PHILADELPHIA, December 19, 2016 – After more than 30 years, the National Lacrosse League (NLL), the largest men’s professional indoor lacrosse league in North America, has a new logo. The updated design (which can be viewed along with a brand narrative video on NLLTV) was unveiled and streamed live on NLLTV.com as part of a special ceremony attended by NLL leadership and hundreds of fans at Mohegan Sun Casino. The announcement is part of a bold new chapter for the League as it continues investment in digital technology and strategic partnerships that will transform the traditional sports viewing experience.
“The NLL is the top professional lacrosse league in the world, with the biggest crowds and best players, so after 30 years we needed to modernize our logo to fit the strength and swagger of our League,” said Nick Sakiewicz, Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. “Each part of this design is purposeful; each line, color and symbol specifically chosen to convey unique elements of the League.”
Work on the new logo began with an exhaustive audit, including research and examination into the evolution of the sport and the larger landscape of logos/ brands to ensure that the NLL mark would be truly distinctive. Specific elements of the design include:
NLL STAR: The logo is anchored by a four-pointed star, an acknowledgement of the four original NLL teams from the Mid-Atlantic region. The NLL Star serves as a guide, something to take the League into the future. It is also evocative of the Native American Morning Star, and pays homage to the roots of the sport and the tremendous influence of that community.
NLL SHIELD: A shield wraps the new NLL logo and reflects the warrior spirit of our Native American forbearers and current players, athletes who must exhibit superior strength of mind and body in order to compete at the ultimate level of the sport.
CUSTOM COLORS, TYPE & BEVELING: The flexibility in the color palette allows for the inclusion of all teams, offering them a natural ownership of the logo and the opportunity to customize it to their own team colors. The colors are complemented with a modern typeface, something non-standard that matches the inimitable nature of the League. The beveling of the logo adds a final finish, luster and attitude. The metallic sheen is strong, durable and signals that the League will stand the test of time.
“Our brand must closely align with the aspirations of our fans and business, which is totally focused on the digital, mobile, streaming future of sports viewing,” continued Sakiewicz. “Today is our day, and this new logo is just the beginning of a comprehensive plan to grow the League over the next five years, through key partnerships and the integration of innovative new technologies.”
The announcement of a new logo comes on the heels of other recent developments for the NLL, including a partnership with Sportsrocket, a leading provider of custom media solutions, that will enable fans to live-stream all NLL regular season and playoff games for the first time on NLLTV.com and native device apps, plus receive more highlights and shows than ever before. By providing a digital platform that dedicates itself so strongly to the consumer experience, the League will provide fans with the most action-packed, accessible and engaging content of the box lacrosse world.
A video unveiling the new logo can be watched at NLLTV.com. For more information on the new logo, including footage from the unveiling event, please visit the NLL website. To stay connected to your team, the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, go to: https://twitter.com/NLL.
About the National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America's premier professional indoor lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of nine franchises across the United States and Canada: Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, New England Black Wolves, Rochester Knighthawks, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock and Vancouver Stealth. The 2017 NLL regular season, commemorating the League's 31st year, opens on Thursday, December 29 when the Rochester Knighthawks take on the Toronto Rock at Blue Cross Arena. For more information, visit NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
VIdeo: Brand Narrative
