Kings Primary Logo
The new Sacramento Kings' primary emblem is inspired by the Cincinnati Royals' classic logo from 1985. It is reimagined to reflect the civic and franchise pride that has lasted and grown for a generation. Now, with a clean, modern look – a reshaped crown, refined basketball, and new typeface that puts Sacramento front and center – the new identity draws from the team’s ambitious beginnings and reminds our region and the world that Sacramento is undergoing a transformation.
2016 - Present
The new primary logo closely resembles the team’s original logo created back when the franchise moved from Kansas City to Sacramento in 1985. A wordmark “KINGS” in purple in between a purple crown and a silver basketball. In addition a wordmark “SACRAMENTO” in white above the basketball.
Making Of: Kings New Logos
Get an in-depth look inside the creation and development of Sacramento’s new logo family from four of the central figures in the design process. Hundreds of intricate concepts and countless rounds of back-and-forth revisions would soon follow, but when Rodney Richardson – Founder and Principal of RARE Design – sketched a preliminary concept of Sacramento’s new logo, he didn’t realize he’d inadvertently found exactly what he and Kings decision-makers were seeking. Read More...
1995 - 2016
In 1994, the Kings radically changed their look, adopting a new color scheme of purple, silver, black and white. The Kings logo comprises of a King’s crown with two spears in the background and a purple basketball at the bottom. A wordmark “SACRAMENTO” in white on a purple banner on top and a wordmark “KINGS” in white on a purple background in the center of the logo.
1986 - 1994
This logo has made the transition to it’s third city, Sacramento. Again the red crown on top with the wordmark “KINGS” in white and a blue basketball on the bottom half of the logo. A new wordmark “SACRAMENTO” in blue on top of the logo.
1976 - 1985
The logo of a crown on top and a bottom half of the basketball was also carried over from the previous logo. The wordmark “KANSAS CITY”, in blue, was placed above the logo. The wordmark “KINGS”, in white, was placed on the crown.
1973 - 1975
The move to Kansas City, brought the same logo with the team. The red crown with the wordmark “KINGS” in white at the bottom and a blue basketball below the crown. The bottom wordmark is now “KANSAS CITY OMAHA” in blue.
1972
In 1971, the team would adopt a red crown with a blue half-basketball below it. The wordmark “CINCINNATI”, in blue, was placed above the logo. The wordmark “ROYALS”, in white, was placed on the red crown.
1958 - 1971
Upon moving to Cincinnati in 1957, the team logo became a basketball with a cartoon face. The basketball was depicted as wearing a crown with the city of Cincinnati within it. The wordmark “CINCINNATI” is featured above the logo while the wordmark “ROYALS” is below. The crown also had the team name on it. This logo is white with blue outlines.
1946 - 1957
The initial Rochester Royals logo featured a blue and white shield with the wordmark “ROCHESTER” on the top in white, with a white banner with the wordmark “ROYALS” on it.