Spurs logos evolve from bold and bright to simpler design
By Roy Bragg - Columnist | San Antonio Express-News
November 9, 2017

San Antonio Spurs Primary Logo 1990 - 2002

Sports logos help brand a team, but they also work on a primal level, said Bret Miller, a Denver-area sports fan who runs Sports Logo History (sportslogohistory.com), which sprang from his hobby of tracing the original cities of sports franchises.

Like a national flag, or a military crest or even a gang tattoo, a team’s logo gives fans or followers something to rally behind. Most people, Miller said, want to be affiliated with something bigger than they are.

“Logos are, in the truest sense, where the fan can physically connect with the team they are passionately following,” Miller said. “Whether it’s on caps, jackets or shirts, the logo is how the fan can be a part of the team (for which they would die.)”

The logo gives cachet to the fan of the winning team. The logo displays loyalty for fans of the losing team.

The worst-kept secret in sports marketing is how logos are tweaked or altered to sell more merchandise.

While that’s true, Miller said there might be more to it than that.

A new logo is a way of luring new fans. Newer designs appeal to younger fans. Older fans are already invested emotionally, so they will upgrade their inventory of team gear.

Excerpt from San Antonio Express-News - link to the full article