Have there been instances in the past where other team logos have changed over the years?

For the record, it looks better than I had first thought after seeing the ball leak. That said, it leaves a lot to be desired. It certainly should have something relevant to the name, and the fonts still bug me. It'll do for now, I suppose, and I trust that they'll develop it into something more appropriate with time. Oh, and also:
I'll have some words for anyone I see wearing it at OU games.

Have there been instances in the past where other team logos have changed over the years?

This upcoming season, the Hornets will have new unis and a slightly different color.
In the NFL and MLB, logo changes aren't as common as in the NBA, while not common, they do happen over time. For some examples, you can look at specific teams and their changes here:
NBA Logos - National Basketball Association Logos - Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net (http://www.sportslogos.net/league.php?id=6)

I don't know if this has been made a note of but on Sportscenter they showed teams whose names were 'weather related' and how they performed in their inaugural season. The Miami Heat in 1988-1989 finished the season a dismal 15-67!

TWENTY YEARS LATER EXACTLY.

Surely our team will do better!!

I hope to say this as much as I say 'Go Pokes'. GO THUNDER!!

Thunder is a powerful name. The strong logo defines that power. The brilliant colors identify that strength, and that power, of a Big League City, and a soon to be NBA powerhouse team. This trend-setting combination will soon be envied by NBA fans throughout the league.

Thunder is a powerful name. The strong logo defines that power. The brilliant colors identify that strength, and that power, of a Big League City, and a soon to be NBA powerhouse team. This trend-setting combination will soon be envied by NBA fans throughout the league.

Well said... Now pass the blunt.

For some reason it reminds me of 3D Danny.

Upon further research, I have come to the conclusion that our logo is not as bad as I think. It falls in about the middle of the pack:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/CuatrodeMayo/NBA_teamLogos.jpg

I must say I really dig Houston's logo when compared with the others.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (http://www.nba.com/thunder/)

It's back up!!!

.oO(do the colors remind anyone else of the local fox news set?)Oo.

Thunder turns out to be the perfect name all the same .... shoot, just listen to all the rumblin' that's goin' on.

There's Thunder on the horizon! Saddle up and ride Claybois, saddle up and ride!

Karried! Long time no see. At first, I wasn't taken back by the logo. But when I began to think about the colors and what they represent, I began to realize how much of an emphasis was put on Oklahoma symbolism. The sky blue background represents Oklahoma's big blue sky, the same color on the state flag of course. The orange and blue streaks symbolize Oklahoma's sunsets, something each Oklahoman holds near and dear to our heart, and something Oklahoma is secretly known for.

Go Oklahoma City Thunder!!!!

That's just the point, though, isn't it. I've worked around graphics folks my whole 15+ year career. If you have to EXPLAIN the logo to the public it's intended for, you haven't done your job. The logo should speak for itself. This one does not.

Please tell me how the colors and symbol relate to the name? They do not.

I think I can agree on that. I still would like some tie-in to weather - considering we have a weather-related name, it doesn't seem too much to ask - but overall I can learn to like the design. That is, if they get rid of that bland lettering. It really does completely drag down the entire piece.I am with you C O. They really should consider having the 18th St. Lobos re-design their logo lettering for them. Those brothers turnout some badass script.

Rule number 1: If you're going to name the team the OKC Thunder or anything with the city name in front of the team name, then your logo should freakin' read the same way! So the first screw up is the fact that they put Thunder on top of the logo. Every other professional sports franchise has gotten this right. Not the Thunder OKC.

This logo was a failure based on that point alone.


Rule number 2: As someone already pointed out, if you have to spell out every detail of the symbolism, you've failed to do your job. The Thunder OKC logo referenced two other characteristics of Oklahoma weather (Sunsets and Blue Skies), without even referencing the phenomenon after which the team is named; the Thunder!

Keep the blue from the Oklahoma Flag...get rid of the red dirt, the orange and the yellow and grab some silver, gold, black and white and get OKC a real logo!

http://www.koco.com/2008/0903/17384281_80X60.jpg


http://www.hereward-uk.com/images/products/doritos-full-colour-logo.jpg

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (http://www.nba.com/thunder/)

It's back up!!!
ESPN's site was quick to change: ESPN - Oklahoma City Thunder News, Schedule, Players, Stats, Video - NBA (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=okc)

At Sports Illustrated, we're still the Seattle SuperSonics: Oklahoma City SuperSonics News, Schedule, Photos, Stats, Players, NBA Basketball - SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/teams/supersonics/)

i just hope the away jerseys are not orange. how awful would that be? or red.

http://www.koco.com/2008/0903/17384281_80X60.jpg


http://www.hereward-uk.com/images/products/doritos-full-colour-logo.jpg

The more I look at it, quite honestly, it almost has a 60s-era sci-fi vibe, like the Jetsons or Star Trek. The dorito reference is classic, though.

