Charlie Finley and the Swingin' A's

Sports Branding Society

#2. "What Good Sports Branding Is". Case Study #1.

The Swingin' A's.
contributed by Tom O'Grady.

White Spikes. Handbar mustaches. Charlie Finley. Alternate yellow vested jerseys. The Mule. REGGIE. Campy. Vida. Mudcat. Catfish. Rollie. Bando and on and on and on.

The 1972, '73 and '74 World Champion Oakland A's were the essence of colorful cool.

No shoe deals. No dri-fit anything. No excuses. No overpaid marketing guys making up empty "BillyBall" taglines. The A's just won and they won hard. Brawling in the lockerroom was a way to express their love and affection for winning. They had each other's back. Dissentation as a way to keep players on their toes. The beauty of it all.

The essence of the success of the Oakland A's baseball dynasty was rooted in mission at hand, be better than the other guys in every way.

Here's to the colorful early '70's Oakland A's and what they stood for. Props to you Dick Williams. Check out this great site on the visual history of the Philadelphia/KC/Oakland
Athletics.

http://www.whitecleats.org/photos/

I think the Oregon Ducks are this millennium's Charlie Finley's Oakland A's...

I have heard some negative press written about the Oregon Ducks uniforms? Sure, they're a bit unusual but let's face it, they get fans of the Ducks and non fans talking and I for one LOVE their designs. Good for Phil Knight and for the gang at Nike not to play it safe like so many other college and pro teams, Snooze.

Looking for other's thoughts on teams who looked cool while being successful?

Thank you-

Tom O'Grady
Founder + President
Sports Branding Society of America
ww.sportsbranding.org