Why Sports Logos Are So ImportantBrooklyn is bold enough on its own; the marketing minds behind the rebooted Nets NBA franchise didn’t want loud colors and boisterous designs to send a message. Instead, with the design help of team minority owner and pop culture icon Jay-Z, the Brooklyn Nets — freshly relocated from New Jersey — created the the league’s only all black-and-white color scheme. Just because you see a san-serif font void of flashy colors, however, doesn’t mean the team didn’t dedicate itself to creating a culture-defining look to pay homage to Brooklyn fans. The logo includes ties to the team’s visual past with a shield, basketball and retention of the Nets nickname, and ties to Brooklyn’s personal identity by basing the color scheme and simplicity off the 1957 New York Subway system signage, the last year Brooklyn housed a professional franchise.

“We wanted to have something that would have a long shelf life,” Fred Mangione, Brooklyn’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, tells TIME. “We wanted it to be simplistic, but be something that would resonate through the times. The whole background came through going into the borough and going off the subway system and an urban feel look.”

Read more: http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2012/10/18/why-sports-logos-are-so-important/#ixzz2DZXlnCLR

Brooklyn Nets (New)

New Jersey Nets (Old)

Miami Marlins (New)

Florida Marlins (Old)

NHL Hockey- Winnipeg Jets (NEW- Formerly the Atlanta Thrashers)

NHL Hockey- Winnipeg Jets (OLD- from 1970’s)

NHL Hockey- Tampa Lightning (NEW)

NHL Hockey- Tampa Lightning (Previous)

MLB Baseball- San Diego Padres (NEW)

MLB Baseball- San Diego Padres (Previous)

NHL Hockey- Los Angeles Kings (NEW)

NHL Hockey- Los Angeles Kings (Previous)

NBA Basketball- Golden State Warriors

1962/63 - 1968/69

1971/72

1969/70 - 1970/71

NBA Basketball- Golden State Warriors

1972/73 - 1974/75

1988/89 - 1996/97

NBA Basketball- Golden State Warriors

2010/11 - Current

1997/98 - 2009/10

Discussion Questions:1. Why, based on information from this article, are logosimportant to professional sports teams?

2. What is a brand?

3. Are professional sports teams a brand? How so?

4. Have you ever purchased merchandise from a team that you don't necessarily support because you llke the team logo or colors?

5. What is rebranding? Why do you think teams like the Miami Marlins and Brooklyn Nets engage in rebranding efforts?