My Journey To My Best Concept

[JMurr]

Today I am launching my new project; my attempt to make the single best concept I can. To do so I am asking for your help. Now before any of you turn away or post a response like “do you have any idea what this takes”, I am not asking for you to design the concept. What I am asking for you to do is lend your thoughts, opinions, criticism, and preferences.

So what is it?

I am going to create several concepts. Two by two I will post them and have you all vote on which you like best. Then through a process that I have devised I will eliminate the weaker concepts, strengthen those with potential based upon C&C, and advance the stronger concepts.

This is how it will work. There will be 8 rounds. The first two rounds will run simultaneously. The first round works like this; I have identified the 4 largest cities in all 50 U.S. States, I will be reading up on each and then purposing a few team ideas for each. You guys will vote to decide which idea is the best for each. I will then take that idea into the second round, which remember will be running simultaneously meaning new cities and ideas will still be coming online as I am already advancing winning ideas into the second round. The second round is the state round, so each state remember has 4 cities I will take the winning idea for each city and draw a logo, then pit the logos against one another. This round will be a double elimination; meaning a city can afford to lose one vote but not a second. Following their one allowable loss I will make adjustments to the logo based upon your C&C.

So you see by the end of this I will have 50 concepts remaining. The latter rounds will be a single elimination playoff which the number 50 dose not lend itself to. 64 would be a much better number; therefore I have also created 14 wild card groups for the first two rounds. These groups are made up of the largest U.S. cities that are not in their own states top four. These groups will operate in the first two rounds just like the state groups.

This all means that I will have a third round of 64. For this round each concept will receive a home and road jersey concept. The winners will advance to the fourth round of 32 concepts. Each concept will add a secondary logo for this round. The winners will advanced to the fifth round of 16 concepts. Each concept will add a woodmark in this round. The winners will advance to the sixth round of 8 concepts. Each concept will add a field/court or mascot design in this round. The winners will advance to the seventh round of 4 concepts. Each concept will add an alternate jersey in this round. The winners will advance to the final round of 2 concepts. Each will make final adjustments based upon cumulative C&C for the final showdown.

Hope you all followed that convoluted explanation. If not just follow along and you catch on as we go.

The first ideas for the Alabama competition will be up shortly. To start with I will not be creating a poll, rather just post you’re thought and I will count it as a vote.

[kevsim1]

Good God. This could take a while, but I'm sure it is going to be a hell of a lot of fun. You're bound to make a ton of stellar concepts here JMurr. Good luck! I'll be following this very closely.

[grant1woods]

This is gonna be awesome

[JMurr]

Birmingham, Alabama (Alabama’s largest city)

I have three purposed ideas for Birmingham, Alabama; Birmingham Boxcars, Birmingham Blacksmiths, Birmingham Bass, or Birmingham Bees. Tell me what you think of each and vote based upon the synopsis for each below.

Birmingham Boxcars

This was my first thought for Birmingham. The logo will be something along the lines of a train Boxcar side view over a birds eye view of railroad tracks (if that makes sense, hope you can imagine it) with the word Birmingham written across the top of the Boxcar. The name draws its inspiration from Birmingham’s history with the railroad industry. I see this concept as a Baseball team.

Birmingham Blacksmiths

Originally my though for one concept name was Birmingham Steelers due to the cities ties to the steel industry. Birmingham has been called the Pittsburgh of the south. In my reading however I learned that the city has used Vulcan the Roman God of fire as a symbol of the cities industrial heritage. Vulcan is often, as he is in a famous Birmingham statue, depicted as a blacksmith. So my thought is to pay homage to all of this by naming their team the Birmingham Blacksmiths and use Vulcan as the base for a logo. I see this concept as a Football team.

Birmingham Bass

Birmingham has been described before as the “Bass Capital of the World” due to its extensive fishing culture. When I think fish concept I think Baseball team so the logo for this concept would be something like a fish over a baseball diamond.

Birmingham Bees

This one is a bit of a stretch. Birmingham, Alabama is named after Birmingham, England. It was given this name due to the industrial roots it shared with England’s Birmingham. A symbol of industrialization is the Bee and therefore the Bee has become a featured symbol of Birmingham, England. So for this concept I would barrow this Bee symbol. Again though not commonly used as a symbol in Birmingham, Alabama it fits in that this Birmingham also has industrial roots. I see this concept as a soccer team, with a tradition soccer shield for a logo. The name would probably morph into Birmingham F.C. and just use a bee as a symbol. I also think that the yellow and black stripping pattern could be very easy to work into a Soccer kit.

So which do you like best? Vote by stating in a response which you would like to see a logo for. I will pick the winner by tonight. If no one votes, I pick.

Good God. This could take a while, but I'm sure it is going to be a hell of a lot of fun. You're bound to make a ton of stellar concepts here JMurr. Good luck! I'll be following this very closely.

Yes sir. It is going to take awhile.

[grant1woods]

BEES

[kevsim1]

I'm going to go with Blacksmiths.

