OKC Team Name Announcement

[m2kneo]

no i dont pick by a color or logo... why on earth would i be a packers fan if that were true... but when you have a fresh start and you talk a big game... come up with a big name... i agree i never thought we would have a pro sports team... but common its minor league all around... i mean even if your happy right now you have to admit that...


heres a little something i made with one of the pics i found on espn... he looks as stunned at the generic logo as most people do

[murphystone]

This is such a great thing for our economy and our future. Check out the Thunder Gear... It looks great.

[edcrunk]

so...you are one of those people who picks a team to root for based on their logo and colors. hmmm. For me it's more about supporting my city and the team that represents it no matter what colors they wear. I am not exactly thrilled over a schooner being pulled by horses...but I bleed crimson and cream and will be at every home game in Norman losing my voice from yelling so loud.

We have an NBA team! I never thought okc would see the day to have pro sports. I don't care if we called them the pooh bears!! I would still be there and I would still be a fan. This is history folks.

Anyway, that is not the full logo. There is already work in progress and it's really not bad. You all expect a lot from a team that has been here less than 2 weeks and doesn't even have a staff.

yes, it is that bad... and i will be at the games yelling my head off... just not in a shirt with that crappy logo. i am way bummed that my city is represented by those colors and that weak-ass logo. someone dropped the ball. since they are all about "listening to the fans"... then hopefully they'll hire someone different to make the additional logos.

[bwana_bob]

Watching the press conference out of the corner of my eye on the TV in my office, the logo looked to me like:

A giant flying pork chop!

That's not stylized lightning cutting through it - those are skewers.



Oklahoma Thunder - Flame Grilled and Flying Towards You!

Pork - The Other White (Dead) Meat


Yet, at the end of the day, I'll go with Blevins' old quote: "They're our bunch!"

[LordGerald]

Watching the press conference out of the corner of my eye on the TV in my office, the logo looked to me like:

A giant flying pork chop!

That's not stylized lightning cutting through it - those are skewers.



Oklahoma Thunder - Flame Grilled and Flying Towards You!

Pork - The Other White (Dead) Meat


Yet, at the end of the day, I'll go with Blevins' old quote: "They're our bunch!"

Dude, you just quoted Dean Blevins...

[soonergal]

I am so disappointed right now...I guess I'll get over it sometime.....

[BFizzy]

I really think this mistake is going to cost them a lot of money.

[Luke]

Ya know... if you look at the logo just right, you can see a bird head profile (beak on the right...

...which leads me to believe that maybe, just maybe, the mascot will be a Thunderbird.

Boy, I'm really reaching for that one aren't I?

[plmccordj]

This is not a mistake at all. This is a great name and an average logo. I have heard someone quote on here that they never thought we would get a pro team. That strikes me as negative and is no wonder we are hearing all this negativity. I guess I should expect to hear all this on the first few days. It is common knowledge in any enterprise that complainers make the most noise. People that are happy tend to keep quiet most of the time so it gives the impression that everyone is unhappy. I truly believe that over time and people get over the fact their pet name was not picked, people will come around. Some of the arguments I have heard do not hold water if you apply it over the entire league. I have heard "They named the team after a noise, a noise that only scares children". I am curious what a Laker scares. If you really think about half the other names forgetting that you have grown up hearing about them, they are just as cheezy. Think about the Spurs. Who do they scare? What about the Heat? Who do they scare? I personally love the name Thunder and the logo while not that impressive, is not any worse than half the teams out there. Do not lose hope. After the initial disappointment wears off, I think most people will not even think about the name or logo. Maybe I am wrong but I hope our citizens are not THAT negative.