Excellent pictures Doug. Thanks for posting those.

Wait until you taste a Thunder shot. mmmm. I'm sold on those.

Someone had the perfect saying last night, they said our logo was very centennial and I could agree with that. Looking at all the logos together, I agree that it sits in the middle. It's not the best but it's not the worst in my opinion either. I do think that some of the designs coming off it for future merch is fantastic and I think you guys will be happier as well.

I think it sits toward the bottom witht he only obviously worse ones being the T-Wolves (at least it has a wolf and a forest) and the Wizards (they cut their own legs out by naming themselves the wizards anyway).

YouTube - A Nerd Reacts to the New Name of the Oklahoma City NBA Team (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYyKKJp1aNU)

After watching the clips of the announcement...P J needs help..Clay, get him lasik (either take the glasses off or wear some decent ones up where they belong)..and a makeover wouldn't hurt...and work on that voice...geeze! Oh, and Clay you look fine for now.
p.s. who were the kids?

Everyone needs to chill!!!

This is a new team, reborn, give them the time to grow!!!

Embrace the team, stop being paranoid and vomiting over the logo and colors!!!

The more this team plays, their identity will develop. There will be changes along the way. Ya all just need to start behaving and support the team.

Wasn't the mascot announced? If not, then they are still sorting it all out. At least we got something for now in time for the season. If they are still discussing on the mascot, then chances are they are still discussing the colors, theme, and logo to match up with the mascot.

If ya'all gonna keep on complaining, we're gonna lose the team!

I will say that the logo is kind of weak. It's like they designed it before they knew the team name or anything about OKC, so they just stuck "THUNDER" on top of it at the last minute. I'm fine with the colors-- the shades of blue and orange compliment each other nicely --the logo itself is just...generic. It doesn't really symbolize anything.

In light of this, I hate to think what people in other states are saying about Oklahoma right now, heh.

Wow, I would have expected better from such an international firm such as locally HQ Ackerman-McQueen. Someone needs to prepare speeches for him as he's obviously not a great public speaker.


The Oklahoma City team worked with the Ackerman-McQueen agency and the NBA to develop the logo.

“We are thrilled with the creative design,” Bennett said.

“It's hard to keep a secret, but we are proud of this,” Bennett told the crowd inside Leadership Square.

Bennett was a “little disappointed” the logo's image leaked out last weekend but said that was part of the adventure. (why didn't you at least take advantage of this opportunity??)I’m surprised there were that many people here,” Bennett said after the program. “It’s great they want to be a part of this.”
“I thought it was great fun. Maybe I have a warped sense of things,” Bennett said. “I thought it was a lot of fun. I was disappointed in the image being released.”

That left Bennett somewhat surprised that hundreds of people still showed up in the atrium of Leadership Square, watched from their office windows or leaned over a second-floor walkway to hear it for sure.

“There’s just all kinds of good thunder images and thoughts, and the in-game experience of Thunder,” Bennett said. “Just here was a good sense of how that evokes emotion. It’s very powerful.”

(what does this mean and how does that reflect Thunder in the logo)

Desmond Mason's true thoughts without saying them? (of course he has to be positive since he's on the payroll and trying to establish a brand, but this isn't saying much since everyone knows the Jazz, Magic, etc. are the least liked logos in the league).

“It’s very unique,” said Mason, a former Oklahoma State forward who the Thunder acquired in an offseason trade with Milwaukee. “It’s going to take some time getting used to, just like Utah Jazz or Orlando Magic, but I think it’s a great thing for the state and a great thing for the city.”

“My family talked about wanting to come down, and I said, `Well, I don’t think it’s that big a deal. Everybody seems to know the name already,”’ Bennett said.

I hate the Thunder font, but I still bought a black hat yesterday for the hell of it. I was so agitated with the THUNDER font that I actually painstakingly took off the Thunder and left the logo. I think they did a decent job with the logo. PBC took a serious risk by inserting OKC. It reminds me of the KC Chiefs logo or even the NY yankees logo where the main emphasis is KC or NY and not the name of the team. This seems like something for the long haul, where they will eventually drown out the nickname and replace it with OKC.

The Phoenx Suns hav PHX on their logo.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b129/SoonerDustin/okcthunderlogo.jpg

I think everyone needs to take a step back and remember whats important.

1. Better to have an NBA team, then not to have an NBA team.

2. There are better logo's, and there are worse. At least we have OKC in it.

3. As the team grows and takes on its own personalty, the opinions will change as to what the logo should represent. A generic logo gives us that chance to develop.

