Baseball Banner Branding
by Rev Halofan
on Mar 23, 2008 11:56 PM PDT
Take a look - Major League Baseball has revamped its team websites in preparation of ringing in the new baseball season. Gone are the pictures of individual players - scrubbed completely, in fact. In place is a potpourri of design choices, a primer of web banner branding spanning the generic to the adventurous, the simple to the inscrutable.
Here is a rundown on each team's new look for the web...
•Angels - LOGO: Pattern of the Team Logo. COMMENT: Arte Moreno is all about branding
•Astros - PHOTO: Stadium panorama. COMMENT: If the former Enron Field is being marketed as a summer Air-Conditioned retreat, it is probably a better selling point than the team.
•Athletics - LOGO: Zoomed in 40th Anniversary Logo. COMMENT: Will the resentful ghost of Connie Mack meddle with their rebuilding plans? In 42 years, will they be blindly celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Fremont franchise?
•Blue Jays - SLOGAN: It’s Always Game Time. COMMENT: This slogan is only accurate among the baseball/hockey-mad fan, although you can safely assume there are a few dozen out there.
•Braves - SLOGAN: Welcome To The Bigs. COMMENT: Do Braves fans get a hard rap or does Atlanta have to work hard to remind their forgetful fans that they are still a major league team?
•Brewers - PHOTO: Stadium panorama. COMMENT: The great indoors of Miller Park are a great selling point as it is Milwaukee’s largest indoor bar.
•Cardinals - PHOTO: Stadium panorama. COMMENT: If any fan on earth can get misty-eyed wistfully nostalgic over a picture of a two-year old stadium, it is a Cardinals fan.
•Cubs - COLLAGE: Wrigley Field. COMMENT: With the naming rights about to be sold, they are leveraging the shit out of this asset one last time.
•Diamondbacks - LOGO: Zoomed in 10th Anniversary Logo. COMMENT: While X-Rays of Randy Johnson’s kneecaps might be more compelling, the fact that the franchise survived some very dark times may imply this logo placement as a cocky swagger.
•Dodgers - LOGO: 50th Anniversary Logo amidst Palm Trees. COMMENT: Brooklyn shrugged; you either love L.A. or you don’t notice it.
•Giants - SLOGAN: All Out All Season. COMMENT: It is rare that a team’s slogan matches the opinions of its fiercest critics.
•Indians - COLLAGE: Jacobs Field. COMMENT: Dropping hints to the fan base that a little more loyalty (in the form of the sold-out attendance of yesteryear) may be in order.
•Mariners - SLOGAN: Mojo Risin’. COMMENT: So Jim Morrison was born in Florida, the Doors were from Southern California and the team’s slogan is a phrase from the song L.A. Woman. Another line from that song might describe the team’s fan base:"Took a look around me/Which way the wind blow"...
•Marlins - SLOGAN: You Gotta Be Here. COMMENT: There is something poignant in the aloneness of YOU being here. This is almost an invitation to sequestering one’s self away from everyone else, save 18 performers hundreds of feet away.
•Mets - LOGO / NOTHING: Final Season at Shea Stadium Logo pushed to the side by an Orange blob of nothing. COMMENT: Maybe the abyss that the Mets fell into last September was orange? Nietzche never described a color of the abyss did he? I don’t want to stare too long to find out...
•Nationals - PHOTO / SLOGAN / LOGO: New stadium panorama (empty) with Slogan “Welcome Home” that features the team’s W Logo prominently starting off the phrase. COMMENT: This is a building in DC suburb without any windows boarded shut. It is a start. The slogan is a nice way of saying "Get used to it"...
•Orioles - SLOGAN/PHOTO: “This is Birdland” occupies 1/5 of the banner, with a panorama of the Rope Factory Outfield wall stretching across the rest. COMMENT: Oriole fans probably see something in this logo like East Berliners did in their wall.
•Padres - LOGO: The team name as it appears on the home jerseys superimposed on the team logo’s wave motif. COMMENT: At every marketing opportunity, the Padres take the absolute boringest middle of the road direction. The consistency here is staggering.
