Best Logos in All of Professional Sports

A while back I wrote a post on the worst logos in all of sports (US anyway). I haven't received any nastygrams from the sports clubs I ripped on, but a few designers wrote in and asked what my favorite logos were...and if I felt I was being fair to the designers who created the logos I slammed. 

While I still maintain that the logos I chose for this dubious honor are still fricken bad, I wanted to add in fairness that just because the logo came out poorly doesn't mean the designer that created it isn't talented. And of course you never know when the heck corporate executives are going to stick their greedy little hands in the creative pie and start making decisions that they have no business making. I know clients can sometimes bully their way into the creative process and ruin an otherwise good logo. Anyway, this entry's about the better logos out there (I'll provide the link to the crappy ones at the end).

Fair warning, I am a bit of a homer when it comes to these logos (many of you who know me will recognize that these are many of my favorite teams). Hey, at least I am honest about it - there's no way in hell I would have picked the Dallas Cowboy star for this list :)

1. Cleveland Cavaliers:
Well it was nice to see the Cavs go from that hideous 80's logo with the ball smashing the net to this new look. The colors are bright but not clowish, and I like how they worked the rapier into the logo (which is a throwback to their really old maroon and yellow logo).

2. Phoenix Coyotes:
Sure the club went bankrupt...and they suck, but that doesn't stop them from looking good on the ice. Check out their transformation from the weird kachina Spuds Macinzy dog to the bolder, more simplistic color palette look. Nice job in reducing the color palette from like 8 PMS colors down to 3 - that was a good move - taking the team out of Phoenix and moving them to Glendale...well considering the team filed for bankruptcy, this might not have been a smart idea. 

3. Pittsburgh Steelers:
My favorite team in all of sports. The Steelers logo's been this way ever since I was born. I've always loved the color palette. The logo is a symbol of steel but it's more than that, it's a symbol of hard work and toughness that runs deep through the people in western PA. Unlike any of the other logos on here, this one symbolizes an attitude of the players and the fans that wear it - almost like a badge of honor. I've never met another Steelers fan that would ever change anything about this logo.

4. Detroit Lions:
Ah the toothless Lions, lovable loser that always make one nationally televised game a year - the obligatory Thanksgiving Day game. Each year I cheer for the pitiful Lions and the unfortunate fans of Detroit to get a win, each year we're all disappointed. I am hoping this new look (new lion) they came out with in '09 will be the start of something more positive. The lion is now kind of standing up rather than lying down like a doormat - maybe that's a sign of good things. At least they don't have that old logo with the lion with a bag over its head.

5. Phoenix Suns:
I like how they incorporated the phoenix in the flames above the ball - very nice. But what's up with the gray color?!?! I can't understand why they'd use gray...even some of the uniforms have a lot of it on them. Guys, let's stick with the purple, red, orange and yellow. Orange and gray uniforms? Come on. By the way, I never disliked the old Suns logo either, a little dated but it was a nice look.

6. Colorado Avalanche:
Always liked the way the snow/avalanche wraps around the "A" with the puck in the lower right. Color scheme it pretty good but in all honesty I think this logo could use just a little polishing to make it outstanding. The circle in the back looks like it was just dumped there and while I like the puck in the lower right, it's a little tough to see.

7. Cleveland Indians:
I've liked this logo since I was a kid as well. Being out here now in AZ I am a little more sensitive towards Native Americans, but for the first 20 some years of my life I never thought this was making fun of a particular ethnicity. I like Chief Wahoo - he's awesome. If there are groups out there that are offended by the logo I feel badly for them, I don't believe it was ever meant to poke fun at anyone - and most Clevelander's cherish the logo like I do. With war, starvation animal cruelty and child abuse so prevalent in the world, perhaps the "PC" police might use their time more constructively filing furious lawsuits and wasting tax payer money.

What do you guys think? Did I pick some good ones or am I completely crazy?
Whether you like what I have or think I am an idiot, let me hear from you, and feel free to share or retweet this.

PS - here was the link to the Worst Logos in All of US Sports.

PPS - Just wanted to thank my friend Chris for taking a moment to write a review about BASAS on Amazon.com. I hooked him up with a free WSNH package, to which he replied, "That's nice of you, but you don't have to do that. I didn't do it for a freebie."

I replied, "I know you didn’t do this for a freebie, and I really appreciate you saying that. I’ve had a number of freelancers say they were going to write up a review because they really liked the book, but for one reason or another they just never got around to it. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to help me out, and while I know it wasn’t done for personal gain, I believe people should be rewarded for taking action. There’s a lesson here for freelancers – take care of those people/clients that take care of you." - thanks again Chris.

Comments

[Cindy]

I agree with most of what you've said, however, the Cardinals logo looks almost exactly like the Coyotes logo, so I'm not sure how you can have them on both your best and worst list. The shape, color, simplicity, they even both face to the right – actually, the Cardinals logo is even more simple/clean than the Coyotes logo. Admit it, you just don't like football (not that I'm a fan of sports).

[Jeremy Tuber]

Great comments Cindy, in all fairness, the Cardinals logo isn't horrific looking but it's a CARDINAL, which is neither fierce nor indigenous to Arizona. You're right, it's not all that bad looking, I just think they need to change the team name to reflect Phoenix. They tried to make the Cardinal look meaner but it's still a tiny red bird that any house cat could take down :)
Great comments!!!