New Bolts Logo Already All Over
Sunday · Feb 6 · 2011 | 3:41 PM PST
The Tampa Bay Lightning are wasting no time in getting their new branding out there. It started with the arena, of course. From what I understand, as of Friday, you can barely find the old logo in the St. Pete Times Forum anymore, including center ice.
Despite that, the team cannot wear their new uniforms and logo until next season. They also can't sell jerseys until after this season ends. But that's not stopping the marketing machine. And they've already got FOX Sports building brand new broadcast graphics.
Today's Super Sunday game against the Blues was not televised by Sun Sports today, so I had to watch on FOX Sports Midwest. And they already had the new logo built into everything but the animated wipes.
New Lightning logo already built into TV broadcasts / FOX Sports Midwest
It looks great, but why not use the version without the TAMPA BAY text? Isn't the point of the new logo to be an iconic symbol on its own? Guess that'll take a little time.
Now I don't know if this is a new development or if the new logo was in use on Friday night when the Lightning faced the Capitals. It was blacked out on GameCenter Live because NHL Network carried coverage. I won't be able to take a look until later tonight.
Meantime, here's a look at another graphic. You can also see here that the new logo is painted at center ice and even on dasher board advertising. So there's no turning back now.
And lastly, here it is on the FOX Sports scoreboard graphic. It features a darker blue than we saw on the uniforms when they were unveiled.
The Lightning wore their blue third jerseys for today's 4-3 OT win in Tampa. According to the team CEO Tod Leiweke, the BOLTS sweater will be retained next season. He didn't get into specifics as to whether they'll keep the black and gray, but I assume they'll at least put the new primary logo on the shoulders.
By the way, I realize NHL marketing rules prevent the team from changing uniforms midseason, but there's actually a precedent for NHL teams unveiling a new logo before summer. Graham Y. wrote in with this:
I was in Minnesota during the final days of the North Stars and remember an issue they had while changing their logo and uniform scheme.
With some obvious foresight to the move to Dallas, then owner Norm Green commissioned a new logo with just "Stars" across the front. They announced the new identity late in the season before the change just like the Lightning did.
Late that season the training staff on the bench began wearing windbreaker jackets with the new logo and the team was notified by the league that they would have to wait until the next season to begin using the new logo. I am not entirely positive but I think they were even fined for the early use.
Neither Graham nor I could track down any confirmation for the story, so I wondered if anyone else knows anything about it. The logo changed for the 1991-92 season, so presumably this all went down during 1990-91. I'm sure Icethetics readers would love any additional information.
Lightning rebrand web presence / TBL.comBy the way, I mentioned on Twitter last week that the Lightning have already started the brand transformation of their online presence.
Their website now features the new colors and logo as well as this background image (right) of Steven Stamkos and Marty St. Louis in the new sweaters.
Presumably, those photos were taken on Monday when the jerseys were unveiled. The players skated around in them a little bit.
The new marks can also be found on the club's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
So they're going all out here — or "all in," you could say — and certainly committing to the new brand. It's just surprising to see that commitment coming so soon.
This should be the last Lightning post for a little while — unless they get permission to change uniforms midseason too. At this point, I think we get it.
And the February update to NHL JerseyWatch 2011 should be coming in the next day or two.
Reader Comments (58)
I know you're a big lightning fan, but if this is going to become a lightning blog, just say so. That way I can take this site off my regular blog rotation. Thanks.
I'd say it's a safe bet the Lightning will be wearing the blue Bolts jerseys at home during the playoffs. They're distancing themselves from the old look like it was the Buffaslug logo.
Haha! Laughable, Jared! Yeah, I'm turning Icethetics into a Lightning blog. You got it. Take it off your "rotation."
Listen, yes we all know I'm a Lightning fan, but I'm actually holding back here. If it were any other team changing their branding midseason, the coverage would probably be doubled because that's what this blog is about, dude. Four posts to date, and one of those was to say the unveiling had been postponed.
I could write posts every day about every little detail of what's been going on, but most of those details are only interesting to Lightning fans, so I'm letting them go. Today's post is about an NHL brand makeover in progress happening in the middle of a hockey season.
I agree with Jared. There is a lot of hoopla over a lame new logo that can't even be worn for another 8 months.
Really? Are you sure you guys are visiting the right website?
Yeah I noticed this watching the game today also. On a side note, that was one hell of a game, great pace to it. As a blues fan, I enjoyed watching tampa, as we don't get to see them very often. Both teams definitely deserved a point, just wish we could have gotten the second...oh well!
I'm with ya chris. This kind of stuff interests me. Thats what this blog is about. If you don't like it, don't read it. No need to comment on it.
