Logos are everywhere in today’s world, and many of us respond to them without even thinking about it. See a big sweeping tick? Think sportswear. Large golden arches? We can smell the nuggets already. A certain iconic fruit with a bite mark? Yes, we know where your mind has gone…
Logos have a huge role to play in today’s society, and you’re likely already familiar with some of the top food logos in the USA, but what about when it comes to sports? Well, they’re huge too – and the more fans get invested, the truer that becomes. Sure, we all know the big-name logos like McDonalds, Nike, etc., but the smaller ones? How powerful are they in terms of brand recognition?
The simple answer… pretty powerful. Sports fans everywhere respond to their team’s logos and even buy up merchandise with them on, and we’d bet that you can picture at least 3 logos, even if you’re not sports-mad… right? So, let’s take a look at some famous sporting logos and check out why they’re so fundamental to the teams that use them.
Chicago Bulls
What’s the iconic Bulls’ logo? It’s not a hard one to guess… but that image is still worth a lot of money and carries a significant amount of value for players and fans alike. Ferocious, eye-catching, and overly dramatic, the bull is a clear icon for this team. Who wants to go up against a logo that’s got that kind of look? Talk about a great way to make a statement and leave people in no doubt as to who’s playing. You don’t really even need that name at the top.
That’s one of the reasons that the Bulls enjoy such excellent brand recognition both on and off the court. Their logo is immediately recognizable as belonging to them, no doubts or confusion. And if you’ve followed any basketball lately, you’ll know that the Bulls are doing pretty great at the moment, and if you check out the NBA lines, you’re likely to see the odds tilting in their favor if that trend continues.
Toronto Raptors
Also tapping into that color scheme of bold red and black, we’ve got another basketball team. The Raptors’ logo is perhaps less representative of their name, but it’s still got instant recognition. A clever combination of a basketball to acknowledge the sport and claw marks to acknowledge the “raptor” aspect, this is a logo with style, and it’s not hard to see why the team would be proud of it. Simple, effective, and again an aggressive statement of their ferocity. Again, the name is somewhat superfluous because most of us know this image, even if we aren’t fans of the team!
Arsenal
Iconic both in the UK and on the international stage, the Arsenal logo is recognizable at a glance. We’ve got a classic shield shape, a bold splash of red with a classic outline of blue, and then – what else? – a bronzed cannon! This logo means business on the field, and there’s no questioning that the team is proud of it. Crisp white outlines add to its appeal and recognition.
Charlotte Hornets
Back on the fierce animals’ track and back to basketball – we’ve got the Hornets. And interestingly, we again see the blue theme going on, this time accented by teal, despite the fact that a lot of people think yellow and black when it comes to hornets. This logo is a lot simpler than some of their previous designs and the muted palette is complemented by sharp, business-like lines. It’s certainly got the mean expression down perfectly – nobody’s going to want to face up to them on the court. That pinpoint precision of the stinger puts us perfectly in mind of the precision needed on the court, although it is notable that the Hornets need a bit more work on their actual on-court strategy.
San Jose Sharks
Next, we’re moving to look at hockey, and we’ve got an incredible logo from the San Jose Sharks. Goodbye hockey stick: you’ve just been eaten by an exceptionally fierce-looking shark. Here, we see the same blue and black colors being used to create an ominous and aggressive vibe, with sleek and sharp lines showing that this shark means business. The broken hockey stick builds the memorability – this team is here to win, whatever it takes. There’s no doubting who is behind this one!
Toronto Maple Leafs
Last but very certainly not least, the classic Toronto Maple Leaf – you guessed it, a leaf. But it’s not just any leaf; the serrated edges draw the eye in to the text, and the clean white and blue are very attractive. In both its blockier iterations and the fancier versions, this is a logo that seems confident, without any need for growling animals or fiery hues.
