Orleans is known for two things: jazz and football. Anyone who loves American football probably knows one of the most legendary teams, the New Orleans Saints.
Being completely "green as grass" in the 80s and unable to afford a luxurious life, the team achieved unprecedented success after the arrival of Tom Benson, a successful automobile dealership owner. Today, maintaining a solid status, the team can afford expensive houses and luxury cars, travel to expensive places like Dubai, rent a car from Sharjah airport upon arrival with a driver, or use a superior car rental without looking at the budget.
But back to basics. With a history spanning over five decades, the team has become a symbol of New Orleans and an integral part of its unique culture. Today, we will discuss the Saints' iconic team logo, which has undergone several changes over the years. Here, we will examine the history of the team's logo, its evolution from inception, and its significance in the club's history.
Let's start with the Origins
New Orleans Saints Primary Logo 1967 - 1999
The original logo was created in 1967 by the local artist Milt Joffre. A plain black fleur-de-lis, French ‘lily flower,’ was chosen to represent the city's French heritage. The design was picked because it was easy to reproduce and recognize. In this way, it was later used for the first 20 years of the team's presence. The team added a black contour to the fleur-de-lis in 1980 to make it stand out better on white helmets. Later, in 1996, the team modified its colors from black and gold to black, gold, and white. As a result, the original logo was updated, incorporating a white outline around the fleur-de-lis to complement the new color scheme.
New century, new design
New Orleans Saints Primary Logo 2000 - 2001
In early 2000, the Saints underwent a significant rebranding, which included a new logo and uniform. The new logo represented a more stylized fleur-de-lis, tilted at an angle with more curves than the original design. The new logo also included a black and gold color scheme with a touch of silver, symbolizing the Mississippi River.
A few years later, a new logo was designed to give the team a more modern look and to draw fans' attention away from past defeats. Fortunately, it was well-accepted by the fans and did nothing but help rekindle excitement for the team. In 2006, the Saints had their most successful season, reaching the championship game. Moreover, the team's success continued in 2009 when they won their first Super Bowl title. In 2016, however, another little branding change was made. A black frame appeared around the fleur-de-lis to improve visibility on TV coverage.
The New Orleans Saints logo is among the most recognizable in sports today. So now, whenever you watch a football game, pay attention to the game, design, and logo, as it can sometimes tell a lot about the team.