100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #74 Seattle Seahawks

#74 Seattle Seahawks

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

I Googled "sea hawk" for this review as I am not at all familiar with the animal of inspiration for this logo. After seeing the photos of various Sea Hawks, the logo appears to be a pretty accurate rendition. The eyes and beak on this guy mean business, and the color scheme is strong with the almost neon green used sparingly within the eye. Attitude is coming through with this design, which I think works well to endear a logo like this to the fan base. 

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #75 Baltimore Orioles

#75 Baltimore Orioles



Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

This logo is a modern refinement of the very similar original. The script lettering has a very classic baseball look with the angle and the swooping underline. The bird image is simplified from versions previous and in this simplified form really becomes what makes this logo special.

They put a bird on it!

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #76 Golden State Warriors - Alternate

#76 Golden State Warriors - Alternate

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

This Golden State Warriors logo is a great example of a logo focused on a landmark. The bridge image off centered within the circle creates a dynamic look while the white basketball seams tie the mark back to the sport.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #77 Virginia Destroyers

#77 Virginia Destroyers

The Virginia Destroyers were an Xtreme Football League team in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

The Virginia Destroyers fought few battles as a professional sports team. The logo, however, appears to have truly been battle born, well suited to represent a pro football team as a solid logo mark. I love the way this logo uses perfect symmetry with small exceptions in regard to color. The swirl shapes on the letter "V" might look somewhat ornate similar to victorian flourishes but also seem to represent the crashing ocean on the ship's hull. 

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #78 Orlando Magic

#78 Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic are a National Basketball Association team in Orlando, Florida.

Logo reference from Sportslogos.net.

This retro Orlando Magic logo in was in use from 2000-2009. Many Magic fans were sad to see it go, including me. I really like the stars that replaced the letter "A" as well as the dot in the "I". The lettering is expressive with an almost graffiti feel. The best part of this logo is the comet ball under the word "Magic." To me this always represented the sparkle from the tip of the magic wand similar to those I remember seeing in many childhood-favorite Disney films.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #79 NOLA Hornets Secondary Logo

#79 New Orleans Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets were a National Basketball Association team in New Orleans, LA until 2013 when the name of the team was changed to the Pelicans.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

Unlike many NBA fans, I don't hate the newly renamed Pelicans brand, but perhaps that is another post. I will say that the sports world is going to miss this great color scheme. There are not many cities  that can pull off the kind of vibrant colors that the home of Mardi Gras can, so to me it is a shame they left these great hues behind for another red and blue color scheme. Red and blue is probably the most overused color combo in sports. 

The typography used in this logo is great and not typical of what you'd expect for a sports team. The style of the lettering along with the yellow horn underneath do a great job of honoring the cities heritage and conveying vibe of local culture.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #80 Chicago Fire

#80 Chicago Fire

The Chicago Fire are a Major League Soccer team from Chicago, Illinois.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

One thing I like about MLS is that most of the teams across the league go to lengths to brand their franchises with a strong and meaningful connection to the fan base and the local culture. This logo and brand for the Chicago Fire is a great example of how you can tap into the local pride and character of a city through a brand mark like this one. The logo represents the official badge of the Chicago Fire Department, a true source of such pride to the city. 

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #81 Daytona Cubs Wordmark

#81 Daytona Cubs (Wordmark)

The Daytona Cubs are the Minor League Baseball Class A Advanced Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs located in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

The Daytona Cubs have a whole set of nice logos featuring a fun-loving, cute and cuddly bear cub. Of all the nice Daytona Cubs logos I chose the wordmark logo to place on this list because I love the typography in it. The fuzzy, bear fur texture of the letters along with the traditional baseball script style create a unique look for the team, while honoring baseball tradition in a fresh way.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #82 Pittsburg Steelers

#82 Pittsburg Steelers

The Pittsburg Steelers are a National Football League team from Pittsburg, PA.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

The Steelers enjoy one of the very best sports towns in the great United States. Pittsburg is home to the "black and yellow" that so many fans, including those who have never even been to the place, hold close to their hearts and #hashtags.  The story behind this logo is great. This was actually a corporate sponsor of the team who originally wanted a logo placement on the helmet for the 1962 NFL season. The team did really well that year and decided it wanted to adopt the logo as its own by adding the "ers" at the end of the company's mark which had only "Steel" up until then.

The American Iron and Steel Institute agreed to share the logo with the team a year later in what could have been the sweetest deal for a corporate partner in the history of sports marketing.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #83 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (retro)

#83 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (retro)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a National Football League team in Tampa, Florida.

