Wednesday, March 3, 2010

What the "Charlotte Flight" NBA logo might look like





Local graphic designer Ryan Powers put together a "just-for-fun" logo for the "Charlotte Flight" -- one of the formerly proposed names for Charlotte's NBA franchise. Thanks to Ryan for letting us show it here.

I've gotten a lot of suggestions for what the Charlotte Bobcats' new nickname "should" be (I advocated that the Bobcats change their nickname in this column in Tuesday's newspaper and online).

I also received the logo above, which I thought was pretty cool. Ryan Powers, a local graphic designer, did this just for fun and sent it along. Charlotte Flight, if you remember, was the preferred choice of many when the Bobcats narrowed their original nickname list to 3 in 2003: Bobcats, Flight or Dragons.

This is all pie-in-the-sky hypothetical stuff, of course -- the Bobcats have made no apparent effort to change their nickname as of yet. Anything like that wouldn't happen until Michael Jordan officially owned the team (he hasn't been approved as the owner as of yet, although that is expected to be an easy process).

But if you have any comments on this logo and/or a proposed "Charlotte Flight" nickname -- which would also play off of Jordan's longtime association with air, jumping and so on -- post them below. And if you've got a better idea, feel free to post that, too.

Want your voice to be heard? Take our survey on the name change and other Bobcats issues.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

Give it up already. I don't understand the big push for a name change. At the end of the day it's still going to boil down to how good the product is. Rather than wasting money on a team name change they would be better suited to direct those funds to promotions, partnerships, etc. The fact of the matter is that Bob Johnson is gone. He's not a bad guy, just didn't run a great team. Keeping the name Bobcats doesn't somehow keep the ghost of him around. Hopefully Jordan will be more hands on and light the necessary fire. I suspect he's going to give it all he's got based on the amount of money on the line.

Anonymous said...

Looks like something that was designed with clipart in less than 10 minutes. Take the old Carolina Cougars logo with ther stretched out cat!

Anonymous said...

Not a fan. Obviously a Carolina fan who wants to try and sneak that blue in there. Give me a break. Why don't we just name them the Tarheels and get it over with.

WashuOtaku said...

I'm all for the name change, but please not the "Charlotte Flight." Makes me think we only a US Air Hub and little else. There are better names out there.

Anonymous said...

Carolina Fire Ants

I live in Charlotte, but would rather see it be "Carolina".

And Fire Ants is just so quirky it's perfect. Come on!

Anonymous said...

Need to get the Hornets nickname back. That has historical meaning to the area...the name derived from the city's fierce resistance to British occupation during the Revolutionary War, which prompted Lord General Cornwallis to refer to it as "a veritable nest of hornets."

Anonymous said...

Barf!! Put a winning team on the floor with an owner that is active in the community and people will come. The name has noting to do with it. If Jordan wants to piss away another $3-10 million to change the name, why not keep the Bobcats name and donate a few million to the schools.

Anonymous said...

Does this mean that we can get rid of the nasty Rufus costume? Does this mean that the orange color can be dropped? HURRAY!

Anonymous said...

Michael Jordan has the Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods disease. Think he's going to buckle down in Charlotte with the Team? I suspect it's more like unbuckle down in Vegas or the Caribbean.

Unknown said...

A graphics designer did that? My 10 year old cousin could do that in MS Paint.

Anonymous said...

Carolina Canker Worms

Anonymous said...

I really don't understand Scott's writing lately. He's just spouting off stuff no one wants to read, basically a "Things I want that no one else cares about" blog.

No one cares to analyze Tiger Woods' apology, or about changing the Bobcats' name, Scott. Can you find a topic that's more interesting?

Anonymous said...

I don't know why the name would have to change, just because the ownership did. I hated to see the name "Hornets" leave though. One aspect of a name change I have not seen discussed here, is the effect on the average fan. For someone that has an interest in the team, but very limited dollars, (which is a lot of people), if they have saved and bought jerseys, etc for a family, they can have a substatial investment in the word Bobcats. Knowing that we need fan involvement, how can you explain to the average fan that they now have to throw away all they have invested in material items, and just go out and purchase more. Not a good way to get off to a good start.

Anonymous said...

Jordan should broker a deal to get the Hornets name back in Charlotte, ship the Jazz name back to New Orleans, and Utah can have a brand new name like the Utah Mountain Lions, Utah Range, Utah Elk, or Utah Mormons.

Anonymous said...

The nickname "flight" is about as manly as the Pinks, Beagles, Sting, Poodles or Sisters. All singular names are feminine (and yes, I'm lumping the Heat and Magic in that as well).

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!

STOP THIS CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leave the name and colors alone and concentrate on putting a winning product on the floor.

Anonymous said...

The proposed name is dumb, and that logo is ridiculous. It's a basketball team, not an airline!

Anonymous said...

