Clippers Primary Logo
The Los Angeles Clippers have a long and storied history with their primary logo. The team was first established in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves, and their original logo featured an orange basketball with a blue outline, inside of which was a white buffalo head. This design would remain unchanged until 1976 when the team relocated to San Diego and changed its name to the Clippers. At this time, they adopted an updated version of their previous logo featuring two crossed swords behind a red shield that contained both the new “Clippers” name along with another depiction of the buffalo head from before.
This version remained in place for more than 20 years until 1997 when it underwent some minor changes such as updating colors to match those found on newer uniforms being worn by players at that time (blue/red/white). Additionally, they removed all text from within the shield itself leaving just the image alone - making it a much simpler yet still recognizable symbol fans could identify and easily recognize even without words associated with it. Finally, 2005 saw a major overhaul entire design process: instead using traditional sword-and-shield motifs seen in earlier logos; now there were simply three stars above the letter "C" representing the California state flag while also creating a unique look that wouldn't be confused with any other NBA franchise's emblematic imagery!
In conclusion, over nearly 50 years since its inception back in 1970 Los Angeles Clippers have gone through several iterations of primary logos but one thing remains constant: iconic imagery has always been the part identity of this beloved franchise no matter what changes may come about with future designs or color schemes used throughout course organization's history!
2019 - Present
Wordmark “CLIPPERS” in black with a silver lining in between two arched horizontal red and blue lines on either side. A basketball with the initials “LAC” in the center of the basketball and above the wordmark.
The team changed the shades of red and blue.
2015 - 2019
The curved lines in the primary Clippers wordmark symbolize the horizon of the ocean as seen from the bridge of a Clipper ship – alluding to the team’s nautical theme roots. Unique, iconic and a distinctly “L.A.” logo, the Clippers new LAC monogram depicts a blue “C” wrapping around the “L.A.”, literally embracing the city. The stacked LA also takes the shape of a basketball court signifying “LA Basketball”. In addition, the silver lining seen in the Clippers wordmark signifies the renewed collective optimism of Clipper Nation.
2011 - 2015
The Clippers logo in 2011 is with an updated wordmark “LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS” and corrected the lines on the red outlined basketball.
1985 - 2010
Apart from swapping Los Angeles for San Diego, the Clippers are using the same logo as was used in San Diego, only adding the city of “LOS ANGELES” in blue.
1983 - 1984
In 1983, the Clippers unveiled a breezy royal blue wordmark “SAN DIEGO CLIPPERS” superimposed over a red-seamed basketball, the logo they’ve essentially had as their primary logo for the past 28 years.
1979 - 1982
For their first few seasons in San Diego, the Clippers sported a abstract motif of three large white masts on a blue circle with an orange sun over the wordmark “SAN DIEGO” in blue and “Clippers” in red.
1972 - 1978
The final logo for the Braves is a red feather hanging off a large blue letter “B” over the wordmark “BUFFALO BRAVES” in red.
1971
The original Braves logo is a blue buffalo on a yellow basketball topped with red feathers over the blue wordmark “Buffalo Braves.”
