The new Jets logo has been unleashed and it is a huge win for me.
There is no point in me even trying to be objective for this article. This logo absolutely rocks my world. It strongly resonates with me personally on several levels.
The Globe and Mail has a write up here. The Winnipeg Press has reported how True North is supporting military charities over the next ten years and it was important to have the blessing of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as reported here.
This is a home run design, classic in style and classy with meaning.
Winnipeg Jets Logo Released With A Bang: 07/22/11 (via JHendrix70)
CTV has a story on the logo here and how Jets fans immediately lined up around the block to buy merchandise.
The demand for Jets gear is so pent up, as the CTV clip illustrated, it is expected they will soon be completely sold out of stock, which is essentially just hats and T-shirts at the moment.
What will happen when the Jerseys are put up for sale? Is it too bold to anticipate that Jets fans may buy more Jerseys at $130.00 – $180.00 in their first season then Thrashers fans bought over a whole 12 years? I know what every kid in Winnipeg is probably going to want under the Christmas tree this year.
The logo has not had universal endorsement and after the jump I will explore that but make no mistake I absolutely love this logo.
The logo has to be decoded, if you are not Canadian you are less likely to 'get it' or fully appreciate it. The logo is based on the Royal Canadian Air Force's roundel. The color scheme is a direct reference to it with a Jet super imposed over top.
Until we have seen the entire jersey it may be wise to hold off on full judgement but a few early critics have said the color scheme is too close to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite similarites in general colors the logo design itself is dramatically different with straight lines in direct contrast to the flowing lines of the Blue Jackets logo.
The Jets logo is one of only 5 primary logos bound completely by a circle. The other 4 are the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres. A nice collection of Cup winners for 3 out of 4 of those teams (no knock to the Sabres intended).
(I know there is alternate jerseys out there that have gone retro to the closed circle and the Wild have hit the brakes with their home jersey by putting it into a closed circle but I am focusing on teams who introduced their primary logos as closed circles)
The closed circle with no spill out gives it a classic feel, something we have not seen since the addition of teams in the 1970s; when the Sabres, Islanders, Oilers and Jets (1979) entered the NHL. The original Jets logo from 1973-1990 covering both WHA and NHL years was also a completely closed circle logo.
The classic closed circle that the Bruins introduced in 1948 has been resurrected in the 21st century. In an age where jersey designs have gotten busy with exploding graphics and spill overflow, the Jets logo returns to the simplicity of the closed circle.
The next feature is the true north compass indicator on the top of the logo.
I had to gently place my palm on my face when I read a post from someone that criticized True North Sports Entertainment for imposing their ownership name onto the logo. True North is a compass feature in planes used for navigation. True North is also a reference Canadians have to Canada itself. The Canadian national anthem contains the line “The True North strong and free” and finally during the Cold War there was a reference among some Canadians that another northern country under a certain political ideology was not the True North, Canada was.
The Maple Leaf with the brighter and shadowed red gives depth to the logo and also puts it in the background of the primary image, so despite the obvious national imagery, it is not overbearing, which in and of itself is very Canadian.
The red color and hard straight lines give it a background feel which does not trek into Toronto Maple Leafs territory. The old Toronto Maple Leaf Logo was also a hard straight line logo but the Jets by choosing the red color and more pronounced angles and shadowed depth have given a wide berth to all historical Leaf imagery on what is certainly one of the most coveted symbols for all Canadians.
The Jet itself is in a silver / grey and shadowed grey, again giving a depth impression. The jet is color crossed with the circle bounding silver grey. This not only contains the entire logo but also ties it to the primary center symbol, the jet. The original Jet colors of red, white and blue have been retained but without the slightest feel of Americana, in fact for Canadian eyes it is RCAF all the way.
The new Jet logo is also the only currently active logo in the entire NHL that is perfectly symmetrical along the y – axis. Others have existed in the past such as the old Hartford Whalers logo but the Jet logo is a return to perfect symmetry, something that has not been as fashionable in the modern expansion era of flowing logos.
The logo suggests speed, clear direction and is highly codified with Canadian national imagery and homage.
I absolutely love it and even if it gets a make-over in the future, I hope the root concept of the RCAF roundel is never lost. This is a class act for the Winnipeg Jets to support military charities for the next 10 years and to pay homage to the Royal Canadian Air Force and to our airmen and women.
The only thing that would have made it better would have been if the Jet outline had been that of the Avro Arrow.
This would have taken it over the top and into the stratosphere. Most Canadians know the story of the Avro Arrow and how at one time Canadian aviation engineers had created one of the the leading Jets in the entire world but for reasons we will not get into destroyed it, rather than continue to develop it.
