Backlash

[Karried]

Okay, just as I feared has happened. News message boards are now saying we are a bunch of whiners, ingrates and complainers. ugh. So embarrassing.

Finally, finally, OKC gets a team and we do this.

Okay, honesty is good and people need to vent .. but it's like a kid at Christmas, finally gets the present of his dreams, opens it and then complains incessantly that it's the wrong color .. pretty much ruins the moment.

I'm just so bummed that the happiness and joy of finally having our own pro team has been overshadowed by a stupid logo.

I mentioned before.. the fact that the Hornets had a silly blue bug as their team symbol/logo had no bearing whatsoever on my excitement, support and love of that team..

I don't see why this should be any different. It's a shield with a basketball running though it.. so what?

I would love to see some positive comments on some of the message boards instead of a bunch of continuous criticism and negativity. The team is probably mortified right now that even OKC isn't supporting them.

I think everyone has lost sight of the big picture.

[NativeOkie]

Agreed.
Being critical is not the same as offering an opinion.
Opinions are like noses, everyone has one some are bigger than others.
When I buy my own franchise I will pick my own logo.
Until that time That is my team.

I Have ordered my shirt.
I am ordering my tickets for when they play out here Lakers and Clippers.
There will be at least one proud Thunder fan yelling.
I am checking dates when I am in DC if by chance MY TEAM will be in town.

Remember the higher up the flag pole you climb the more of your butt shows.
I accept MY TEAMS logo.
I can no longer be teased your from oklahoma you don't even have a major league team.
Thank You.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

My only true beef with all of this is how the ownership handled this.

When it was first reported that "Thunder" was going to be the name, they should have come out with a small presser confirming that it was true and that the logo unveiling would happen at a later date. Instead, they paniced and decided to trademark some names and mess around that way. They could have done that before the leak and it would have had more intrigue. Either way, I just feel that they messed that part up.

As far as the logo, it's not the worse by a long shot. A little tweaking could be used, but it's a decent logo in my opinion.

Maybe as a Pistons fan, my opinion could be taken with a grain of salt. I just don't think it's all bad.

[FritterGirl]

Okay, just as I feared has happened. News message boards are now saying we are a bunch of whiners, ingrates and complainers. ugh. So embarrassing.

Hi Karrie,

Can you tell us which boards?

[Karried]

Maybe as a Pistons fan, my opinion could be taken with a grain of salt.

Gasp! Blasphemy!

30 lashes with a wet noodle...

okay, convert now and we let you live. lol...

Actually, this whole logo/colors thing is so blown out of proportion.. .. but maybe that is what makes OK so passionate about all things sports?

I just want to relish the fact that in a very short time we here in OKC will be Shouting at the top of our Lungs .. GO Thunder!!!

I'm sort of po'd that all these negative nancys are ruining my fun.

[Blangdon]

Eh...there will always be the naysayers...the kids who throw rocks from the sidelines. But in the end, the curtain will rise and OUR NBA team will step out on the court and the people who don't like the logo or mascot or team or ownership or whatever else don't have to go to the games, buy team memorabilia, watch the games on TV or read the blogs/articles that talk about the Thunder.

Who really cares what they think anyway? Not everyone likes anything and the people who really matter (the REAL fans, and there will be droves of them) will rejoice when they step on the floor for the first time.

Go Thunder!

[BigBoizVince]

Ive just moved here to okc from dallas and im taking down all my mavs stuff in my cubicle and replacing everything with my new thunder gear. The logo and colors have grown on me and I'm very excited to watch our young team grow.

[m2kneo]

real fans? they have been here two months... how can anyone be a real fan... i have pride of where i am from and when we are represented by something as generic and boring as this but i dont own this company so there is nothing i can do but voice my opinion

[Karried]

real fans? they have been here two months... how can anyone be a real fan

???????????????????????

Should we wait until they win a few games before becoming 'real fans' ?

I was a 'real fan' the second I learned they were coming to OKC.

Maybe I'm new at this.. but I've already embraced this team, based solely on the fact that they are OKC's first professional NBA team ( something I never really expected to happen).

Fancy Logo or not, I'll be there supporting this team.

[sweetdaisy]

Karried, what message boards are you referring to? Can you provide some links so we can see what you're talking about?