I know you're a big hockey fan, but if this is going to become a jersey/logo blog, just say so. That way I can take this site off my regular blog rotation. Thanks.
How dare Icethetics report on the aesthetics of a major professional hockey team!!!
They Preds seem to be doing the same thing I went to the Preds Redwings game last night and on the Jumbo Tron all they kept showing was the new alternate logo, and apparently the fans love the new alternate because their was no shortage of alternates at all in the crowd alot more than the home and away jerseys. I am taking this as sign of change coming in the future.
Ignore the fools, Chris. I'm an Oilers fan, but I love seeing updates on what ALL teams are doing with their logos and jerseys. That's the purpose of the site, right? I guess Jared and Alex didn't read the fine print.
Great post! If you don't like cool info on logo branding don't read the blog. Good luck finding a better blog on this stuff. Go Canucks!
Whoo! Let's Go Blues! Even though they lost, but that is weird they are already using the logo on FSN.
Question:
what's stopping them from wearing the uniforms NOW?
The North Stars had the new logo on their helmets and on the dasher boards at the Met Center during the 90-91 season. The 91-92 season was the first season with the new uniforms and logo and also their last season in Minnesota.
Seriously, Guys?
Ever since they stole the Stanley Cup from my beloved Flames in '04 I've had an absolute hatred towards the Lightning, and even I'm liking these posts. I can't even remember the last time an NHL team didcomplete rebrand during the middle of a season (Maple Leafs in 67?) it's some pretty big stuff.
I have to admit, after only a few days of it being unveiled and even all of the "Tampa Bay Maple Wings sponsored by Intel" gags, the new logo is actually starting to grow on me. But they really, really, really need to drop the "Tampa Bay" from the logo altogether. It feels so tacked on it's not even funny.
But at the same time I'm still kinda disappointed to see the current primary being phased out so soon, I thought that was the perfect logo for them, and that there was no need for them to ever change it. Oh well.
Yeah, I love the website and I'm digging all the Lightning posts. And honestly I think its fun to see your passion for the Lightning come through in this jersey/logo shift. I know this blog will follow ALL teams as their looks change and shift, but its nice to see your viewpoint from an actual fans perspective. I'm a big Avalanche fan, so I agree completely with everything Steve and Iain said except for rooting for the OIl and Nucks. :P
Keep up the great work, Chris! And here's to Forsberg leading the avs to the playoffs!
That new picture of Stamkos and St. Lous in action makes the jerseys look a lot better than I thought previously. If that is the actual shade of blue, and not the slightly more washed-out looking ones I saw before, I'll be completely fine with the jersey change. However, I think new alts are in order, otherwise it's just too much blue.
And on that note, I also think the league needs to start making some guidelines for teams' jersey changes so that we don't have 30 blue alternate jerseys or new home jerseys by 2014.
Oh, and I'm sure if this were any other team going through a COMPLETE REBRANDING mid-season, Chris would give them just as much attention. Hell, the Bolts are getting less news on here than the Connecticut Whale did early in the season.
The comment on here make me laugh. This is Chris' blog! If he wants to talk about his lightning, so be it! There's not much to talk about this time of year, so I enjoy reading about what loyal fans think of their teams uniforms.
I would like to see some coverage of college hockey sweaters though. In the WCHA there are some interesting designs that get ignored on here.
As for the lightning, I like what they've done. I'm glad they made the changes right away because its building a buzz around the team. Living in Colorado, I would never heard about the changes that the lightning made to the ice or broadcasts if it weren't for Chris.
Keep up the good work!
Hey Chris, I visit your blog almost everyday. I love it. I think it's pretty foolish for people to complain to you about posting Lightning information simply because they're "your team". If most people who visit this blog are like me, we can't get enough uniform/logo news no matter what team it's about. Keep it up, you can always be counted on for great info like this!
So, to the actual news. I wasn't the biggest fan of the look when it was first unveiled, but now that I'm starting to see what it's actually going to look like (website, broadcast graphics, center ice) it's REALLY starting to grow on me, it's actually really nice.
Those photos of Stamkos and St. Louis on the Lightning's website have been up there at least all season. The new jerseys were just Photoshopped onto old pictures of them wearing the black home threads.
I'd be interested to know how this is hurting merchandise sales of the old Lightning stuff. The market plan for the Lightning for the next 6 months or so is: "NEW EVERYTHING!! But you should wait on buying anything Lightning related until after the playoffs are over!"
And Chris, when you say, "why not use the version without the TAMPA BAY text? Isn't the point of the new logo to be an iconic symbol on its own?" YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT. I don't know why other teams (ie Dallas, Atlanta, SENS, BOLTS, Florida,Vancouver......) haven't discovered this self-evident truth yet.
