The people who designed the uniforms and logos for the Squirrels have worked their magic in Reading, and there's something wrong with it, according to this sportslogos.net article.
The Reading Fightin Phils, like our Squirrels, have a hot dog vendor who dresses like he's riding a bird with a long neck (not like Naomi Campbell). We have the flamingo, and he has an ostrich.
You know how the Squirrels' branding focuses on characters and such? Well, the Phils are using in their primary and other logos an ostrich putting up his fists (I would say another word to complete "putting up his _____," but my brother's wife is a UNC fan).
This might be standard minor-league stuff if not for the different identity the Phils will have on the road.
Richmond has Zinger the Acorn, and Reading has a hot dog, "the Bunbino." The teeth-gritting frankfurter is the centerpiece of the look that relegates the name of the city to the sleeve while the wordmark on the front reads "Baseballtown." Maybe that title will catch on in Reading, but what claim to it does the city have?
My grandfather, a Redskins fan, hates the Cowboys, and one thing he doesn't like is the fact that they're called "America's Team," but at least it was someone outside the organization who gave them that moniker, and it stuck. Baseballtown is just something that originated with the club.
But come to think of it, so are the "nicknames" that don't live up to the word "nickname" like those bestowed in the 19th century, but are used in promotions and merchandising, and, in this age of sports branding, are actually part of formal club names.
I digress; when the Phils are in Richmond, that Baseballtown/Bunbino look is all we'll see unless any of us decides to go up there and see them play at their home ballpark.
Minor league baseball has made leaps and bounds in logo design over the years, and every club wants to distinguish itself from all the rest, but still, go figure.
Enough from me; Chris Creamer has the full story.
