Best Sports Branding Solution... Ever?

The NHL Expansion Branding of 1967. Simply beautiful.

While holiday shopping at the HawkQuarters (the official retail store of the Chicago Blackhawks) and a must visit if you're in Chicago (http://www.hawkquarters.com), I came across this fairly nondescript hockey cap.

https://www.icejerseys.com/cart/item_details_simple.php?id=4117

What caught my eye was the simple beauty of the six '67 NHL expansion team logos. I then began wondering if the design of these six teams was my favorite all-time sports branding solution? After writing this blog, it is in fact is my favorite!

I had experience with branding expansion teams both with the 1995 NBA expansion of the Toronto Raptors, the Vancouver Grizzlies, and the 2003 Charlotte Bobcats, I'd been the central driving force of the WNBA league and team branding launch in 1996. But I had to be honest with myself. The six NHL expansion team logos and uniforms were better. One could rationalize that NBA Commissioner Stern and WNBA President Ackerman wanted team and city names (and if possible the WNBA ball) in all the logos, thus making it impossible to create iconographic symbols.

In the 1967-1968 season, the NHL expanded from six teams to 12. These new franchises provided new designs in uniforms, logos, and new colors as well. The traditional "Original 6" colors of red, blue, black and gold color schemes would be passe now with the new teams introducing NHL hockey to the world to orange, green, powder blue, process blue and even that wonderful color purple. Hockey uniforms were a reflection of the times...bright, bold and counter cultural. Terrific!

Upon further reflection, I also realized the designers at the time had struck a terrific balance between the traditional applications of the "Golden Rules" of a hockey sweater (see below) and the classic look of the Original Six of the Bruins, Blackhawks, Red Wings, Canadiens, Rangers and Maple Leafs.

GOLDEN RULES OF THE DESIGN OF A HOCKEY SWEATER.

1- CRESTS ONLY, FOREVER.

"Thou shalt only use a crest, monogram or diagonal type" Otherwords, no typefonts allowed anywhere at anytime under any circumstance, are you listening Anaheim Ducks??? The NHL if they are anything (and they're not much these days) are about the older cooler looking hockey jerseys. Mr. Bettmann, hasn't enough damage been done to the NHL already... please stop lettering on jerseys already. Hockey's not baseball.

2- BRIGHT CONTRASTING COLORS.

No black or navy blue dominant colors? Yes, the Oakland Seals had a deep shade of green but they made up for that later for sure. This is not today's NHL with an alternate black uniform for EVER team... Mr. Bettmann, please stop the black alts. already

3- NUMBERS ON THE SLEEVES.

Especially in an expansion season with six new teams, you cannot reinforce player identities enough so numbers on the sleeve (not by the neck Sabres) is critical.

Okay, enough of my pontification. For proof of the best sports branding solution here are the six NHL team identities (logo and uniforms).

1. Los Angeles Kings // Forum blue (purple) and gold (yellow)
Logo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kingscrownlogo.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/67/Oldkingslogo.gif

Uniforms
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/losangeles/LAKingspics.html
http://www.lelands.com/bid.aspx?auctionid=611&lot=1175


2. Minnesota North Stars // Kelly green and yellow
Logo
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/MinnesotaNorthStars67.gif

Uniforms
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/minnystars/northstarspics.html

3. Oakland Seals // Forest green, pacific blue and yellow
Logo
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/caloak/seals

Uniforms
http://www.sealshockey.com/sweb/pages/1967-68%20Seals%20Team%20Photo.htm

4. Philadelphia Flyers // Orange and black
Logo
http://www.sportslogos.net/logo.php?lo=161

Uniforms
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/philly/flyerspics.html

5. Pittsburgh Penguins // Powder blue, indigo navy and yellow
Logo
http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?lo=269
http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?lo=268 (even better!)

Uniforms
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/pittsburgh/penguinspics.html

6. St. Louis Blues // Process blue, yellow.
Logo
http://www.chriscreamer.com/team.php?t=25
(Notice how the Blues once used lettering/then remebered the crest rule and dumped them).
http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?lo=6750

Uniforms
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/stlouis/bluespics.html

In conclusion, the strategy and execution of the NHL's 1967-68 Expansion Six is one of the most visually outstanding and engaging sports branding solutions ever!

The Pro League creative services groups could learn a lot about sports branding by just looking back to see what constitutes a truly great identity solution. Otherwise, they are doomed to repeat the Sabres, Ducks, Thrashers, Stars alts and Blue Jackets alts recent misses.

Tom