Logo reference from Sportslogos.net.

This iconic logo represents the creamsicle uniform era of Buccaneer football. The team's colors during this time were bold and unique with orange, red and white. This logo was created by a local cartoonist who was challenged to make a pirate unlike any other that existed in sports. "Bruce", as the logo and character were since named, has enjoyed frequent returns in recent "throwback" games since. Bruce is lovingly embraced by Tampa fans as a symbol of true fan-hood. 

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #84 Indianapolis Colts

#84 Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are a National Football League team from Indianapolis, Indiana.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

The Colts logo is a great example of a less-is-more sports logo. Often, sports logos tend to be over worked and complicated beyond reason. This simple horseshoe shaped logo includes seven white "nail-holes" spaced evenly through out the flat shape. A logo with this type of iconic simplicity tends to remain timeless and nostalgic. This is a strong, classic logo that expect to see last well into the future of the franchise. 

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #85 Toledo Mudhens

#85 Toledo Mudhens

The Toledo Mudhens are the Minor League Baseball triple A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and are located in Toledo, Ohio.

The Toledo Mud Hens logo is perhaps my personal favorite of all MiLB logos. The cartoon Hen is both cute and vicious. The big white egg that creates the overall shape of the logo is fun and fitting.  Another MiLB logo with great energy, family appeal, and clever association to the town it represents. 

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #86 Orem Owls

#86 Orem Owls

The Orem Owls are a Minor League Baseball rookie affiliate of The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, located in Orem, Utah.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

Here is another creative logo from Minor League Baseball. The Orem Owl has a baseball head with a stitched brow and sharp claws double gripping two criss-crossing bats. This logo has great symmetry created by the wings up top as well as the type along the bottom.  The Orem Owl is the only Owl in the world of Pro Sports which furthers his unique charm as a team logo and mascot.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #87 Miami Marlins

#87 Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins are a Major League Baseball team from Miami, Florida.

Logo referenced from Sportlogos.net.

The new Miami Marlins logo brought in more color when it switched from the original for the 2012 rebrand. This redesigned logo has caught a good amount of heat from fans and designers alike but I am going to defend this new look by placing it on this list. The font has the appropriate art deco look it obviously needs and the fish inspired shape swooshing around the peak of the 'M' is also ornate in the style of art deco flare. The lines within the 'M' create the mechanical texture popularized by art deco architecture. The new colors add the vibrance the city is known for, as well as represents the city's landscape. What's more, this logo looks fantastic on snap backs and apparel. I think the new logo is a not only a huge improvement, it is the kind of logo that can last decades as the primary brand mark for the team.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #88 Jackson Generals

#88 Jackson Generals

The Jackson Generals are the Minor League Baseball Double A Affiliate of the Seattle Mariners and are located in Jackson, TN.

Logo referenced from Sportlogos.net.

The Jackson Generals have a bull dog mascot which is generally popular in sports identity. This bulldog has great character with his military helmet and baseball bat clenched in his jaws. The shield shape and the green hue coincide well with the military theme and they typography is well done.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #89 Arizona Diamond Backs

#89 Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks are a Major League Baseball team in Phoenix, Arizona.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

This Arizona Diamondbacks logo appears mainly on the hats of the players. The "D" shaped snake, or perhaps the snake shaped "D" are doing a great job giving the image duality in it's form while staying simple and clear. The snakes eyes and diamond pattern are able to make the snake look fierce without doing too much. Really good example of a creative, fun, and simple logo design that does a lot with very little.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #90 Chicago Red Stars

#90 Chicago Red Stars

The Chicago Red Stars is a professional soccer team in the National Woman's Soccer League.

The city of Chicago is one of the great Amercian cities rich with culture, history and diversity. It was a natural choice to link the team to the Chicago Municipal State Flag which includes the blue stripes and red, six point stars. The colors of this logo are very strong with the two colors from the flag plus a dark blue added in. This logo is a strong source of pride for the city and fans. The shield shape framing the design is spot on for a soccer identity. Overall, this is a great logo and perhaps a sleeper of sorts in this long list of great sports logos.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #91 Maine Red Claws

#91 Maine Red Claws

The Maine Red Claws are a National Basketball Association Development League team out of Portland, Maine.

Logo Referenced from Sportslogos.net.