•Phillies: - COLLAGE: Citizens Bank Park surrounded by monochrome solid dark blue. COMMENT: The team has obviously worked hard to give their online fans as little to boo at as possible.
•Pirates - SLOGAN: Let’s Go Bucs. COMMENT: And Las Vegas will supply the moving vans!
•Rays - NOTHING. Every banner has a team logo on the left and then something. This one has the logo on the left on top of it s new “star” insignia blown up, so that all the banner gets is the “rays” of blue streaks emanating from the star. COMMENT: Sometimes history steps in and a brand defines itself and a company can just wait for that definitive moment. Not at all likely here, but there is something to be said for flexibility in this era of sticks up every corporate ass.
•Rangers - SLOGAN: You Could Use Some Baseball. COMMENT: Canseco, Palmeiro, Sosa... I dunno if I want to be taking prescriptions from anyone associated with this franchise.
•Red Sox - SLOGAN: "2007 World Champions" - spelled out on the Fenway Park Scoreboard. COMMENT: This is really the only slogan that works. Nice ring to it.
•Reds - PHOTO / SLOGAN / LOGO: Stadium panorama with the Slogan “C You There!” in the far corner, featuring the team’s “C” to start off the phrase. COMMENT: There is such a thing as too “C”lever...
•Rockies - PHOTO: Stadium panorama. COMMENT: If there is a team in baseball that should be exploiting a league pennant it is the Rockies and they go for the generic photo op.
•Royals - PHOTO: Outfield fountains. COMMENT: It pretty much screams out, “Folks, our pitching staff is sure to put a lot of baseballs into these!”
•Tigers - PHOTO / SLOGAN / LOGO: Stadium panorama and “Who’s Your Tiger?” slogan with the Team “D” logo nearby. COMMENT: The Reds’ banner designer/slogan writer needs to visit the Tigers site.
•Twins - SLOGAN: This is Your State, This is Your Team. COMMENT: Carl Pohlad’s marketing team is not on his “small media market” page.
•White Sox - PHOTO: Stadium panorama. COMMENT: We skipped the retro-stadium trend and we can skip the regular playoff contenders movement that is so fashionable these days.
•Yankees - PHOTO / SLOGAN: The Outfield White Picket Fence gives way to the Slogan “All Star Summer 2008 New York City". COMMENT: Any promo of the All Star Game that does not include “This Time it Counts” gets a free pass.
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mojo
is a hard on getting stiffer.
I'm Hudd! Goodbye Phys!
by Hudd on Mar 24, 2008 2:04 AM PDT 0 recs
Rising Mojo
Usually results in a Funk Blast.
Sea-at-ha-ha-ha that's funny.
by hauldog on
Mar 24, 2008 2:31 PM PDT
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My Comments
Angels - It looks good, nice to see the AL West logo on their. Not amazing, but it gets the job down. No witty slogan with the letter A?
Indians - Jaco- I mean Progressive Field sure looks nice. It is a shame they don't sell that place out any more.
M's - Lame
Rangers - You could use some baseball........How about you could use a case of shut the hell up
Yankees/Red Sox - Nice and classy
Reds - Extremely corny, exclamation point makes it sound like a 4 year olds favorite joke.
Rays - Sting Rays are cool, powder blue is cool, marketing yourself as a Ray of sunlight to the baseball state of Florida is just crap.
You guys in California really do live in heaven, the Angels are in town for more than just six games and there is Jack in the Box within 200 miles.
by Erik121 on Mar 24, 2008 5:49 AM PDT 0 recs
hmm
these new sites dont agree with my mac. lame.
by ihearhowie2.0 on Mar 24, 2008 10:11 AM PDT 0 recs
Crapped out FireFox
on XP the first time I tried it. Second time it worked.
Angels fan since '67
by red floyd on
Mar 24, 2008 11:30 AM PDT
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The Mariner's
slogan is pretty damn lame. But then again, the others aren't much better.
by redwolf75 on Mar 24, 2008 11:21 AM PDT 0 recs
I agree
Mojo Risin is pretty damn stupid (But hey, you gotta give the M's marketing some credit, it is an upgrade [somehow] over "Lollablueza" or whatever lame crap they pulled last year) but for an Angels fan (and you may have been a fan since you were a kid, i apologize) to call other fan bases fair-weather is pretty comical. Growing up in So Cal my whole life as Im sure many of you have also, you gotta admit before 02 the Angels had no fans. The Angels were more of a joke than anything, and suddenly everyone around here became huge Angels fans after their World Series title.
by seamariners85 on Mar 24, 2008 11:43 AM PDT 0 recs
While you make some good points about the Angels' lack of pre-'02 "die hards"...
