So the new Super Bowl logo came out awhile back. A heavily anticipated annual event amongst me and my fellow sports junkies. Much to my chagrin, there is absolutely no conceptual significance behind it whatsoever.  If you check out http://sportslogos.net/team.php?id=593 (a great reference tool) you’ll find every Super Bowl logo dating back to the very first one in 1966. Back then it was too cool to be called the Super Bowl so they simply referred to it as “First World Championship Game AFL vs NFL” Hmmm, wonder how that looks 12 pixels wide reversed on black. If you look through the logos though, it’s quite an interesting historical timeline of American design (as well as the upgrades and new tools that Illustrator has enlightened us with i.e. Super Bowl XXXIII…yea shear tool!)

This brings me to the current 3-Dimensional mess that is the logo for Super Bowl XLIV…
Kids…they made it easy on us! Only 4 characters!!! Not a gazillion like SBXXXVIII. The tradition of using roman numerals is one of the most unique aspects of the SB logo and yet that isn’t even the first thing I see. Jockeying my eye for attention is the gaping upright smack dab in the center of the damn thing. An old professor of mine use to say he could drive a truck through our typography if the kerning was too wide. Instead,  now we can all kick field goals through the most publicized logo on the planet (oddly enough, Michael Strahan’s grin is now the size of Rhode Island, for he no longer has the biggest gap in the NFL). Unlike many of years past, this orange and blue behemoth pays no homage to the actual site of the game (which is in Miami). Just 2 years back, SBXLII’s logo nicely integrated the state of Arizona in the background. Several including 1986 and 1992 pay homage to the Rose Bowl (where both were played). And yet this current  mongolian has no tie to Miami other than the fact that it is orange and is being played at the “Orange Bowl” (bet no one got that connection did they?)

While I’m on the subject, may I quickly also make a request that the NFL goes back to neutral colors for all championship merchandise? Take a look at these Steeler championship hats from last year…

Those are some sweet Seahawks colors, however the look can’t really be pulled off by the other 31 teams in the league. Don’t get me wrong….if the Eagles win the Super Bowl next year, I’ll buy everything under the sun. I just prefer that it doesn’t all look like Chicago Bears merch, thanks! No worries though, I’m sure they’ll lose in yet another heartbreaking NFC Championship game and the burden of buying championship gear will sadly be placed in the hands of Green Bay Packer fans nation wide.