[ShiroiHikari]

I support the team on general principle, just not the logo, haha.

The thing that bothers me the most about it is that people all over the country are calling us backwards hicks now. I probably shouldn't care what other states think of Oklahomans, but it ruffles my feathers anyway.

[Karried]

I've lost track of the sites I've visited that have mentioned OKC's negative attitude... this quote comes to mind.. from the Sonic's site:

"Seems to me the the OKC fans are the ones crying now. Crying about the name, crying about the logo, crying about the colors. Go to Oklahoma News, Weather, Business, Sports, Entertainment, Travel | NewsOK.com and check it out. About 90% of the posters say they won't buy the merchandise, or support the team. Sheesh, and I'm a crybaby for saying that the team that I've followed for 30 of the 41 years they were in Seattle should of stayed in Seattle. Give me a break. This is all a horrible joke, OKC is paying millions in tax money for a team that they already hate, at least Seattle fans wanted the Sonics, can't say as much for OKC and the Thunder.****************end quote "

[FritterGirl]

I think that Seattle stuff will die down once the first game is played and they see how much enthusiasm there is for the fans.

Nonetheless, the fact that fans had very heightened expectations for the logo, and that it did not deliver, I believe that's just a short-term reaction.

Once season starts they'll get over it and get ready to have fun!

[Hollywood]

I will pull for the team when they play but I cannot believe I am seeing cries for "Political Correctness" about people expressing their opinions about the name and logo. We cannot say anything anymore without fear that it will hurt someones poor little feelings.

As I said, if they are on TV or something I will pull for them. But I am sorry, the logo is a disgrace to the city. You only get one chance to make a first (in this case international) impression and Clay and his cronies have screwed the pooch on that one. I am my own adult and if I don't like the logo there is no reason for me to purchase the merchandise as I am sure will be the case worldwide.

I did my time fighting for this country to express my opinion and will continue to do so. It will be nice when everyone ceases to get butthurt if someone doesn't agree with them.

[Karried]

True, You can always 'say what you want'..... but there just may be consequences .... and it appears that those consequences are that we are now perceived as ungrateful and overly critical.

It's just a logo.

[donbroncho]

As seen through some of my other posts on this, I have been very critical of this logo. But after a day of thinking it through, I have a different opinion on this whole..."flip-flopping" one might say

A little perspective changes everything. We should just be happy that we have a team here, as I never thought I'd see the day when pro sports would be played here. I think the logo will grow on people and the name is fine. And I don't want to be categorized as whiny and ungrateful as well.

Now i just cant wait till the season starts. Hope i can get tickets, especially when they play the Mavs...

[Saberman]

If every one would look at the official press release, they would get the answers they are looking for in this whole logo deal.

Press Release:

THUNDER ROLLS INTO OKLAHOMA CITY

Bennett announced the team’s uniform design is being finalized and will be revealed in late
September as players arrive for training camp. Additional graphic designs are also underway. “The
wordmark and shield, although a proud historic landmark for the team, should be viewed as an initial
primary logo as we work towards additional graphic development of our team identity,” he said.

This is only the logo that will be used as an identifying mark, that is why the "Thunder" is so large so it can be read.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

First - Stop going to Sonics forums. They'll go away instantly.

Second - I could give two rat's asses about the logo...WE'VE GOT A TEAM!

[n8ison]

The team is probably mortified right now that even OKC isn't supporting them.

I think everyone has lost sight of the big picture.

So what you're saying is that it is impossible to show support for the OKC Thunder while at the same time holding a negative opinion against the Logo's and Trademarks?

Fact is, the logo sucks. Maybe the negative reactions will be quelled once the uniforms are introduced, but regardless; people can still support this team even if they don't agree with every move the franchise makes.

I didn't like it when OSU added the flaming brand and ugly font, I was critical of it at time. Did that keep me from showing up and putting my butt in the seat? No!

Oklahoma City had a huge opportunity to continue it's momentum and make a good statement/ impression to the rest of the country and even the world, for that matter.

We ended up with a logo that reads "Thunder OKC" (no other pro-sports franchise has made that mistake) and colors, that when explained, had more to do with sunsets and blue skies than the one weather phenomenon it was intended to represent. It was just bad on so many levels.