[grant1woods]

I feel as if kevin sim, you, and I have a little friend circle thing goin on here

[kevsim1]

I feel as if kevin sim, you, and I have a little friend circle thing goin on here

? ummm.... ? that's all I got...

[St Louis Cardinals]

I feel as if kevin sim, you, and I have a little friend circle thing goin on here

[Evil G]

Blacksmiths.

[JMurr]

Huntsville, Alabama (Alabama's fourth largest city)

Huntsville Generals

Eight Civil War Generals were from Huntsville, Alabama. Not only that they were evenly divided four and four on each side of the conflict. To honor this the first concept ideas for Huntsville is the Generals. I see this as a football concept.

Huntsville ?

In 1892 in Huntsville, Alabama a dairy cow named Lily Flagg broke the world record for Butter production. In celebration her owner Samuel H. Moore painted his home butter yellow. So I am thinking of using this unique color for a team concept. The thing is I can not settle on a nickname for this concept so if you vote for this one let me also know what you think should be the nickname; Buttercreams, Butter Boys, Buttercherners, or anything else you might come up with. I see this as a soccer concept.

Huntsville Arsenal

A big population boom that contributed to Huntsville’s growth came in the early 1940’s when the U.S. Army built a base nearby called the Redstone Arsenal. Arsenal is a commonly used name for soccer teams and therefore could fit a concept here.

Huntsville Rockets

Following World War II some parts of the military establishments in Huntsville were no longer needed or used. Soon however these facilities would be used for the development of America’s first large ballistic missile, the Redstone Rocket. As a result of its link to the development of this missile, Huntsville has been nicknamed “The Rocket City”. Therefore one purposed sports team for Huntsville will be the Huntsville Rockets. The Redstone Rocket will be the base for a logo. I see this as a hockey concept.

[kevsim1]

Huntsville Rockets I think

[JMurr]

Sorry but Alabama is going to get slapped up quick here so that I can begin drawing logos for Birmingham and Huntsville tonight. Look for Montgomery and Mobile coming soon.

[Evil G]

The Rockets, IMO.

[WarriorFight]

Arsenal, just cause I'm a football fan, and I think it goes well with the city name, it sounds right...at least to me.

[jaxon#08]

Rockets and blacksmiths

[JMurr]

I am going to close voting on Birmingham. Birmingham Blacksmiths Football team will be called the winner. I have already begun work on the logo as it has been the front runner for a while now. The official vote is posted below. I know this vote was short lived but I am trying to jump start this, so will have some hast at first. Eventually I hope for all votes to have a minimum of 24 hours before it is called.

Keep following, Birmingham Blacksmiths logo will be up soon, also the proposals for Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama. Then keep watching as Alaska’s teams are soon to follow.

Birmingham vote count:

Boxcars (0 votes)

Blacksmiths (4 votes): kevsim1, EvilG, jaxon#08, JMurr

Bass (0 votes)

Bees (1 vote): Grant1Woods

Thanks for voting.

And keep the voting for Huntsville going. Currently Rockets is up 3-1 over Arsenal.

[Conrad.]

BEES

add me as a Blacksmiths and Arsenal vote.

[JMurr]

Montgomery, Alabama (Alabama’s second largest and capital city)

Three possibilities exist for Montgomery. They are; Montgomery Capitals (Hockey), Montgomery Cotton (Baseball), Montgomery Lightening (Arena Football).

Montgomery Capitals

Montgomery has a long history of being a capital city. From its inception the founders of the city set part a piece of land to build a state capital building on it. Since that time Montgomery would not only earn the distinction as Alabama’s state capital it would also be the first capital city of the Confederate States of America. I realize that to some this distinction as the capital of the Confederacy might not be something to be proud of, but none the less it is part of the city’s history. I see this team as being a hockey team and would use a hill with a capital domed building on it as the base for a logo.

Montgomery Cotton

Defiantly a team concept and logo that will only work for a baseball team. Cotton production is one of the most pronounced industries in southern states. This holds true for Alabama and Montgomery specifically. This concept would feature a puff of cotton over a baseball diamond logo.

Montgomery Lightening

Montgomery was one of the first major cities in the United States to develop public transportation. In 1886 the city was the first to build an electric street car system. A nickname for this system was the “Lightening Route”. Thus the Lightening name. In a stretch honoring Montgomery’s public transportation is also a node to the Civil Rights Movement. It was in Montgomery that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus. I know this doesn’t quite fit the concept for the team but I think maybe something to honor Rosa Parks could be done as a secondary. As far as a sport goes I am thinking arena football for this. Not sure yet what the logo would be, something like a street car with a lightning bolt going through it.

[JMurr]

Okay I am going to shut down voting on Huntsville, Alabama as well. So as of right now the only city open for voting is Montgomery. Mobile will be up shortly. I am also still working on the Birmingham Blacksmiths concept.

So the vote count for Huntsville;

Generals (0 votes)

Buttercreams or similar (1 vote): JMurr

Arsenal (2 votes): WarriorFight, Conrad

Rockets (3 votes): kevsim1, EvilG, jaxon#08

So the winner is Rockets, a hockey team.