4. Who cares what every one else thinks. We spend way to much time worrying about what every one else is saying. Action speaks louder then words.

Problem is we just don't have anything else to talk about, and we have way to many back biters. We've got all this crap out of the way, like it or not we have a team name and a logo, complaining about them will not change them.

So lets start talking about basketball....and ....football. Go Sooners....Go Polks......Go Thunder....

So what your saying is that we should support the team in spite of the logo and colors?

Thats an excellent marketing point.

Me, I would rather have it both ways. Where we have a team we support, and a logo that inspires people to support the team as well.

This logo and color scheme will definately not pull in the masses that was not initially a supporter.

Definitely a "shield" theme going on. Mods please feel free to resize the images to a consistent size if you wish.

http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/images/USTA_logo_small.gifhttp://www.herewarduk.com/images/products/doritos-full-colour-logo.jpg http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0903/nba_thunder1_300.jpghttp://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/16/1152/full/5353.gifhttp://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/16/309/full/1583.gif

I don't like the lettering for Thunder on the logo, but the fact is there are other logos in the NBA that I consider worse then this one. Rarely do we get things both ways.

We just need to wait to see what the uniforms look like, that is what will draw people, and the product on the court.

For my part I like the colors, so far, and I like having OKC in the logo, logo looks kinda like an arrowhead. I can live with this.

For those that haven't seen it yet, it does look quite a bit better on the merch, esp with navy blue background.

why don't know body never start discussions in the right discussion threads?

I won't disagree that the logo could have been better, but I have to say I find it somewhat appealing, yet I do have a few major issues with it. First, the wordmark is terribly disproportionate in size to the graphic. Second, if the red-orange represents the Oklahoma soil and the blue represents the blue sky, then why is the blue on the bottom and the red-orange on top? Third, the unbalanced position of the shield's interior within the blue border makes little sense and is a bit distracting.

On the positive side, I'm thrilled that "OKC" is taking a prominent role in the logo. Overall, I think the logo gives off a retro, space-age vibe which I happen to be a big fan of. Any variation on the lightning bolt theme would have been trite and cliche, not to mention difficult to execute without the inevitable comparisons against the San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Lightning. To be candid, I have to wonder whether this logo may have originally been concepted for the "Wind" team name.

All in all, not a home run (or buzzer beating, game winning 3) but still a decent logo. I've ordered a short sleeve and a long sleeve T to celebrate and can't wait to wear them around St. Louis as I root on the Thunder from afar.

i just hope the away jerseys are not orange. how awful would that be? or red.

I'd put the odds on away unis being Strong Blue (as the lighter shade of blue was tagged on merchandise). Home white, of course, and possibly the yellow as an alt.

I would hope blue for home, and black for away. The logo on black does look pretty cool.

The logo is really boring. I don't understand it at all. I'm just really confused as to what the person who designed it was thinking. Lazy or what? Let's just take the colors from the flag and some dirt and wham! Team logo. And we got to put thunder on it. Come on man. It's lame and I think everyone knows it. Even the ones' who say they do. I can't blame anyone for trying to make this positive but lets just be real for a moment. It's horrible and embarresing. Looks like they didn't even try. We need to worry about what people think too. I'm so sick of people talking down on us because this state can't seem to get with the times. Clay had our hopes up with this and let us down. I just hope he reads these comments and wants to fix it because I really am greatful that we have this opportunity but why not make the most of it. We can't sell ourselves short on this.

If you all haven't read the horrible reviews and laughing stock articles about the logo on Yahoo, ESPN, Page 2, etc. Then check out the logo's they are posting on these internationally hot websites:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m216/dgates01/WHIMPER3.jpg

http://www.glitschka.com/upload/thunder.jpg

I wish it didn't come down to this really, why couldn't have Clay and Ackerman have used a focus group. Again, ad agencies aren't good designers and good designers aren't good advertisers.

LOL... I saw those...

Unfortunately, the KFC one is pretty funny...

*sigh* I'm trying sooooooo effing hard to be positive.

...lets just be real for a moment. It's horrible and embarresing. Looks like they didn't even try. We need to worry about what people think too. I'm so sick of people talking down on us because this state can't seem to get with the times.

If you want to get real, then here's some reality: Okies talk themselves down as much or more than other states do. We ARE with the times. That's why we're picking up a professional team while Seattle is losing one. It's why Oklahoma has done pretty well with energy prices and housing values while much of the rest of the country is tanking. We're moving in the right direction on many fronts. It's our attitude that needs work.

Ah, ignore them. Imagine how much fun they had with the Wizards logo, and I'm sure that died down. There are always people who look for any opportunity to criticize, but they'll move on to something else when they get bored.

