There are four sports that make up “The Big 4” in the United States. In no particular order, they are football, baseball, basketball and hockey. The NHL isn’t as widely covered on television and other media outlets, as compared to the other three. Last week, while hanging out at my local sports bar with some buddies, there was a hockey game on TV. Something about this game caught my attention. It was a glimpse of something I haven’t seen before, and it got my sports logo loving brain working! I noticed that the Florida Panthers had changed their logo. And man, it was beautiful! First, let’s talk a little bit about this Florida hockey team.
The Florida Panthers were founded in 1993, as an expansion team. After just three years in the league, they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Panthers ended up losing in four games, to the Colorado Avalanche. The immediate success was well received by Florida residents. With two hockey teams in the state, the Panthers helped shape Florida into the hockey-loving state that it is now.
In recent years, the Panthers have failed to find much success. They did make it to the playoffs last season, though they lost in the first round to the New York Islanders. The three seasons prior to that, the Panthers finished 5th, 7th and 6th, respectively. Looking to mix things up, the team started working on a new look. Prior to this season, the Florida Panthers unveiled their new logo. And it is AWESOME! Let’s look at the two images, and do what we at Awesome Sports Logos do best: compare!
The Panthers’ original logo is, without a doubt, ferocious. The image shows the big cat in a leaping motion, claws forward and mouth ready to consume the opposition. The coloring is simple, clean and consistent. There isn’t really anything that would immediately draw negativity to this logo, but when you get into the finer details, it’s missing a lot. There is no lettering to state the team’s name or home city/state. While the logo itself looks good, one can also tell that it’s dated. It was a fine image for the 90s, but we’re in the 21st Century now. They were due for an upgrade. And what better time to upgrade than when your team just had three back-to-back terrible seasons? Let’s see what the Florida Panthers came up with.
This new logo is one of my personal favorites in all of the National Hockey League. This new image is a clear upgrade, and one for the better. The Panthers went with an increasingly more popular shield look. It’s a traditional shield, in shape and features. It gives off the overall appearance of one of the well-respected soccer logos from overseas. It looks classy, modern and sleek. More importantly, it encompasses what the old logo was missing: lettering. You see “FLORIDA” clearly and plainly across the top of the shield, arching across the red background. I like the way the Panther itself is presented. This big cat still has the look of intensity in its eyes, but in a more honorable and sophisticated manner. The Panther is featured turned to its profile, looking ahead at what’s to come. The symbolism in that is intense, as the team moves on from its previous logo. They are ready to look ahead, and seek out success. Overall, I think the Florida Panthers did one heck of a job in creating their new look.
On the opposite coast, there’s another hockey team with one heck of a logo.
Oregon is one of the greenest states we have. Portland is one of the more eclectic cities in America, with a huge emphasis on the environment. Thus, the meanest hockey team in the northwest is born, the Portland Tree Huggers. I wouldn’t want to skate against this tree and if I did, I hope that it has more bark than bite. We think this Portland sports logo t-shirt will draw some attention when you wear this super soft, cool t-shirt around town. Get it today solo or add it to your list when you join our T-shirt of the Month Club.
We’d love to hear what some of your favorite sports logos are. Comment below, and tell us what team you think has an awesome look!
Posted in florida panthers by Gavin on 11/16/2016 at 9:21:30 pm.