The Minnesota Timberwolves have a new logo. You probably knew that already, since the logo apparently leaked on Reddit earlier in the day.
But the new branding is here to stay -- complete with Seattle Seahawks coloring.
Via Twitter:
#Twolves unveil new team logo, which will be implemented beginning with the 2017-18 season. Full logo: pic.twitter.com/CTq17I4KOT
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) April 12, 2017
The new logo was designed by RARE Design, owned by Rodney Richardson. ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently interviewed Richardson for a feature piece about the design, and in it said the Timberwolves wanted the new look to be both a nod to their past without succumbing to being “too nice”. The result is a howling wolf logo that looks similar to their current alternate mark.
Via ESPN:
Richardson and his team took in all the feedback, scanned Minnesota’s old logos and uniforms, and formed a general idea of what people seemed to want. The actual drawing comes last. Richardson doesn’t sketch anything until he can write out something of a mission statement, confined to a few sentences on a scrap of paper, encapsulating the qualities the logo should represent. His card for the Wolves read:
With fierce determination we will defend, and we will devour. We will be smarter. We will be stronger. We will be together. We will be ... a Pack.
The logo was introduced to fans in Minnesota during halftime of their Tuesday night matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team played this video on the big screen to introduce the new look:
Welcome to the New Era. #NewEraNewLook https://t.co/STDKfWVMrJ
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 12, 2017
Minnesota will also reportedly get rid of their jerseys and floor design, which is a welcome piece of information. The Timberwolves probably have the worst court in the league, so it will be nice to see their harsh two-tone look go away.
Meanwhile, I’m still not personally sold on these colors. They look like the Seahawks, and as a Seattle resident myself I’m not sure they look better than the teal the team had before.
The logo is definitely cool, although the design over the current alternate is negligible. There’s also considerable chatter that the round logo looks a lot like other teams, or perhaps a blog, and that the howling wolf is reminiscent of the Arizona Coyotes.
To each their own I suppose. Here’s hoping Timberwolves fans are digging the look, since they’ll be the ones buying all the teal-and-neon-green gear next season.