[bwana_bob]

By design (pardon the pun), the OKC NBA team has built up suspense, no doubt reveling not only in the press clippings but the domination of sports talk radio and both civic and sports message boards. The build-up was not just of excitement but of expectations. More importantly, the team was positioned to serve notice of Oklahoma City's inclusion in the elite group of cities with major league teams. It is, by extension, a symbol of both our aspirations and our accomplishments. That some people, including myself, are somewhat deflated by the design should not be made a litmus test of our pride in the city or our overall happiness with the team. Instead, it should be viewed as a natural - and rather temporary phenomena - the resetting of expectations. I wanted that logo to be exciting, to say something new about Oklahoma City - or at least to represent the city to my out-of-state friends in the way that I see Oklahoma City. By that measure, it has failed but, it does not mean that I won't buy a T-shirt, hat or other logo item - rather, it implies that the team has to imbue said logo with meaning through its conduct on the court, particularly in respect to measured improvements in competitiveness over the next several years. A great logo would not have made a great team but I would have been busting a few buttons if people in other NBA cities were instantly jealous of our team name and logo. I don't believe we have to worry about that possibility at this point so, let the reality sink in and watch this become a decreasingly important issue. Along with others, I tempered my comments with a statement that made clear my support of the team. After all, IT IS a symbol of our progress and unity.

[jbrown84]

At least it's not this:

[CuatrodeMayo]

I actually like that better...at least the logo somewhat supports the nickname.

[Thunder]

Legally changing my name to Thunder is definately something I should do!

Now, I need to find an auto shop to put that logo on the hood of my car!

I've been Thunderstruck'ed...again!

[kevinpate]

I disagree that the logo will cost them money.

There is not one name/logo conceivable which wouldn't evoke the same responses, just from a different crowd. We're Oklahomans, and we're an opinionated bunch.

Then, on top of us, there's the crowd who are just downright opinionated, Okie or no. No matter what, some group was gonna be whupping out wallets and plastic, and another group was going to all but chip a toothie or two as they elected to grind out their frustration.

Just another day in paradise folks, and yes, it could have been worse, much worse. The primary litigation could be bogged at the appeal level, the Schultz group could have not folded, more suits could have arisen, and Oklahomans could still see the plans for the first locally owned team being announced ofr Key Arena 2008-09.

All in all, something less than OMG! LUV IT LUV IT LUV IT logo ain't such a bad September moment.

[metro]

I really think this mistake is going to cost them a lot of money.

Yep, they'll loose a lot in potential merchandise revenue, locally and definitely on the national and international scale.

[FritterGirl]

Well, when I drove back by there at about 6:30 on my way home, I noticed there was still a line out the door, and a crowd of what could easily have been 100+ still inside Leadership Square.

They probably didn't do that bad. Some folks will be happy to get the merchandise, no matter what it looks like.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

I really don't have a problem with the logo. Yeah, it's not the greatest, but it could have been a lot worse. I just think that the ownership group could have handled this a lot better.

[Turanacus]

Desmond Mason is going to be @ Academy on NW Exprwy today 5p thru 7p - -

[OKCisOK4me]

I will let this grow on me because the Thunder was my second favorite behind Barons.

The fact that everyone is whining and moaning about the design is driving me crazy. Yeah, it's not too great, but who are we to say that we're better than any of the designers that Bennett & company hired or, even, the NBA approval committee?! That being said, you should also consider the amount of time that was barely invested in to coming up with this design. It had to be something basic--CONSIDERING THEY ONLY HAD ABOUT 3 1/2 MONTHS TO DO DA DARN THING!!!

It was stated several times in other threads that other designs for other teams had several months, if not a year, to invest in those plans and designs for all around incorporation of all the products of a team from the players to the fans. So, considering Bennett did say that there WILL BE OTHER DESIGNS, by all means, look forward to that! Any one of us can nitpick all day on that logo cause it's a whole lot easier to be a Negative Nancy or a Debbie Downer (whaa whaaa whaaaaa).

I honestly believe that everyone is so wrapped up in Oklahoma City becoming a Major League City that we expect nothing but the best for our city. And because of this a simple logo for a decent team name is ripped to shreds. We just need to simmer down now...