Blue Jays to change uniforms for next season

[geoffrey]

While the general response is overwhelmingly positive there are still a lot of people out there who think that they shouldn't have changed it in the first place. People complain about what's wrong with this logo and criticize everything that's not exactly like the old look (the leaf is too big, or the stem is not aligned with the outline of the ball, etc.). While I do believe that the original logo is awesome, it was definitely due for a makeover. Let's all imagine that the Blue Jays had never changed their logo and that they had kept the original until now, I'm sure that people would have grown tired of it, because it's got 1970's written all over it. This modernization makes sense now and would have made sense if it this was the first ever makeover. Look at it like the Montreal Canadiens logo evolution from the '25/26 look to the '35/36 logo (and the eventual perfection to the current logo). The current Boston Red Sox logo is a modernization of their '31/32. There are not many teams in baseball, or other sports for that matter, like the Yankees who had an instant classic from the get-go, so let's stop the bitterness and enjoy the actual Modernization of Tradition.

[Quillz]

I think the only thing that could make these uniforms more gorgeous than they are now is use this cap as an alternate.

I agree with you completely. Though I would prefer if the white panel cap could be used as the full-time home cap, I would settle for it as an alternate. But ONLY if they took the time and effort to make all stitching the same color as the fabric beneath it. I've said it before, that contrasting stitching around the edge of the front panel looks cheap and crappy. The Orioles made the same mistake when they recently unveiled their otherwise perfect new unis. The original caps didn't have it that way. But then again, New Era has never paid great attention to historic details...

Well, you can't really fault the Orioles for that, it's just New Era being lazy.

And I do agree that a white-paneled cap would be perfect for Toronto.

[slapshot]

Great update.

The font looks like a modified version of Penumbra Half Serif Bold.

http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/adobe/penumbra-half-serif/bold/

[Quillz]

Great update.

The font looks like a modified version of Penumbra Half Serif Bold.

http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/adobe/penumbra-half-serif/bold/

Good observation. I think it is, too. The letters look similar, though the numbers are a little different.

[UnclearInitial]

While this is an upgrade, it is definitely not perfect. That navy outline on the road is completely unnecessary, and inconsistent as well. The maple leaf on the logo is way too big, and should be attached to the ball. Frankly, I didn't completely hate the 2004 look, which could have looked much better if they used more blue, but the absence of blue in the old set makes this an upgrade. I have to say that the home alt and the home are gorgeous.

[GMW79]

All I can say is bravo, Blue Jays. These are some classy uniforms and the revised logo is amazing. There's no need to change it ever again. While I like the lone logo on the BP jersey, I do find having the logo on the regular uniforms to be slightly distracting, but, that's my only very minor "complaint".

[Bouj]

Wait. So the coolbase jerseys are actually hotter than the regular old style jerseys?

I don't know what to believe in anymore.

Sounds like they have a variation on the Edge dilemma: they try to divert moisture but divert it to the wrong place.

Majestic has been trying to get everyone into COOLBASE for the last few years, and they had gotten almost everyone into going full-use or at least they made players request the original doubleknit (like Pujols or Cliff Lee in TX). Only the Yankees held out. This is an interesting refutation of the trend. Good for Toronto.

[wdm1219inpenna]

As a coming of age baseball fan starting way back in 1974 (yes I actually remember where I was when Henry Aaron hit #715), I love that some teams (Orioles & Blue Jays) are harkening back to their 70s look. I know some have complained that the Orioles cartoon bird seemed rather goofy, but to me it's no more goofy than seeing Mr. Red with his mustache on a uniform, or Chief Wahoo grinning like he just drank some of the Joker's Smilex potion. What does that Indian have to be happy about anyway? His head has no body, and the last time Cleveland won a World Series, Chief Wahoo was tan and had a nose that looked like Jimmy Durante!

I applaud the Toronto Blue Jays for this re-do. It is splendid. After their first re-do, (or is it re-deux?) it left a lot to be desired. Then came the "T-bird", then the evil sparrow Jays. Now they are back to a much classier and classical look. I'd love to see other teams follow too.

The first article I read about the Orioles new 2012 look made mention of Chris' site, so I congratulate you Chris Creamer for that, and with Thanksgiving approaching here in the U.S. of A. this Thursday, and with all this talk of "birds", I wanted to give thanks to you Chris, and to all the members on these boards, for giving me a place to go to talk sports, and logos, and I very much enjoy the banter that takes place. So many of you create such incredible, professional looking logos & uniforms in the "Concepts" section. I don't get nearly as much time to surf the web as I would like to, and not much time to offer my praise and feedback on concepts or other things, but with Thanksgiving coming up, I do not take any of the blessings I have in life for granted. The gift of sight is such a blessing, and it rings so very true here at this premiere spectacle of sports logos. If there is a Heaven, and I believe there is, this website will be there when I (Lord willing) arrive there someday (but preferably not TOO soon!)

