Many teams love to celebrate their history, not least of all because their fans love to buy shirts, hats and other gear emblazoned with commemorative logos. The Nets, however, are in the awkward position of trying to embrace their 35 years in New Jersey while preparing to depart for Brooklyn at the end of the season.
Never mind. The Nets will unveil a special logo as early as Wednesday to coincide with the announcement of the 2011-2012 season schedule. The logo is actually pretty snappy. In the center is a tri-color basketball with the Nets name written in 1970’s era script, an homage to the team’s A.B.A. past. The number 35 in the middle. Below are the years 1977 and 2012, bookends to the team’s often-withered years in the Garden State. A tiny outline of the state is at the bottom in white.
It’s an open question is whether true blue Nets fans in New Jersey will want to shell out $20, $30 or more for merchandise produced by a team that is leaving town in the spring. The Nets, however, feel that it is the right thing to do.
“It will be our farewell moniker,” said Fred Mangione, the team’s chief marketing officer. “As we go out, we want to go out the right way.”
The team got league approval to put the logo on the players’ uniforms. It will also be on the court at Prudential Center and, of course, on a blizzard of merchandise. On opening night, the logo will appear on a magnetic team schedule and Deron Williams No. 8 replica Nets jersey that fans will receive.
At each home game, the team will have a video tribute to the highlights during the team’s years in New Jersey.
More curious is the team’s new tagline, “Jersey Strong Brooklyn Ready.” It covers all the geographic bases. But what is a fan in New Jersey supposed to make of it? That they should be strong because their team is heading to Brooklyn? That they were strong for following the team all these years? They will be stronger once the team is in Brooklyn? These are epistemoligical questions for the basketball gods to answer.
As Mangione said, “Many teams go across the street, but we’re going to be two bridges away and in a different environment.”
*source NY Times