I think Clay had his hands tied by a clause in the lawsuit settlement which allowed Seattlites to design the logo.............Seriously though I think it's just poor taste in the ownership group.

I like the graphics and colors in these submissions................

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk92/gandjdunlap/THUNDERGRAPHIC-1.jpg
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk92/gandjdunlap/OKCKNIGHTSLOGO.jpg
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk92/gandjdunlap/OKCKNIGHTS-2.jpg

I understand people's disappointment, but in the end, this is about basketball. We have a team. Three and a half years ago I thought we'd never have a team. Orlando got stuck with Magic as a name, Washington has the Wizards, Utah has the Jazz, and so forth. They've all gotten past what must have been disappointments in the name and are supporting their team. I think it's probably time to do the same. There will almost assuredly be new logos forthcoming, as well as new uniforms and new fonts....happens all the time in the NBA. This may end up being a secondary logo. Bottom line: OKC is one of only 30 cities lucky enough to have professional basketball, and that's a pretty amazing thing. Look how far we have come.

I do love the fact that we've got a team...and the name thunder is growing on me, really. Still, I can't help but think of how cool this would've been.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x58/CelticBalla32/Barons.jpg

If you all haven't read the horrible reviews and laughing stock articles about the logo on Yahoo, ESPN, Page 2, etc. Then check out the logo's they are posting on these internationally hot websites:

It's time to stop being so sensitive. We are Oklahoma City. They HATED that we "stole" the team from a "better" city. Of course they were going to make fun of us, no matter what name and logo we chose. There will always be some way to spin it as lame or parody it or whatever. Just look at that GODAWFUL gallery of submissions to the UniWatch contest. Nobody took it seriously except a few that were local and posted here as well.

Shouldnt this be in the Oklahoma City Thunder forum?

Shouldnt this be in the Oklahoma City Thunder forum?

metro???

;)

No they don't. I'm a soldier in the us. army in new york and if you ask anyone about me then they know i'm ALL ABOUT OKLAHOMA. No matter what, even when it comes to those stupid stereotypical cowboy jokes. I represent for mine. I'm not a stupid red neck conservative like most of the state. I love the people I grew up with and used to live around because none of them fit those stereotypes. That's why believe Oklahoma needs to stop being so...."bible beltish". If that makes any sense. I love my city but gosh! Come on! I represent for real but it's the other people from other states that make fun of us. Believe me. My friends from places like...Texas, New York, Arizona, Cali, and even Iowa! Have made fun of this crap. It could stop here if we would just make better decisions. How hard is it to think of a name and logo that is not GAY? Not hard at all. All of us here surely thought of something better than that. Bison or Barons would have been really cool and had a cool logo.

metro???

;)
Must be a inside joke?

How hard is it to think of a name and logo that is not GAY? Not hard at all. All of us here surely thought of something better than that. Bison or Barons would have been really cool and had a cool logo.

So thunder is "bible-beltish" and "backwards" and "hick" but bison would not be? And if we had gone with Barons, do you not think that the rest of the country would be having a field day with the whole Robber Barons thing?

I'm beginning to think no matter what it turned out to be, everybody would have complained.

Yep.

It is much easier to criticize those who do and their deeds, than to be a doer and to create. That is why there are so many critics.

So thunder is "bible-beltish" and "backwards" and "hick" but bison would not be? And if we had gone with Barons, do you not think that the rest of the country would be having a field day with the whole Robber Barons thing?

No it's not. Maybe I'm getting off on another subject by accident. Sorry. I'm just a little frustrated. I think that at least you could have a logo with Bison or Barons. Thunder sounds good but what can you do with it? More creativity would've been nice. That's all. All in all I'm happy we have a team but we could've done so much bettter and I think everyone can agree on that.

...but we could've done so much bettter and I think everyone can agree on that.

No, not everyone.

Not even close to everyone! I wouldn't want a complex logo that would fit in better in a comic book. This one is clean and professional looking.

This one is clean and professional looking.

Good description. Again, I'm not defending it as being excellent. It is very generic and average, but it's not the worst in sports, backward, hick, utter failure or any of the other hyperbole.

Well.....i guess not. LOL.

Okay, so I'm just now finally getting up SOME of my pics I took at the press conference last week. These are from my iPhone, I'll post the ones from my camera later. Enjoy!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2837643165_6e7e00a68f.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/2838476054_95002b3d61.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/2838475126_e339180b5a.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/2837639357_f1b38d8fb3.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2837638353_ca4512af17.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2838471338_9a376b4bfa.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2837636573_f97142eb5c.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3220/2837635485_b32f7fbb6c.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/2837634745_d6bcb017d0.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2837633907_ea52ff68a0.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2838466794_243c0a179c.jpg?v=0