club's name" thing. These aren't 12 year olds dreaming of playing for the Yankees someday. These are professional athletes who actually have a CHANCE of playing for the Yankees, and it's patronizing to slap them in a mock Yankees uniform, pat them on the back and send them out there.

I have to agree with you. Down here in the Florida State League, 7 out of the 12 teams go by their parental affiliation name. Now to a point, I can see why this is so because the majority of those teams are owned by their parent club, and that the big leaguers usually play spring training at the same location as the Single A team. Yet you have on the other hand you have a few teams (specifically Clearwater and Lakeland) have ditched their big league names (Phillies and Tigers respectively) over the past 4 years, to new names that create their own identity to sell to interested fans (Threshers and Flying Tigers respectively). Ever since 2004 when the Threshers have began as the renamed Clearwater Phillies, merchandise sales have grown exponentially and fans still come out to the ballpark.

If I were FSL president, I would recommend that all teams change their identities so that all are free of big league identities. I'm nt saying that you should sever all ties with the big league club, just edit the names enough so you can build upon them in your own area. For example, Lakeland was originally known as the Tigers, but over the past offseason they decided to become the Flying Tigers. With this new name came a new log, seen below. As you can see, there is still a tie to the Tigers, yet it give Lakeland something to called their own, not just a little brother to the Tigers of Detroit.

[jm1266]

I live in the Trenton area myself and I HATE this new look. Granted, the original logo probably isn't great... but at least it was ours. Now they look like any other minor league team. Those new logos have too much of an Arena Football feel to them. I'm terribly disappointed.

Also, that new home cap looks very similar to the Wilmington Blue Rocks BP cap of a few years ago featuring mascot, "Rubble."

[Blackjack76]

Here's the thing about saying the new Thunder look is close to the Burlington Bees....each designer has a set style, and Dan Simon's is as good as it gets in sports branding. Anyone who follows this industry can look at a new brand identity package and have a 90% chance of guessing who the designer was.

So to a degree, Trenton received exactly what they wanted...another Dan Simon hit. It's not like he was going to design something like the Phoenix Coyotes' old logo...that's not his trademark style.

I really, really, really like these logos. Minor League teams work in a different vacuum in that their distinguishing business characteristic is that they are ALL about kids and families. The teams' identities should reflect this mantra. The old Thunder logos looked terrible, and really looked bad when embroidered. These have great marketing potential, without looking too much like the Lake Elsinore Storm.

But I think the one aspect of this unveiling that has only been briefly mentioned is that the team ACTUALLY HAD A DEDICATED ONLINE SHOP OPEN FOR BUSINESS after the announcement. And they had product to boot. What a novel concept!

Why all teams don't do this is beyond me.

[Brian in Boston]

As long as we're discussing minor-league baseball identity packages, I thought I'd share my opinion as to the best team primary logo in each of MiLB's member leagues.

International League - Toledo Mud Hens

Pacific Coast League - Portland Beavers

Eastern League - Connecticut Defenders

Southern League - West Tenn Diamond Jaxx

Texas League - Corpus Christi Hooks

California League - Modesto Nuts

Carolina League - Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Florida State League - Lakeland Flying Tigers

Midwest League - Cedar Rapids Kernels and Burlington Bees (tie)

South Atlantic League - Columbus Catfish

New York-Penn League - Brooklyn Cyclones

Northwest League - Eugene Emeralds

Appalachian League - Johnson City Cardinals

Pioneer League - Idaho Falls Chukars

[nwtrailtrekker]

theres alot of new logos i see nowadays that look like something that would come out of the CCSLC. its hard to describe. the old trenton thunder logo (to me) doesnt look like something to come out of here but the new one by all means, does. cant explain why though.

[TampaBayEverybodyLovesRays]

I don't like that cloud logo on the hat too much, just doesn't seem right :\

[Blackjack76]

To the best of my knowledge, here are the designers:

International League - Toledo Mud Hens (Simon)

Pacific Coast League - Portland Beavers (???)