However, I will still follow the team and go to games when the finances allow. I'll just do a lot of hoping that the ownership can get right the 2nd time around and hope that the 2nd time around comes real soon!

[metro]

Karried, I think the negative venting is fair. PBC clearly has not lived up to expectations the entire time. There have been THOUSANDS of national and international posters who have commented way more negatively about the lame name and logo than all the Oklahomans who have. That clearly tells us it's a failure on the grand scale. Remember NBA is a worldwide brand, not minor league local brand like we've been used to in OKC.

1.) Aubrey's stupid comments that got a $250,000 fine. How could a billionaire not know media has ways of finding things and posting them online.

2.) Unintentional leak of name (and still did nothing about it, no press release, no PR game, no advertising to drive up hype locally, nationally, and internationally). PBC thought just the hype of the "newness" of a team in OKC would be enough. Do they not realize they've been out about a half a billion and need to sell merchandise on a much larger scale to earn a decent cash flow? Broadcast rights and merchandise sales will what keep this franchise alive long term. As we've learned in Seattle, fan support alone will not keep a team. Again, I'm a HUGE fan of the team, just not the merch, I will be at every game I can cheering my head off and talking about our team to everyone including out of towners.

3.) PBC not knowing deleted emails could be traced or found? Seriously, how did you all become so wealthy and not talk to an adviser or attorney occasionally?

4.) Admitting to not intentionally leaking the logo, and still not doing anything about it. No press conference, mind games, advertising, etc. to drive up interest in the upcoming announcement or even a press release about the leak. They went off sheer honeymoon interest of everyone already excited in OKC and Oklahoma. Nothing further to generate further interest (at least on a traceable scale).

5.) Letdown of colors and logo to the majority of people (approximately 82% of those polled online through multiple polls).

I think it's fair to say the players probably aren't even happy about this logo. I WAS at the press conference and I cheered just as all 1500+ people there pretty much did. I was there at the earlier press conferences when we first announced getting a team and the Hornets press conferences. Us naysayers do support the team. For those of you who were at the press conference, or even look at some of the photos of Wilkens and Mason, they weren't "too happy" when looking at the logo. Look at their comments in the media when asked about it. They basically said everything short of saying they don't like it, without saying it, which they have to stay somewhat positive since they are on the payroll and supposed to be driving up fan support. Look at Bennett's comments, especially the Yahoo article. They basically all stopped short of saying they blew it. I think the team and players clearly know from the more than expected fan support and cheering that we're still behind them, more than Seattle was the last few years. Heck, look at our turnout at the press conference compared to the SOS rallies and the courthouse appearances, etc.

Anyhow, I'll be buying a black practice t-shirt from this summer to make up for the lack of money I'd spend on the one with the Doritos logo with bright colors. Heck, I'd like the logo more if it was black and grey or something.

Anyhow, I'm just waiting until tickets go on sale..........

[DelCamino]

Looks like all the hand wringing on this board is for naught:

Thunder wear sets new record in opening sales period | NewsOK.com

These wild statements of the logo embarrassing the city, or bringing shame to Oklahoma, giving the world a chance to kick and make fun, are silly and egotistical.

...I think it's fair to say the players probably aren't even happy about this logo. I.... For those of you who were at the press conference, or even look at some of the photos of Wilkens and Mason, they weren't "too happy" when looking at the logo. Look at their comments in the media when asked about it. They basically said everything short of saying they don't like it...

There is no way you know this. Your comments, written here as fact, are subjective only your interpretation.

I too was at the press conference and categorically disagree with your impression.

You guys are sucking all the joy out of this whole experience. Try and gain some perspective about the situation, how time allows things to evolve.

[westsidesooner]

Karried, I personally was hoping for a better logo and a black or deep blue and silver color theme. When you have something pictured in your mind you'll naturally be disappointed if it isn't exactly what you had invisioned. Much like your kids at Christmas analogy. So I understand some peoples initial shock and dislike for the logo (although some of the criticism was ridiculous).

But since my initial disappointement in the logo I've let it sink in and its not that bad. Or important. Besides I think Clay will come out with a better logo, like he mentioned at the press confrence. I know he has a lot on his plate at the moment and temporary logos aren't the main concern. I'd hate to have to move an operation like that. Lets give him a break.

