The Charlotte Bobcats finished the 2013-2014 NBA season with a mediocre record of 43-39 and it was their last run as a franchise.
Call PETA. The Bobcat has been put to sleep.
At the beginning of the current NBA season, the relatively new franchise announced it was trekking back to its roots and moving back to Charlotte. Now, with the Playoffs still underway, the first major step in making them official was unveiled today with their brand identity rollout.
Via NBA:
The primary logo utilizes the purple and teal color palette and features an aggressive-looking hornet that is ready to attack. Its piercing eyes, raised antennae, expanded wings and pointed stinger depict its relentless intensity. Incorporated within the logo is a basketball that doubles as the hornet’s body. The Charlotte Hornets wordmark is written across the insect. The logo contains several odes to that of the original Hornets with its white wings, white accents within its eyes, a stinger and the inclusion of a basketball.
The logo represents several characteristics of actual hornets, including their swarming and attacking nature, along with their fierceness and relentlessness when protecting their nests. These same characteristics connect with the city of Charlotte itself. The city’s rebelliousness, aggressiveness and protective attributes date to the Revolutionary War when British commander General Cornwallis referred to Charlotte as “a hornet’s nest of rebellion.”
“The logos are the foundation of an organization’s brand identity, and our goal was to design logos that would have awareness, be relevant and resonate with our fans,” said Bobcats Sports & Entertainment President & COO Fred Whitfield. “We developed a logo that physically depicted the characteristics and DNA of the type of team we want on the court, as well as those of hornets and the city of Charlotte.”
As part of the unveiling, the organization also announced that the beloved “Hugo” will officially return to Buzz City as the team’s mascot. The Hornets brand identity includes a modernized version of the original “Hugo” logo that will be utilized for the mascot and its brand.
The franchise hosted incredibly popular players such as Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues and they look to carry on the legacy as they await their lottery pick in the upcoming draft.
Hit the gallery to see pictures of the new logo and memorabilia the Charlotte Hornets are championing. The next challenge: obtaining an actual championship trophy.
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Photos: Twitter