Eastern League - Connecticut Defenders (Silverman Group)

Southern League - West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Plan B )

Texas League - Corpus Christi Hooks (Simon)

California League - Modesto Nuts (Simon)

Carolina League - Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Plan B )

Florida State League - Lakeland Flying Tigers (Plan B )

Midwest League - Cedar Rapids Kernels and Burlington Bees (both Simon)

South Atlantic League - Columbus Catfish (Simon)

New York-Penn League - Brooklyn Cyclones (Todd Radom)

Northwest League - Eugene Emeralds (Simon)

Appalachian League - Johnson City Cardinals (??? - not much to pick here)

Pioneer League - Idaho Falls Chukars (Simon)

[M59]

Like the logos, hate the uniforms.

Waiting for the first Yankee$/Thunder fan to call for the removal of all secondary and tertiary colors from the uniforms.

Don't think minor league teams should adopt the MLB affiliates names because they change so much anymore. Would anyone here really have wanted the "Norfolk Mets" to have become the "Norfolk Orioles" this year? How about the "New Orleans Nationals" becoming the "New Orleans Mets"?

[winters in buffalo]

The cloud logo is great. It reinforces everything I love about minor league identities.

As soon as I get off my ass to get a Burlington Bees hat, I'm definitely grabbing that one too.

[leggman01]

this is a PERFECT minor league identity...very kid friendly logos that look cool on the hats and uni's...really, really great...

Not singling you out (other than the fact that I noticed this post and it got me thinking), but I'm not sure I agree with the recent (well, not TOO recent) trend of "minor league logos should be 'kid friendly.'"

Maybe it's because I'm from a minor league area, and I have major league envy... but part of me longs for days long before I was around, when the minor leagues were a big enough deal that they could sustain their own professional identity.

I guess I don't have a real point, other than to say I think the minor leagues (hockey and baseball, specifically) are kind of cheapening their own product these days, at least in terms of a brand. The constant moving around from city to city and from league to league, and from parent team to parent team doesn't really help the issue either. But I just feel like I've seen enough cartoon characters holding a bat or a hockey stick to last me a lifetime.

i agree 100% with the statement below

Minor League teams work in a different vacuum in that their distinguishing business characteristic is that they are ALL about kids and families. The teams' identities should reflect this mantra.

as someone who has 2 kids, i can tell you there is little that gives a family more entertainment value than a minor league baseball game...that doesn't mean that EVERY team needs a "kid friendly" logo, but i sure think it helps the bottom line for that organization when they do...i can assure you, my kids would certainly gravitate toward something with a whimsical logo like this much quicker than they would the old logo...when i'm at a ball game with my little girl, and she looks up at me and says "daddy, i want that hat/t-shirt/pennant/widget with the logo on it", it's pretty damned tough to say no

[dn393]

But I think the one aspect of this unveiling that has only been briefly mentioned is that the team ACTUALLY HAD A DEDICATED ONLINE SHOP OPEN FOR BUSINESS after the announcement. And they had product to boot. What a novel concept!

Why all teams don't do this is beyond me.

I attended the Trenton Thunder/Binghamton Mets games this past Friday night and again today (Sunday.) Not only does the Thunder online store have new-logo apparel for sale, the Thunder's Gift Shop at the stadium had authentic caps, golf shirts, t-shirts & outerwear for sale. Loads of it. Additionally, Thunder team personnel were outfitted in golf shirts & caps featuring the new logo during the games. I was impressed how ready the team when the new logo was rolled out- every fan that wanted merchandise was able to get it- and believe me, it was flying off the shelves! Having attended Thunder games since the team's inception, I expected nothing less from the team.

Incidentally, when I saw the press release from the team regarding the new logos Thursday (a complete surprise!) I didn't care for the look since it reminded me of "all the other cartoony minor league logos" previous posters talked about. However, when I saw the authentic caps, I was immediately hooked! Very nice. The embroidery really gives that cloud a bit of texture, and it absolutely pops off of the cap. All that remains to be seen is the uniforms, as they had no authentic or replica jerseys for sale. (Too busy trying to sell off the now-old jerseys at 50% off!)

[TrueYankee26]

LOVELY

[AndrewPF]

i like this but i thought the Thor was kind of cool