I have no idea what it is that drives someone to comment on other teams' blogs. There is just too much to read, write, and discuss about your own team ... why do people feel the need to go around and drop turds in other people's bowls of corn flakes?
Sorry, but it was just a question.
I am a fan since birth, by the way, born about 5 minutes from Anaheim Stadium.
Shopping for a new signature, but ran out of money...
by Downing Rules on
Mar 24, 2008 11:53 AM PDT
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Although there is baseball going on..
It IS only spring training, and so far this morning from what Ive read, the *big* Mariners news is Lopez will PROBABLY be batting 2nd this year... yawn. But to be honest, I enjoy reading other fan's opinions... Thats about it really.
Not to mention reading other team's blogs gives you a fuller sense of reality. For instance when Seattle traded for Bedard, I was interested in not only what M's and O's fans had to say, but fans in general. Of course a majority of Seattle's fans are going to say that he'll go 19-5 with a 2.23 ERA and strike out 280 over 240 innings, so sometimes its nice to get a bigger picture, and hear opinions from other places.
by seamariners85 on
Mar 26, 2008 8:38 AM PDT
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cool. good luck this year.
Shopping for a new signature, but ran out of money...
by Downing Rules on
Mar 26, 2008 9:36 AM PDT
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wrong
many times the Angels were top 2 in attendance in the 80's (check baseballreference.com)...yes that corresponded to generally decent teams....but there were a couple 90 loss teams that drew well
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ANA/attend.shtml
..and to grow up in So Cal and not be an Angels or Dodgers fan is pretty lame. Let me guess, you had a hard on for Junior and then magically "decided" to be a Mariner's fan?
by swiss mcgee on
Mar 24, 2008 11:59 AM PDT
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FAN BASE
The Mariners would have moved to Tampa had the Angels not collapsed in 1995. Why? Because of the pathetic attendance by the non-fans in the Pacific Northwest. The hype of one playoff appearance gets a stadium referendum backed, but it doesn't make the "base" up there any less pathetic.
by Rev Halofan on
Mar 24, 2008 12:06 PM PDT
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The same could be argued of the Angels.
Thus, if I was you -- as the writer of this blog -- I'd hold myself to a higher level than merely flaming back. Doesn't even warrant a response.
by redwolf75 on
Mar 24, 2008 3:18 PM PDT
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He was beating up on the "Tam's" fan base...not the Team.
spelling error, but funny nonetheless. Maybe Rev was thinking instead about about how many M's fans might crawl out of the cloudcover to comment on a barb like that instead of spelling the word team correctly.
Shopping for a new signature, but ran out of money...
by Downing Rules on
Mar 24, 2008 4:18 PM PDT
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Seems to me Rev is calling a spade a spade
and he is right. Seattle's fans are weaksauce
Sea-at-ha-ha-ha that's funny.
by hauldog on
Mar 24, 2008 4:23 PM PDT
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All M's fans should be thankful for the Angels...
we helped to save their franchise...We win that tie-breaker and it is now the Tampon Bay Mariners.
Shopping for a new signature, but ran out of money...
by Downing Rules on
Mar 24, 2008 4:32 PM PDT
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Up until recently..
Angels fans sat politely in their seats and didnt make a word to opposing teams fans. Now they only do if they are winning. Just an observation Ive made.
by seamariners85 on
Mar 26, 2008 8:42 AM PDT
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My observation
When they are not eating their Sushi or drinking their Latte Mariner is often telling me how good the Angels are, and this is unsolicited.
I go to a SEA/LAA series every year in Safeco.
It is loud in Angel Stadium, much louder than anywhere else on the West coast. Not sure what you are talking about. Also I hear Angel fans tell other hecklers to look at the standings no matter what the scoreboard shows.