This is easily the coolest cartoon lobster I have ever seen. The huge claws and eyes make this guy tough but somehow cute at the same time. This color scheme is a rare one in sports. Red and green tend to look too Christmasy in my opinion. (See Milwaukee Bucks logo for example,) but this one feels perfect with just the right amount of green in the type. My favorite detail in this design is the basketballs at the end of the lobster's antennae.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #92 Modesto Nuts

#92 Modesto Nuts

The Modesto Nuts are a Minor League Baseball team Class A Advanced affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

Modesto California is known for it's nuts grown in the region. This logo is fun and original using a characteristic baseball font with the cartoon "Nuts" appearing ready to play ball. The Nuts pictured here are Al the Almond and Wally the Walnut who like to be the life of the party at home games as well as out on the streets of Modesto.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #93 Laredo Lemurs

#93 Laredo Lemurs

The Laredo Lemurs are an American Independent Baseball team in Laredo, Texas.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

The Lemur is an amazing creature! Though I am pretty certain there are not and never were any Lemurs in the great State of Texas. Usually this type of thing bothers me; as with the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies. In this case, I really think it works, just because of the sheer awesomeness of this animal. The Ring-Tailed Lemur is the inspiration behind this team's name, mascot and logo design above. I love the mischievous nature of this image, as well as the bat being gripped by the Lemur's signature ringed tail. This logo has great appeal for kids and anyone who has seem the Madagascar Disney Films.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #94 Round Rock Express

#94 Round Rock Express

The Round Rock Express is a Minor League Baseball team in Round Rock, Texas and is the Triple A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

This logo is really strong it several ways. The font is a fantastic classic baseball type-face. The flag behind the baseball creates the shape of the train above the text and below the text the train's grill seems to point right at me. The more I critique this logo the more I doubt it's position being in the 90's. 

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #95 Syracuse Silver Knights

#95 Syracuse Silver Knights

The Syracuse Silver Knights are a Major Indoor Soccer League team from Syracuse New York.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

Being a Central Florida alumni I am used to Knights being Golden. When I found this logo of the Silver Knights from Syracuse, I found it interesting to compare them. What I like most about the logo is the image of Knight in battle stance. The swooping cape is great, as well as the use of perspective on the sword. The logo uses multiple gradients to create the silver look on the shield and type. I like the outside part of the logo but it is the Knight in silver armor that really shines brightest in this design overall.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #96 Miami Sol

#96 Miami Sol

The Miami Sol were the Women's National Basketball Association team in Miami Florida from 2000-2002.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net.

It is a shame the Miami Sol are no longer a team and that this logo is now just a piece of ancient sports history. A few things about this logo are notable: the name "Sol" means "Sun" in Spanish. Miami, as we know, has a large Spanish speaking fan base.  The sun image has great symmetry and the sun rays have just the right blend of variety and repetition to make the logo dance around the circle it creates. The three letter name has great balance in this style of lettering and the WNBA ball in the center is just big enough to send the message with out taking over. Great logo. Miami Sol, may you respectfully RIP.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #97 Tampa Bay Lightning

#97 Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a National Hockey League team in Tampa Florida.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net

This logo is very simple and flat making it bold and versatile. The logo is used as the "O" in "BOLTS" and other words like "POWER" for purposes of brand consistency throughout the team's marketing creative. I like the simplicity of the logo and the varied thickness of the line that creates the circle around the lightning bolt making it look more like a puck. The Lightning have a fitting name for their sport and fan base with the word "Lightning" because it represents speed as well as the sometimes severe weather of the area. 

Continue the thoughts on twitter @sportofdesign or leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #98 Dayton Dragons

#98 Dayton Dragons

The Dayton Dragons, out of Dayton Ohio, are the Class A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

Logo referenced from Sportslogos.net

The Dayton Dragon looks to be a pretty ferocious mythical beast. I love the green they use for this logo because it's perfect for a dragon. I don't agree that dragons should be purple or red or black. To me a proper dragon is green, a reptilian green just like this one. The green works very well with the gold worked in sparingly. Nice typography and the scaly tail is a nice touch. This logo is fun and imaginative.  No doubt it has great appeal and is strong source of pride in the city of Dayton and around the Midwest.

100 Greatest Pro Sports Logos Countdown - #99 Lake Erie Monsters

#99 - Lake Erie Monsters

 The Lake Erie Monsters are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League.

Logo referenced from www.sportslogos.net

This AHL team logo from Cleveland, Ohio is particularly interesting to me because it is based on local folklore. The Lake Erie Monster, AKA Bessie, is the inspiration behind the logo and team name. Bessie has been sighted in Lake Erie for over 100 years by locals in the region and has become an important part of culture. A great story like that of Bessie behind a logo design can really make it unique and special. If I am ever in Cleveland, a Lake Erie Monsters tee shirt will be my choice of souvenir.