As for the color scheme. I love the state flag blue. I've whined in another thread that there aren't as many Oklahoma flags flying around town as there should be. And the redish not quite orangish is a great contrasting color and a thoughtful compromise honoring our states two major universities. So I actually love the combination, and I bet it grows on everyone else.

I hated the costumed Boomer and Sooner at football games and Top Dawg at basketball games when they first showed up, but now they are part of the game. And my nieces loves them. That's good enough for me. We've got the team. Go Thunder!!!

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

....Actually, this whole logo/colors thing is so blown out of proportion.. .. but maybe that is what makes OK so passionate about all things sports?

I just want to relish the fact that in a very short time we here in OKC will be Shouting at the top of our Lungs .. GO Thunder!!!

I'm sort of po'd that all these negative nancys are ruining my fun.

I completely agree. This "getting a new team in town" thing is completely new to me (Unless you count getting the Arena League in the late '80's in Detroit ), but it should be an exciting thing. I guess all these people writhing around just don't see a bigger picture.

I hope OKC can show everyone that it's not like all those cities with newer teams in other leagues that have low attendance year after year. I really want to see this succeed. 5 years ago when I moved here, I never imagined that this city could ever do anything like this. When I think back, I can see how this city has grown from "Wow, what a cowtown!" to something better.


Just don't let those nancy pants whiners get you and your enthusiasm down Karried.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

....2.) Unintentional leak of name (and still did nothing about it, no press release, no PR game, no advertising to drive up hype locally, nationally, and internationally). PBC thought just the hype of the "newness" of a team in OKC would be enough. Do they not realize they've been out about a half a billion and need to sell merchandise on a much larger scale to earn a decent cash flow? Broadcast rights and merchandise sales will what keep this franchise alive long term. As we've learned in Seattle, fan support alone will not keep a team. Again, I'm a HUGE fan of the team, just not the merch, I will be at every game I can cheering my head off and talking about our team to everyone including out of towners...

4.) Admitting to not intentionally leaking the logo, and still not doing anything about it. No press conference, mind games, advertising, etc. to drive up interest in the upcoming announcement or even a press release about the leak. They went off sheer honeymoon interest of everyone already excited in OKC and Oklahoma. Nothing further to generate further interest (at least on a traceable scale).....

These two statements encapsulate my beef as well. Once it was leaked, they should have just had a small presser saying that the name was going to be "Thunder" and that they were working on getting logos, uniform designs and the such to reveal at a later date. People may have still been disapointed, but I think the backlash would have been significantly less in my opinion.

[Midtowner]

I think that we on message boards sometimes think that our collective opinions in some way resemble the collective opinions of those not here. Here we are, maybe 10-20 people having a conversation which maybe 100-200 people will read. In a city of 1.2 million, that is not a very big deal.

National polls should be taken with a boulder-sized grain of salt. Most in the NBA world are still peeved that a team was 'stolen' from its long-time market. In time, I think OKC will begin to feel the same way as our franchise begins to feel more permanent. This move was a wake up call to many fans that their love-affair with their team could indeed be a fleeting experience if their municipal leaders and the ownership can't continue to play nice.

So what do I think of the logo? It's fine. I think that we Oklahomans, for whatever reason have a complex about what we do here -- that everything we do is somehow innately inferior. We may be doing great as a city, but damned if our collective minds don't somehow think that we're 'less-than' because folks in coastal cities might think we still live in tepees and ride horses to work. The logo is just fine folks, it's a base logo and there will be changes and variations on the concept.

The colors? Since most of us grew up wearing crimson and cream or orange and black, blue, 'sunset' and yellow are probably a bit foreign to us, but I think the colors will grow on me.

I'm actually ready to see the team uniforms, I think they will have a very 'throwback'/classic look to them. The color combination isn't hokey at all, in fact, I think it's somewhat risk-taking and maybe even cutting-edge.

The bottom line is that we have an NBA team now folks, the logo is the logo, it's no big ass deal. Quit yer bitchin' and get on the bandwagon. Our owners are not professional media people, nor are our local media, for the most part professional media people. Times will change, people will learn, things will get better.

Really.. don't we have something better to do than bitch about an unintentional leak which wasn't 'properly' (in some folks' opinions) handled by the media as to the team's name and colors? I think I'll focus on how many games this team wins rather than silly sideshows like logo-leak-gate.