The Battle of Markham

[sparkychewbarky]

...Finally...It's Battle-Time!

Prelude to Battle

Howard Bloom, publisher of SportsBusinessNews.com, has guaranteed that there will be another NHL team in the Southern Ontario market within the next 5 years.

In hindsight, I should have called this "The Battle of Southern Ontario", but at the time of starting this topic, Markham looked like the leading contender.

Recent news out of Markham shows a growing opposition to the arena/team deal;

But whether or not it's Markham, Hamilton, Vaughn, or Kitchener-Waterloo; let's get on with the battle for the identity of a new Markham Southern Ontario NHL franchise.

The two sides have made some last minute changes and are ready to go head-to-head.

I've borrowed from the TV series "Deadliest Warrior" to help set the stage graphics.

So here's the first 3 skirmishes. Let me know what you like and why; and what you don't like and why...

The Logos

The Northlanders made the 'Nordic Wolf' logo into their primary, and streamlined the "N/O" logo into a more useful symmetrical shape.

All logos retained their "inter-twiny" Nordic style which is perfect for the metallic gold look.

The Beavers stayed steady with their uber-traditional, Hometown-Hockey look.

They picked up a useful little beaver-with-hockey-stick icon (The BEEV).

Home Uniforms

Northlanders have gone with a unique striping pattern to produce what they describe as "a menacing, dark uniform with slashes of bright metallic gold".

Again, the Nordic Wolf goes front and centre.

If you were to describe The Beavers look as "house-league"...they would thank you.

They wanted to capture a "Roots of Hockey" feel.

Away Uniforms

Both teams kept the same lines on their aways, and kept a lot of colour on the sleeves and socks.

The Beevs needed to add the dark triangular shape behind their logo so that they could keep the white letters and gold maple sprig...

Next 3 Battles...Alts, Mascots, and Special Events.

[oaklandhusker]

I think the Beavers win everything but the roads. I don't like the addition to the logo just to make it work, when you have other logos that would look very good there.

[nas1787]

Logos: I love every logo you've made except one. The O with the hockey sticks doesn't seem to fit. The hockey sticks are drawn in a way that is completely different from the rest of the Beaver's logos. That being said, I think the B logo and the Beev are the best of the bunch. Advantage Beavers.

Jerseys: While I like the traditional striping of the Beavers better than the out-there Northlanders look, I prefer the primary logo of the Northlanders on the jerseys to the wordmark of the Beeves. I also still believe that a second S. Ontario team should avoid using the maple leaf in any way. Advantage Northlanders.

[jmoe12]

I like the Northlanders in both categories.

[sparkychewbarky]

I like the Northlanders in both categories.

Thanks for the input jmoe.

I think the Beavers win everything but the roads. I don't like the addition to the logo just to make it work, when you have other logos that would look very good there.

Logos: I love every logo you've made except one. The O with the hockey sticks doesn't seem to fit. The hockey sticks are drawn in a way that is completely different from the rest of the Beaver's logos. That being said, I think the B logo and the Beev are the best of the bunch. Advantage Beavers.

Jerseys: While I like the traditional striping of the Beavers better than the out-there Northlanders look, I prefer the primary logo of the Northlanders on the jerseys to the wordmark of the Beeves. I also still believe that a second S. Ontario team should avoid using the maple leaf in any way. Advantage Northlanders.

Thanks oakland and nas. I find myself agreeing with both of you.

So...I've removed the maple leaves entirely from the logos, and have put the Beev with the script word "Beavers".

I reworked the crossed sticks to have them look more like the sticks on the "B" logo and on the Beev.

I'm also making better use of the "B" logo by making it the primary logo, and have found a colour combo that allows the "B" to work on both homes and aways, with no changes.

The Homes and Aways now look like this...

The Aways head-to-head is now this...

...and the Homes head-to-head now looks like this...

I wanted to get that right before moving on to the next series of battles.

Alt Unis

The Northlanders and the Beavers swap styles for the alts.

The 'Landers go with more traditional striping with their "Gold-on-Gold" alts.

The Beavers use a more unique striping to create their yellow "Beaver-Tail" sweater.

Mascots

Again, each side takes a different approach...

The Beavers use a short'n'tall duo, Sparky and Chewbarky, who work together in their routines. Like the Boston Bruin, they wear no outfits.

The Northlanders' Wulf and Bobby Thorr, work separately (most of the time), with the 8' Bobby only mobile enough for great photo-ops.

Wulf is very athletic and similar in style to the Toronto Raptor.

[sparkychewbarky]

Fan Club Marketing

Most times a team doesn't market their fan clubs; they just sort of happen...

But we thought it would be interesting to see how each side would envision a fan club concept.