I remeber them showing off the new North Stars logo and jersey but they didn't use any of the graphics or anything like that. I remeber seeing that when they elimated the Oilers in the Campbell Conference finals in 91. If I remeber correctly they just had someone standing at the boards holding the jersey or atleast thats how they did it on the CBC, I'm not sure what the American channels were doing for graphics at that time.
Keep up the good work Chris. I enjoy hearing about the details of the Lightning uniforms and I'm a Blackhawks fan; having been a reader since the start, I would have to say that I would expect this amount of coverage from Icethetics on any team if they were in the same situation.
I've got the Penguins Greatest Games DVDs, and in Game 6 of the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals at the Met, you can see the then-new "Stars" logo on the ice, although the on-ice version had the colors flipped - green text and outline with a gold (yellow) star. Another version on the boards was an all-gold (old gold) version on a black background, inserted in between several of the board ads. So yeah, they were definitely phasing it in...
You can see some of that in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tenIb77iidg (there's a shot of the on-ice logo just nine seconds in, but there are other shots of both logos.) It's a nice video to watch for a few other reasons, though - the old North Stars unis, the Pens' gold-sleeved jerseys, Joey Mullen's neck collar, Mario rocking the old WinnWell lid (I think Chris Osgood's about the only player still using that model), Mike Lange's entertaining calls... and the rather primitive on-screen graphics that show a rather poorly-rendered version of the skating penguin!
The way this new brand is coming in so quickly, they might as well pull a 1967 Toronto and bring them in for the Playoffs. Who knows, they might go far... as long as they don't meet my Canucks in the Finals ;)
"I am aghast at what appears to be happening here....reports....on the way teams look...and with an exceptionally odd brand change mid-season!? How dare you, sir. I will take my procrastination time elsewhere to make arrogant, preposterous comments on other web logs about hockey."
Chris, will updates/information on the "unsettling" reports on the Preds that you mentioned be in the Jersey Watch?
@ Jared and Alex
What other teams have unveiled new uniforms this year? None. This is a website dedicated to the aesthetics of hockey which is perfectly represented by its name "Icethetics." Therefore its only natural that the only team to unveil new uniforms this year is going to get extended coverage. it has nothing to do with his allegiance to the Tampa Bay Lightning. If you go to Sportslogos.net (Better known as Chris Creamers Sports Logo) you will see extended lightning coverage there as well. Chris you should NOT be holding back on your Lightning Coverage just because people may think you're being partisan. The Lightning rebrand is THE news when it comes to hockey logos right now. Period.
One thing to add to the Stars rebranding ... during the North Stars run to the cup finals against Pittsburgh, the new Stars logo was painted on the ice in the area where advertising goes today. I knew TiVo'ing episodes of Classic Series on the NHL Network would be useful!
Hey, Chris don't listen to these guys! You are doing a great job on hockey stuff.
Im a huge Canucks fan but I like to know other teams information.
BTW can't believe TB revealed the new logo almost last week and they're using the logo every where!
Wonder if this is gonna be in THN
Chris, ignore the trolls. I personally don't want you holding back at all because it just so happens to be the lightning. This is the only exciting thing happening in the NHL right now as far as aesthetics go so you should be posting on it regardless of whether you are a fan of the team or not. I actually noticed during a highlight pack the other day that the logo was at centre ice and was surprised you hadn't mentioned it at that point.
Also, the logo is starting to grow on me....still looks like clip art, but like fancy ms word 2010 clip art or something haha...its not so bad
The more I see that darned Lightning logo the more I learn to love it....it looks phenomenal at centre ice, and tampa looks soooo much better in blue....I WISH they had kept at least the silver, but beggars can't be choosers right?
Haha is this Jared and Alex's first time reading this blog? It's about the new jerseys and logos in the league. I want more news on the lightning Chris! Give it to us!
This is the biggest story in hockey sweaters right now - why wouldn't Chris be covering it? There's a bunch of things to think about when making this kind of change, and frankly, I'm glad Chris is doing it.
As long as there's new developments, I say, keep the articles coming. This is interesting stuff.
Hey, I love the Lightning posts, keep 'em coming. I just cannot fathom why you think this garbage looks good?? Its awful. The worst rebranding since the Islanders "fisherman" jerseys in the mid 90's. I refuse to purchase anything with that juvenile logo that looks like it was drawn by a kindergartner.
As you are "true fan", it doesn't bother you in the slightest that the victory stripes under the arms are gone, or the Lightning bolt on the pants?
Yeah, it was at center ice on Friday as well. Can't speak about televised graphics, as I was at a card tournament on Friday night.