[loogodude90]

I know some have complained that the Orioles cartoon bird seemed rather goofy, but to me it's no more goofy than seeing Mr. Red with his mustache on a uniform, or Chief Wahoo grinning like he just drank some of the Joker's Smilex potion. What does that Indian have to be happy about anyway? His head has no body, and the last time Cleveland won a World Series, Chief Wahoo was tan and had a nose that looked like Jimmy Durante!

But have you noticed that both of those teams (Reds and Indians) are downplaying those goofy logos? The Reds barely use that logo (except maybe as a shoulder patch? IDK) and the Indians now have Wahoo-less caps.

I'm not totally against a cartoon Orioles bird, but I think it should have been modernized more.

[johnnysama]

What can I say? I love this change. The Blue Jays are the Blue Jays again. No more BFBS.

[BigBubba]

Apparently this is supposed to be a better version that fixes up all the "errors"...just to create even more errors.

[whateverman42]

The thing that bugs me about the logo is the blue swipe at the bottom. On the old logo it curved well right and it gave it a balanced look, but the new one is pointy and goes almost straight south, actually a tinge left. IMO it ruins the logo and gives the picture on the caps and front of the uni a strange 'scooped' look. Could someone do a quick and dirty concept making the dark blue triangle at the bottom curve right ala the original logo?

Going right, which makes sense because the bird is facing left:

Going down and left:

Unis are perfect though, I can't remember last time I was so excited about an unveiling.

[PitholeCreek]

Apparently this is supposed to be a better version that fixes up all the "errors"...just to create even more errors.

That guy's revised logo reminds me of The Fonz from Happy Days. The bird has quite the swooping hairdo.

[Sport]

Apparently this is supposed to be a better version that fixes up all the "errors"...just to create even more errors.

The actual logo is much better. The guy pointed our errors that aren't really errors, but more like design choices that he wouldn't have used. Just because another designer chose to go in a different direction than you would've doesn't mean it's wrong. The laces on the ball are an example of this. The sharp, pointed laces in the actual logo look much better and sharper than this guy's rounded, fat laces.

The actual logo has a certain "crispness", a professional air to it, that is lost in this guy's redesign. Plus, the bird looks less dignified. Honestly, his bird sorta looks like it just got done telling a really bad joke and is waiting for people to laugh.

Also, why does the stem of the leaf need to connect with the ball? The answer is that it doesn't. Frankly, I think it look better in the new logo where it doesn't connect with the ball.

[BBTV]

The gap in the beak should be straight to tie in to the split in the letters and numbers more. That's one thing that was great about the old logo that isn't so great about the new one. I'll have a full analysis (I know everyone's been waiting breathlessly for my opinion) up within the next few days. And by full analysis, I mean a couple of bullet points.

While it's certainly an upgrade, I think they ultimately fell short of expectations. I'll post exactly why once I'm able to post from a real computer and not just my phone.

[Fox]

Apparently this is supposed to be a better version that fixes up all the "errors"...just to create even more errors.

While I didn't have any real complaints with the real logo, I think that this one looks amazing^.

[Snazel]

While I didn't have any real complaints with the real logo, I think that this one looks amazing^.

It looks awful. It's lost much of the charm of the logo, in lieu of centering things, making the logo more symmetrical and balanced. It looks precisely what it is, a highly derivative, "I can do better than this, watch me go in photoshop" fan variant. It's like a nerd who colorizes Citizen Kane, or writes bad fan fiction. I hate crap like this.

It staggers me that we, as fans, scream for a franchise to make a move to embrace its history and reverse a TERRIBLE marketing decision. Then when they finally do, some of the pedantic fans can only react by applying stylistic analysis better suited to a woman's haircut or wedding dress and deeming the logo "insufficient". For one thing, one of the appealing things about the logo is that it IS slightly off-center and off-balance, that captivates the eye and makes the logo more intriguing to look at. It's the idiosyncracies and anomalies of it that make it interesting.

