Excuse us as we take a short break from our extensive intermittent World Cup coverage here at the uncomfortably odd environs of MFUSA to discuss a kerfuffle in the world of American soccer club logos.


It seems the soccer-obsessed denizens of the lovely city of Portland (I've never been myself, but I hear it's beautiful) are none too happy about the snazzy new logo their team has adopted for their entry into Major League Soccer next season. When Pitch Invasion is highlighting the issue, you know it's moved beyond the "grousing" stage.


And let me say, fair friends of Oregon, I'm with you. The thing is fairly hideous, what with its slick shading and fighter jet-inspired lines. Is this a soccer club or an airline for lumberjacks? The look screams "minor league", and not in a campy look-at-us-we-don't-take-ourselves-too-seriously way, but in a we're-modern-and-hip-and-soccer-is-uber-cool way. The first approach isn't fit for an MLS team unless you're the Red Bulls (oops) and the second approach falls flatter than most of Keith's tired Robert Green jokes (sorry Keith). All it really says to to the existing fan base in Portland is "The old way isn't good enough."


I'd imagine that's a tough pill to swallow for some of the most committed soccer fans in the country, fans that have filled a rickety baseball stadium week in and week out to watch their second division team play the likes of the Syracuse Salty Dogs and Richmond Kickers (no offense, Kickers fans) for the past ten years. Never mind the heady NASL days of the late 70's and early 80's, when Portland soccer was first big time and the city hosted Pele and the Soccer Bowl.


Throwing out the past, even for something as seemingly innocuous as a logo, is a dangerous proposition. You'd better get it right, or the dogs will have no compunction about attacking en masse; remember the ill-fated San Francisco 49ers logo redesign of the early 90's? It didn't go over so well, and the team smartly listened to irate fans and dropped the change post haste. I'm not sure the Timbers organization would turn back at this point, but if a large portion of your fans are voicing their disgust, the prudent thing might be a slight tweak.


The Whitecaps got it right, with a simple, clean, and aesthetically pleasing logo that isn't over-the-top or outrageously stylistic. The Timbers simply went a step too far, incorporating too much flash in their design. K.I.S.S. is the applicable bit of acronym wisdom, I believe.


Luckily, I'm here to help. Mr. Paulson and associates, if you're reading, perhaps you'd be kind enough to take my suggestion for your MLS logo, one I think you'll like:



Bottom line, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

*Update*

Adding the compromise logo Jonk brings up below. This isn't terrible.

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