Few things are more important to a team’s identity than its logo. There are many great looking logos out there, from professional teams to minor league teams.
As the Scout’s Sports Staff continues its “staff picks” series, this week will feature the staff’s favorite logos.
Cameron Irwin – Contributor: Jacksonville Jaguars
Upon introduction to the NFL in 1995 until 2001, the gold and teal growling Jacksonville Jaguar was the most ferocious of all NFL logos. The angled head implied the pouncing attack of the jungle cat and the bared teeth showed its aggression when provoked.
Though a bottom dweller in the recent years, Jacksonville made the playoffs four times in their first five years as a franchise. Putting aside similarities to the logo of the Carolina Panthers – also introduced to the league in 1995 – the color scheme and spotted details make it one of the best logos the NFL has ever seen.
Joey Wright – Deputy Sports Section Commissioner: Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames have the best logo in North American professional sports and I cannot be convinced otherwise. With a name like “Flames,” what more do you need to convey your identity than the first letter of your city set ablaze?
The logo is simply designed: an italicized flaming “C” with a simple and effective color scheme of red, yellow and black. The logo is skewed such that it appears to be charging into battle.
It has been used since the team moved from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980 – and on a cool note, the original Atlanta Flames logo is also used on the team’s jerseys to designate alternate captains.
Larry Larson – Chief Sports Section Commissioner: Rocket City Trash Pandas
If you’re looking for fun team names and logos, look no further than Minor League Baseball. From the Rocky Mountain Vibes to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, there is creativity in every league across the MiLB system. While many logos are beautifully goofy in their own right, none are more out-of-this-world than the Rocket City Trash Pandas of Huntsville, Alabama.
The Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels is represented by a mischievously grinning raccoon being launched in a trash can fashioned as a rocket. Yes, it is as outrageous as it sounds.
The “Rocket City” title pays homage to North Alabama’s association with NASA, hence the trash can rocket. “Trash Pandas” – a nickname for a raccoon derived from Twitter – won the “name the team” contest. The logo does a masterful job of tying the two elements together.
Jonathan Michel – Contributor: New Mexico Lobos
Taking a dive into the Mountain West Conference, my favorite logo is the New Mexico Lobos primary logo. For clarification, a lobo is a southwestern U.S. term for a timber wolf. In my opinion, the best sports logos are ones that show ferocity and strike fear into opponents.
The Lobos logo fits that impeccably, as the wolf glares into your eyes and gnashes his teeth. The Lobos wordmark on top of the wolf provides a certain regional aura, a word native to the New Mexico territory.
The classic colorway of red, silver and black adds an aggressive flavor to finish it off.
Hernan Gutierrez – Sports Reporter: Real Madrid C.F.
Much like a club’s jersey pays homage to its roots, its logo needs to do the same. Arguably the most recognizable sports team in the world, Real Madrid has a logo that not only pays homage, but is also fit for the kings of Spanish soccer.
The logo itself is simple, with the Club’s initials engraved in the center. Atop its initials is a crown, a reference to the fact that Spanish king Alfonso XII bestowed the club as royalty.
Los Blancos have set themselves apart on the pitch year after year, and their logo recognizes that.
