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The "Genericizing" of NFL Wordmarks


rmackman

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I've posted this before, but here's a NFL wordmarks graphic from 1972:

1972NFLTeamTypefaces.jpg

Was 1972 the first year of the wordmarks? The Chargers used their mark with the goalpost H throughout their AFL days.
I've never seen those Jets, Steelers, or Chiefs wordmarks before. Definitely interesting. Feel like I learned something today.

 

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While I want the eagles to change their uniforms, the one thing I don't want is them going to some generic looking wordmark.

Also there is no good reason at all that the 49ers ditched this, looks so nice at the endzone this season for candlesticks final season.

1008.gif

Lions also botched this a few years back although not as bad as some other teams recently

old:

475.gif

New:

Detroit_Lions_new_wordmark.png

I actually like these teams' respective current marks better than their previous ones.

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I think it's just following the trend of branding and design in general lately. Things are becoming much more streamlined and basic. Just look at the "flat" design of the new iOS7.

Pretty much this. Of the four major pro sports leagues, the NFL seemingly has more minimalist and streamlined team brands. Going with simpler, flat wordmarks not only follows the current trend, but it fits in with the general direction that the NFL has been heading, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Especially considering that some of these flat wordmarks at least still have character to them. The new Panthers one is a huge improvement over the mistral font they used before. The new Jags one is better looking too, even if the primary logo is generic.

mTBXgML.png

PotD: 24/08/2017

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I liked when the Lions just used Copperplate in the endzones. Yeah, I know, Copperplate, but it was nice and easy to read, and seemed to fit well.

♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫

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I liked when the Lions just used Copperplate in the endzones. Yeah, I know, Copperplate, but it was nice and easy to read, and seemed to fit well.

Slight off topic here, but the Lions need to get some Honolulu blue paint for the field. Since they moved into Ford Field, they have been using royal blue paint for the logo and wordmarks, and it always bothers me (along with their too-dark helmet decals). Also, fix the issue with the smaller, offset "Detroit" they tacked onto the wordmark this year.

I was staring at this wordmark, and thinking about how terrible it looks... Then I realized, it sort of looked like shape of a jaguar.

leaping-jaguar.jpg

Coincidence? Maybe. But I suppose it's possible that that is what they were going for.

D'awww. Cute wittle guy. Just like a kitty cat.

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I can't readily find it, but the old Buccaneers script was so much better than the one they have now. I still can't believe we as a board said they have the best identity in the league. Too whimsical!

It sounds silly, but the Browns going to a plain old varsity-serif wordmark was a great move. It works so much better for their aesthetic than Optima did. That's one of my most hated fonts. Every terrible self-help/Franklin-Covey sort of bullcrap book from the 1980s was set in Optima.

♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫

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I liked when the Lions just used Copperplate in the endzones. Yeah, I know, Copperplate, but it was nice and easy to read, and seemed to fit well.

Slight off topic here, but the Lions need to get some Honolulu blue paint for the field. Since they moved into Ford Field, they have been using royal blue paint for the logo and wordmarks, and it always bothers me (along with their too-dark helmet decals). Also, fix the issue with the smaller, offset "Detroit" they tacked onto the wordmark this year.

I was staring at this wordmark, and thinking about how terrible it looks... Then I realized, it sort of looked like shape of a jaguar.

leaping-jaguar.jpg

Coincidence? Maybe. But I suppose it's possible that that is what they were going for.

D'awww. Cute wittle guy. Just like a kitty cat.

Kitty not so nice in 3...2...1...

article-2016812-0D1787B900000578-863_634

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be eaten. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you'd better be running." - Unknown | 🌐 Check out my articles on jerseys at Bacon Sports 🔗
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redskins_wordmark.gif

I think Washington still has nice unique wordmark. One of the best in the league.

It does fit the team's identity well, unlike most of the generic MS Word fonts most teams use to try to look "modern".

87Redskins.png
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I think it's just following the trend of branding and design in general lately. Things are becoming much more streamlined and basic. Just look at the "flat" design of the new iOS7.

Pretty much this. Of the four major pro sports leagues, the NFL seemingly has more minimalist and streamlined team brands. Going with simpler, flat wordmarks not only follows the current trend, but it fits in with the general direction that the NFL has been heading, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Especially considering that some of these flat wordmarks at least still have character to them. The new Panthers one is a huge improvement over the mistral font they used before. The new Jags one is better looking too, even if the primary logo is generic.

I've read somewhere that the minimalist trend came about because of the recession and the bad US economy - the idea being that anything more than the basics would smack of wealthy excess and alienate consumers who are going through hard times.

This trend seems to have hit the NHL too, though it's taken a different form - there, some teams have simplified the letters/numbers on their jerseys, either going back to basic block styles (like the new Wild whites) or losing the trim (like both new Dallas Stars jerseys).

CCSLC signature.png

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I think it's just following the trend of branding and design in general lately. Things are becoming much more streamlined and basic. Just look at the "flat" design of the new iOS7.

Pretty much this. Of the four major pro sports leagues, the NFL seemingly has more minimalist and streamlined team brands. Going with simpler, flat wordmarks not only follows the current trend, but it fits in with the general direction that the NFL has been heading, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Especially considering that some of these flat wordmarks at least still have character to them. The new Panthers one is a huge improvement over the mistral font they used before. The new Jags one is better looking too, even if the primary logo is generic.

I've read somewhere that the minimalist trend came about because of the recession and the bad US economy - the idea being that anything more than the basics would smack of wealthy excess and alienate consumers who are going through hard times.

This trend seems to have hit the NHL too, though it's taken a different form - there, some teams have simplified the letters/numbers on their jerseys, either going back to basic block styles (like the new Wild whites) or losing the trim (like both new Dallas Stars jerseys).

Well Great Value (walmarts knockoff brand) went super generic and plain, which was apparently a move to distance themselves from name brands and to purposely look cheap. But name brands didn't necessarily follow the minimalist trend. A lot of brands have simplified but I think that was just another step in their brands evolving. I'm not sure the recession had to do with flat minimalist design becoming a trend.

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I've read somewhere that the minimalist trend came about because of the recession and the bad US economy - the idea being that anything more than the basics would smack of wealthy excess and alienate consumers who are going through hard times.

This trend seems to have hit the NHL too, though it's taken a different form - there, some teams have simplified the letters/numbers on their jerseys, either going back to basic block styles (like the new Wild whites) or losing the trim (like both new Dallas Stars jerseys).

I believe that's overthinking it. A lot. We certainly don't have any particular aversion to images of wealth or luxury in this country, even in this recession.

Seems more likely to me that teams are simplifying numbers because retro looks are popular. Not to mention that simplified numbers are easier to read on televisions, computer monitors and mobile devices, which are increasingly used to watch the games.

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