The Northlanders have created a "Horde" idea, where members can become an "Official Berserker!".

The Beavers have mimicked the well known OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) triangular shoulder and cap patch, with their OBP (Ontario Beavers Patrol) logo...

[jmoe12]

New Beaver's uniforms give them the edge, and the Beaver's alt. is my favorite.

Logos: Northlanders

Uniforms: Beavers

Alternates: Beavers

Mascots: Northlanders

[sparkychewbarky]

Special Event

Both sides chose to do a fan appreciation night.

The Northlanders went classy with their "Valhalla Gala" evening of give-aways and prizes for best-dressed Northlanders costumes.

They designed a special gold and black "formal" uni for the event.

The Beavers intend to have Red Green host their inaugural "Lodge Party", with all fans encouraged to wear their Muskoka Dinner Jackets (MDJ) to the game.

The team will wear their MDJ unis to help celebrate an evening of free stuff and fun.

[sparkychewbarky]

The last head-to-head battle...

Stuff

It's always interesting to see how a concept can be merchandised.

Both Beavers and Northlanders concepts allow marketers a vast arsenal of ideas to apply to...stuff!

New Beaver's uniforms give them the edge, and the Beaver's alt. is my favorite.

Logos: Northlanders

Uniforms: Beavers

Alternates: Beavers

Mascots: Northlanders

Thanks jmoe. I'm glad that the changes were an improvement.

[jmoe12]

Special event: Beavers

Stuff: Can't decide, they both look so good!

[FGM13]

Beavers all the way. I can't help but like the old green and gold.

[KCScout76]

Kick*ss plaid - love it!!! I also really like the Beaver in the Canoe logo - totally awesome. I also like the celtic Wulf logo - very cool!!

I'm rootin' for the beavers but I still love the Northlanders stuff too!

[sparkychewbarky]

Special event: Beavers

Stuff: Can't decide, they both look so good!

Thanks for the feedback jmoe. I'll put you down for the Beevs, by a whisker.

Beavers all the way. I can't help but like the old green and gold.

Kick*ss plaid - love it!!! I also really like the Beaver in the Canoe logo - totally awesome. I also like the celtic Wulf logo - very cool!!

I'm rootin' for the beavers but I still love the Northlanders stuff too!

I'm thinkin' that an Edmonton Eskimos fan (FGM) and an Irishman (KC) would be likin' the green and gold.

The plaid sweater would be awesome for St. Paddy's Day, eh?

Thanks for the response guys.

[oaklandhusker]

Those new Beavers sweaters are beautiful.

And I will admit that I have a soft spot for that color scheme as an A's fan.

[B-mer]

I'm going Beavers all the way. Love it. I initially thought the same with the first logo and swapping out for the Beev, but both look good really. I'd buy the jerseys.

[KCScout76]

Sparky - Your work is always awesome! I always like the Highlander stuff a few years back. Being of Irish/Celtic decent, this stuff is good.

[sparkychewbarky]

Those new Beavers sweaters are beautiful.

And I will admit that I have a soft spot for that color scheme as an A's fan.

Yeh, the green and gold is classic...and AVAILABLE in the NHL after Dallas went Green/Silver.

I'm going Beavers all the way. Love it. I initially thought the same with the first logo and swapping out for the Beev, but both look good really. I'd buy the jerseys.

Thanks B-mer. You were right.

Sparky - Your work is always awesome! I always like the Highlander stuff a few years back. Being of Irish/Celtic decent, this stuff is good.

Thanks KC. Cheers.

O.K...I'm not trying to sway the vote, but I'm just saying...

I was touring around the province this weekend and I saw a ton of support for an Ontario "Beavers" NHL franchise...

[oaklandhusker]

That stuff is so cool!

EDIT: I would also like to say that the Beavers win the mascot battle because they look like I would want them at a birthday party for my future kids. And mascots are really for the kids.

[1clkgtramg]

I really like the Beavers script on the Green Home's and the Beaver B logo on the White Away's.

[sparkychewbarky]

That stuff is so cool!

EDIT: I would also like to say that the Beavers win the mascot battle because they look like I would want them at a birthday party for my future kids. And mascots are really for the kids.

Thanks again oakland.

I really like the Beavers script on the Green Home's and the Beaver B logo on the White Away's.

So do I. The script didn't work too well on the aways, but it looked alright on the homes.

So, in this age of multiple sweaters, why not offer both?

I've taken nas' great advice in removing anything that looks like a maple leaf.

We don't want any similarity to that other Southern Ontario team.

So here's the Beevs' uniform line-up...

And...a few more pictures showing a groundswell of support for a Southern Ontario Beavers NHL franchise.