It's official. In a move that has been anticipated for months, the Sixers have announced today that they have "re-launched their brand identity" and are going back to the classic 76ers logo worn by former champions like Julius Erving. While the new official uniforms won't be unveiled for a few more months, we're told they'll be an updated interpretation of the
throwback unis they wore this year. The return to the classic logo is a smart move by the organization. Recent iterations of the Sixers logo had lost the timelessness of previous styles, with gold and swooshes replacing strong and simple lettering. And heck, if the salary cap system won't let you shed old contracts, at least you can change the on-court appearance in the most literal sense.
In terms of merchandising, the move is a no brainer. Personally, I've never purchased any Sixers gear bearing their most recent logo, but I've gone out of my way to track down attire with the retro feel to it.
The announcement was made today at the Comcast Center downtown. The700Level.com reader Nick tweeted the below photo of the event.
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Smart move on the Sixers part all around. What are your thoughts on the change?
Some other quotes from important Philadelphians on the change:
Governor Ed Rendell - Pennsylvania Governor
News
“The
Sixers are one of the most storied franchises in the NBA, and the new
logo represents the very best of the Sixers tradition. It’s great to
see it making a comeback.”
Mayor Michael Nutter - City of Philadelphia Mayor
"Seeing
the return of the 76ers old logo with the red, white, and blue colors
brings me back to the time of growing up watching Wilt Chamberlain, Hal
Greer, Dr. J, and those great teams. I am excited now, as I was then, for Sixers basketball."
Julius Erving - Philadelphia 76ers | 1976 – 1987
“I always felt the Sixers were the patriotic team. Boston always had the parquet floor. You’d go to L.A.
and everything was gold, white, with a touch of blue. Our thing was
red, white and blue. This floor reaps of that when you look at our
logos. We’re true red-blooded American by design.”
- as told to NBA Entertainment
Bobby Jones - Philadelphia 76ers | 1978 – 1986
“I am happy the Sixers are going back to the ‘old' logo. I like it because it is clear and clean and a simple representation of the historical value of the City of Philadelphia to this nation. It also represents some very good teams that have played under that logo.”