Since 2007, the Minor League Baseball team Norfolk Tides has been known as a farm team of the Major League Baseball club the Baltimore Orioles. However, this was not the only partnership in the club’s history, which started back in 1961. As for the professional achievement of the Tides, they have won seven League Championships and gained two Class titles, which is not bad at all.
While the club’s roots go to 1961, it adopted its current name only in 1993. Initially, the team played under the name of the Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides, while its second name was Tidewater Tides (1963–1992). As for the Tides’ affiliations with the Major League Baseball clubs, there have been several too: for the first three seasons in the league, the team had two partnerships — with Kansas City A’s, and St. Louis Cardinals. After the unaffiliated 1963 season, the Tides became the farm club of the Chicago White Sox, and then — the Philadelphia Phillies. However, the longest collaboration in the team’s history started in 1969, with the New York Mets.
It was the Mets, in affiliation with whom the Tides have won five League titles, and four Division ones. This successful partnership was needed in 2006, with the new MLB affiliate, Baltimore Orioles, stepping in for the season of 2007.
In terms of visual identity, the Norfolk Tides history is not that intense at all. The club has only had one major logo redesign, which happened in 2016, making up a stylish and bright emblem, based on the lettering.
If you take a closer look, you will notice that the palette of the Norfolk Tides logo is more complex and nuanced than it seems from the first glance. There’re two shades of green, which add volume. Orange helps to create a contrast, while black and grey provide the finishing touch.