WHO CARES ABOUT A NAME!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE IN CHARLOTTE? HOLD GRUDGES MUCH? GET OVER IT ALREADY, BE GLAD WE HAVE AN NBA TEAM, AND ENJOY THE GAMES!!!

AND YES I AM WRITING IN CAPS BECAUSE I AM SCREAMING AND I DON'T CARE.

Anonymous said...

The name "Charlotte Flight" sounds pretty lame. The logo looks the same. Are we promoting a team or an Air Hub? I like the idea of reviving the name "Carolina Cougars" along with a stretched out logo. Let's make this a team NC & SC fans can support, not just the citizens of Charlotte.

Anonymous said...

This team does not need to change its name to Carolina. Have some pride in your city, Charlotte. We already have the Carolina Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes. You want Charlotte to be a first-rate major US City? Stop naming your sports team after your state, which happens to share its name with ANOTHER state. This city will never be anything more than it is now if it continues to overlook its own identity in favor of the state. Charlotte does not have a nationally-recognized or well-known Universtiy or Hospital to distinguish themselves, so at least name a freaking pro sports team after it!

Anonymous said...

hey screeamer the games arent fun to watch get the hornets back and send the bobcats out of here at least it was fun to watch. and if Mj is like tiger r u gunna force him out like my boy George Shinn

Anonymous said...

The problem with the internet is everybody gets a chance to express their opinion and what's worse they actually think that everyone else wants to hear it. Leave the journalism to the journalists.

Anonymous said...

If you want to change the name of the Charlotte, NC NBA team you only have one choice.

TIDYCATS

Anonymous said...

That logo is pretty lame. C'mon Son!

Anonymous said...

What about JordanAirs?

Anonymous said...

First, the logo is terrible - the basketball and plane are in no way fused together to show semblance. Bad, as someone said, clipart.

As for the team name, PTI hit the nail on the head yesterday:

Charlotte Hornets 2 - Electric Bugaloo.

GET A LIFE said...

I vote for the Charlotte Grudge Holders.

Anonymous said...

I vote for either Charlotte Air, Jumpmen, or Flight with the jumpman as their logo.

Anonymous said...

Why not just call them the Carolina Tar Heels?

I am not a big fan of the bobcats logo, but the bobcat logo is to that flight logo, as brooklyn decker is to susan boyle

Anonymous said...

This logo is lame beyond belief. Should I even point out that the "plane" has no obvious means of power? I don't see any rotors... nor do I see any jet intakes. I see some guns or something. So... it's an armed glider or something?

Anonymous said...

The name Flights has no personality, like flight could mean to run away scared or maybe it refers to rich sports players who leave their wives. This reasoning of identity in trying to find a name doesn't work. That would be like coming up with Bob Cats = Mike Cats. Or, like Charlotte Hub, its stupid. Charlotte has no historic soul, like when I moved here and asked what food is Charlotte famous for, someone said, Mexican, wow!. If I had the magic name, it would cost them $30,000 and I wouldn't share it here. Just play the game, suckers.

carolinahomer said...

Unless we can get the Hornets back we need to leave it at bobcats.....and I agree with the majority of post that the logo looks bad.

Anonymous said...

Let's flip it around to Air Charlotte. Nice...

Anonymous said...

I vote for : "Charlotte Cyclones" ! That's a great name...

C.Money said...

Why does the name have to be tied to anything relating to Charlotte? If we're going to name the team after an animal, why can't it be something different with a little bit of an edge, like the Scorpions or the Rattlers or the Yard Dogs. I don't get why the name has to be tied to something about the city or the state. Yes, Hornets was a good name and the historical reference to the Revolutionary War is cool, but lets face it, George Shinn sold his soul to get that name, and we aint getting it back. So let's think outside the box this time and try something different, not the lame "Flight" or the "Trees" as someone suggested way back because Myers Park has big trees. That's just goofy.

Anonymous said...

Queen City Flight would be badass, that logo is weak though

Anonymous said...

Flight is a good name with its ties to Jordan brand and its relevance to the state's history... that logo, however would never get anyone hyped about that name. Take that logo down. Its is doing more harm to your cause than good.

Anonymous said...

The logo should be a Carolina Blue and the "Jumpman" logo of the Jordan brand. Carolina Flight would be another good name but its already taken by a AAU organization in North Carolina.

viagra online said...

I don't really understand what is the need to change the name... that only affects the team as it starts some strange feeling of losing personality!

Anonymous said...

Carolina Cooperheads or Carolina CottonMouths?. Carolina Crocs? But if We do change from the Bobcats to the Flight or the Air, the logo needs to be MJ's Jumpman symbol and the colors of any of the above need to be bold. Something like black & silver(grey)with a hint of teal or light blue

Anonymous said...

I really like Cooperheads or CottonMouths. Its funny that all these people are saying get a life and give it and when they are taking the time to post a comment. If you dont care, dont post anything. But Bobcats is good, the colors are wack tho