The new logo looks cool and it is attached to and pays homage to a great franchise with an important history in the game. Toronto has much to be proud of in their history with baseball, and that history extends even before the Jays came along. What was such an affront to the "Silver Jays" change, was it spat on that great history, in lieu of "slick marketing" and "stylistic choices". When the franchise finally does make the right move by correcting the error, some arrogant nerd builds a derivative with additional "stylistic" nuance. They forgot what the whole exercise was about. If the logo was entirely about style, then they would hire the same marketing firm that made the first arrogant choices that ruined the franchise's identity for years.

Let me blunt: this is one of the best uniform/logo changes we've seen in years, in any sport. That should be obvious to anyone with a true sense of history of baseball in Toronto. Instead of celebrating that obvious reality, some putz (who seems to judge baseball uniforms like a young girl appraises a Tiger Beat magazine teen idol) comes along and takes a dump on it.

It's akin to urinating in the punch bowl.

Oh and look at the damn thing he made, it looks as if the bird has the mumps.

I got my first Jays merchandise when I was a very young boy in the late 70's and I fell in love with the team in the spring of 85. I've got reams of ticket stubs, souvenir programs and cards. This is my baseball team. I can tell you, that I assess the logo change as an important change for this franchise. And I'll say this, although in the final analysis a logo is NOT that important to how a team fares, it certainly FEELS like a shift in the franchise. It's as if this wayward ship has finally realized what direction it needs to point to. The franchise has once again found "true north".

Now it's full steam ahead.

It amazes me, that on such a positive development for a GREAT sport franchise, someone would take this stance with it.

There really is no pleasing some fans, especially if, by being displeased they can draw all kinds of attention to themselves and their opinions and "skills".

Dump the mump-bird into the pile of "irrelevant variants", meanwhile I'm pulling out my credit card and supporting my team with the real logo.

[IceCap]

While I didn't have any real complaints with the real logo, I think that this one looks amazing^.

It looks awful. It's lost much of the charm of the logo, in lieu of centering things, making the logo more symmetrical and balanced. It looks precisely what it is, a highly derivative, "I can do better than this, watch me go in photoshop" fan variant. It's like a nerd who colorizes Citizen Kane, or writes bad fan fiction. I hate crap like this.

It staggers me that we, as fans, scream for a franchise to make a move to embrace its history and reverse a TERRIBLE marketing decision. Then when they finally do, some of the pedantic fans can only react by applying stylistic analysis better suited to a woman's haircut or wedding dress and deeming the logo "insufficient".

It's a baseball logo, it looks cool and it is attached to and pays homage to a great franchise with an important history in the game. Toronto has much to be proud of in their history with baseball, and that history extends even before the Jays came along. What was such an affront to the "Silver Jays" change, was it spat on that great history, in lieu of "slick marketing" and "stylistic choices". When the franchise finally does make the right move by correcting the error, some arrogant nerd builds a derivative with additional "stylistic" nuance.

This is one of the best uniform/logo changes we've seen in years, in any sport. Instead of celebrating that obvious reality, some putz (who seems to judge baseball uniforms like a young girl appraises a Tiger Beat magazine teen idol) comes along and takes a dump on him.

It's akin to urinating in the punch bowl.

Oh and look at the damn thing, it looks as if the bird has the mumps.

I got my first Jays merchandise when I was a very young boy in the late 70's and I fell in love with the team in the spring of 85. I've got reams of ticket stubs, souvenir programs and cards. This is my baseball team. I can tell you, that I assess the logo change as an important change for this franchise. And I'll say this, although in the final analysis a logo is NOT that important to how a team fares, it certainly FEELS like a shift in the franchise. It's as if this wayward ship has finally realized what direction it needs to point to. The franchise has once again found "true north".

Now it's full steam ahead.

It amazes me, that on such a positive development for a GREAT sport franchise, someone would take this stance with it.

There really is no pleasing some fans, especially if, by being displeased they can draw all kinds of attention to themselves and their opinions and "skills".

Dump the mump-bird into the pile of "irrelevant variants", meanwhile I'm pulling out my credit card and supporting my team with the real logo.

I'm inclined to agree. The new look isn't perfect, but what is?

The Blue Jays heard the fans, listened, and as a result our team looks like our team again. I couldn't be happier with the new look.

[Fox]

Let me clarify what I meant:

I loved the new Jays logo when I first saw it and thought that it was perfect and couldn't look better, that everyone calling for changes was crazy.

Now, after seening those changes, I think it looks great tweaked.

I think both logos look great, that's all I was saying.

[Magnum]

The thing with the logo that bugs me the most is how the "Toronto" appears to be smaller in size than the "Blue Jays". Maybe the split lettering decision too ... either should be on both or neither.