Sea-at-ha-ha-ha that's funny.
by hauldog on
Mar 26, 2008 11:16 AM PDT
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so go make your own blog and hold yourself
to whatever level you want. but i'll just tell you that it won't be half as cool or popular as this one. so please leave if you don't like the way our rev does things. thank you.
john RIP samo
by angels4adam on
Mar 24, 2008 4:26 PM PDT
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Coach? Is that you?
But seriously man, just ignore it.
by redwolf75 on
Mar 24, 2008 3:16 PM PDT
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No Monday Game Day Thread?
Angels vs. Padres
"We're still in the information-gathering process," Reagins said.
by 44FAN on Mar 24, 2008 3:11 PM PDT 0 recs
LA Palm Trees
The next time you are driving around the southland, look out upon the suburban skyline and note all the palm trees sticking up above all the "Lanes", "Roads", "Drives", "Streets", "Circles", Courts", "Places", Trails", etc. Consider, for the moment, that none of them that you are able to see are native. Every single one came from some place far away and was jammed into the local soil.
Next, consider what part of that fauna is most visible and enjoyable to the owner: the base. That which is at ground level. There on the pristine grass is an ugly, gray, scratchy, dry, fibrous, thick pole plopped deep into the property. If you asked the property owner if they would have wanted a 3 foot thick, 10 foot high block of elephant hide in their yard for free, they would reply with a left hook. But tell them they can purchase a 40 foot version, that drops shards and fronds onto their domecile year round, and they can not sign up fast enough.
Finally, consider the cache of it all. By themselves, a palm tree is merely a misplaced arboral mutation best suited to withstanding extreme environments never seen in these parts. But, in LA, once your neighbor signs up for one you need to get yours too! Soon, everybody has one. They have become so, well, "yesterday".
Years later, after much neglect and left to their own devices, those trees become vermin-infested blights on first one home, then one street, then whole neighborhoods, and - finally - the entire county.
But they have been there so long that they have become part of the fabric for a whole new generation of citizens who are too new to understand their place without them. They like them. Not because they are good, Not because they are worthy. Not because they return any value for any love. Nope. Just because they have always been there. And heck, probably 40 years ago they were closer t othe ground and made the life of the common folk a lot nicer during hot summer days. It's the nostalgia factor. Like fake 50's diners.
All in all, I can think of no better symbol for the Dodgers. Good choice on their part.
by Stirrups on Mar 24, 2008 3:37 PM PDT 0 recs
Flora. Should be "flora", not "fauna".
Damn. An entirely new web site system and STILL no ability to edit one's past posts and correct mistakes.
by Stirrups on
Mar 24, 2008 4:30 PM PDT
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Hey you proved a bug I discovered...
if you type your own LINKS into a post, it ends up changing the link back to this thread instead of the intended link destination... meaning, I type < a href = "link" > fake link here < / a > manually.
If you use the link ICON within the "post a comment" editor, it links it just fine.
Clockwerks...you hear that?
Shopping for a new signature, but ran out of money...
by Downing Rules on
Mar 25, 2008 11:59 AM PDT
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giants' "All Out All Season"
"It is rare that a team’s slogan matches the opinions of its fiercest critics"
PANTHER
by yeswecan on Mar 24, 2008 8:43 PM PDT 0 recs
Man
I was kinda hoping that the mariners would utilize "Feel the Funkblast" or something along those lines. Possibly "You Gotta Be Here....To See How Much We Overpaid for our Corner Infielders" but that would be too honest I suppose.
I brought sexy back, but they only gave me store credit....
by PhiSlamma on Mar 25, 2008 4:40 PM PDT 0 recs
You could sub Corner Infielders with Outfielders and would work on the Angels also
Beltre hasn't hit 45+ HRs again and probably won't. But he'll most likely be good for about .280, 25HRs and 90-110 RBIs depending on where he hits in the order and also plays gold glove defense. I think people have written off his contract as bad after his first season, but he's done well since and can still have a few good seasons left as he is still fairly young (almost 29).
You are dead on with Sexson though, can't argue that!
by seamariners85 on
Mar 26, 2008 8:53 AM PDT
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