Kinda redundant, but I'll throw my hat into the arena too. Chris can't help it if his favorite team is generating the most news at the moment. Besides, it's very unusual for a team's rebranding to be so visible so early on.
Having said that, I still hate these uniforms and the new logo. My black Martin St. Louis "throwback" will be the only bolts sweater I ever need.
Being from Atlanta, I despise the Bolts...but this is all relevant news, so it certainly should be here. Don't listen to the nay-sayers, Chris.
Stamkos and St. Louis are both wearing Bauer pants...hmmm. Could we see the demise of Reebok in the NHL much as we will next season (if there is one) in the NFL?
i'm just glad they won't have front-numbers
Is it just me or does the logo seem a little 'high' on the Lightning jerseys? Anyway, I thought goign to just blue would be boring, but it seems to work well.
I still wish they would have retained the bolt on the pants. A slim white bolt would contrast nicely on the blue pants. The white stripe they will wear is actually quite wide. It reminds me of the stripe the Nordiques used to have.
Obvious troll is obvious.
This blog is nothing if not topical.
An entire franchise rebrand has always been what this site is all about, WAY back to its ToL days.
So when it happens for real, whatever team it may be and whether or not they did it right - it's a huge friggin deal; like a dream come true.
If you look at this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tenIb77iidg you can see the new Stars logo on the ice and on the boards during the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals.
Lightning blog? This is a uniforms blog isn't it? Right now, the BIGGEST change in the NHL is happening with the Lightning. It's big news for a UNIFORM site! Deal with it people.
I agree with a few of the people on here. I didn't like it at first, but its growing on me. I like the simplicity but wish they could have done something that was a tad bit different. Oh well, hard to do different when it's simple.
All I can say is, good thing it's not the Penguins doing a revamp because people would be saying it's a conspiracy just because they want more attention for Sid. Then, those who want to take this off their "rotation" would have something else to complain about. Get over it. I loved the response to it.
Thanks for the support, guys. And like or hate it, everyone is entitled to their opinion but I have to call out BrianB23 on something.
Bro, I don't know what you mean by "true fan" exactly, whether you think your mocking me or what. But yes I've been going to and watching games and following the team since 1992. I live and die with every win and loss. And I remember your namesake's OT goal in Game 2 against the Flyers in '96. And yes I like the new logo and uniforms, but what annoys me is that you didn't bother to read what I actually wrote about them before calling me out.
I'm not in love with every aspect of the sweaters, but I certainly don't think they're "garbage" or "drawn by a kindergartner (sic)" the way you do. We all have our perspectives. However, I specifically said the biggest downfall of the new uniforms was the lack of "victory stripes" and the bolt on the pants. Wrote it right here on this blog. I can like the overall product and still have some reservations about the details.
So you can choose not to like the new logo and uniforms and we can debate the merits of it to no end. However, you don't have to question whether someone is a fan just because they don't share your opinion on something as inane as the uniform — especially when we're fielding one of the best teams in franchise history. Dude, let's talk about Stamkos hitting 40 goals in 54 games. Or Roloson's 4 shutouts in 11 games. More that unites than divides.
I feel like every time I mention the Lightning now, I have to come to the defense of the new logo — and I really don't! Some people like it, some don't. No one is right, no one is wrong. But we can still be polite about it.
I might not agree with Chris on some things, but he's striking while the iron is hot here.
The big topic in the world of hockey design right now is the Lightning, so it should be getting the most play right now. It's just coincidence that it happens to be his favorite team.
And last I checked, Chris is a blogger, not a reporter, so he's entitled to be subjective and preferential when it comes to opinion.
The players both have Bauer shells over top of their regular black pants. (You can tell by the lack of stitching on the front and back of the legs where the padding is attached and the pant cuff is more flexible.) Both players endorse Bauer products. Had they chosen Vinny for the actions shots, his pants would have the CCM logo. Next year their pants will be blue and I assume they will have a black shell to wear with the alternate uniforms. Shells are easier and cheaper to make to test various options when they designed the uniform.
I do like them but there are a couple things I think they should done differently. I think they should've kept the bolt on the pants and I think the Tampa Bay on the away jeresy kinda throws the whole thing off. It seems kinda weird to me that the logo is that low on the away jersey and needs to be placed higher up on the chest instead of down around the torso. I think the bolt on the pants would've tied everything together on the jersey much better.
Keep up the good work it seems a little funny that people up here in Canada blast the Southern Markets for not having fans but when a fan of the Southern markets show their support of their team they get blasted for being bias. Even though I'm a Wings fan, the Bolts come in at a distance 2nd for favorites if I had another favorite team but still can't dig these uniforms still missing some traditional Lighning elements like the black or/ silver at least as piping or outlining, and the Lightning bolts on the pants still should be there.