Beavers unveil new identity
Building on more than 90 years of franchise history, the Beavers' visual identity signals a new direction for the team while at the same time blending elements of the considerable past of the Portland club that was a charter member of the Pacific Coast League in the early 1900s. A large part of the re-branding initiative is centered on the emphasis of this unique charm, showcasing the Beavers as "Portland's Team Since 1903."
"Over the last several months, we received significant fan input regarding just how valued the long and rich tradition of the Portland Beavers is in our community," said Merritt Paulson, president and general manager of the Beavers. "The new logo and uniforms embrace the history that Portlanders told us is so meaningful to them; the look helps to underscore the fact that the Beavers have been Portland's team since 1903."
The new identity for the Beavers includes a complete color change; new primary, secondary and cap logos; and new home, road, alternate and batting practice uniforms and hats.
Reminiscent of a mark featured by the Beavers decades ago, the new primary logo is a complete redesign from the team's former identity that was in use for seven seasons starting in 2001 when Portland returned to the PCL. Playing on familiar elements from nearly a century's worth of franchise history, the new primary logo features "Lucky," a charismatic beaver swinging from the left side of the plate, encompassed by a round border that includes the phrasing "Portland Beavers" and "EST'D 1903."
Serving as the most prominent visual component to fans, the new look includes entirely redesigned home, road, alternate and batting practice uniforms and caps. Designed by Sandstrom Design and produced through a partnership with adidas, the new uniforms embody the history of the club while forging a distinct and classic new, on-field image.
The new identity takes on a timeless and unique appeal with a Midnight Navy base and a complement of lighter blues and Oregon Beach.
Portland's off-white home uniform is accented in Midnight Navy and features half-inch braiding atop the shoulders, around the neck and down the front of the jersey, reminiscent of classic uniforms worn decades ago. The home jersey includes a custom, three-color "Beavers" script across the chest with the contemporary flair of nameplates stitched on the back.
On the road, the team will wear traditional gray uniforms with Midnight Navy piping and a custom, three-color "Portland" script.
Both the home and road jerseys include the new primary logo on the left sleeve and the modern touches of numerals below the crest.
The new Vintage Sunday uniform is a basic, two-color combination that features a specialized "P" crest on the left chest and white braiding on a Midnight Navy jersey with white pants. This uniform, which will be worn during Sunday home games in 2008, is topped by a white hat with a dark navy bill and a specialized "P" logo that ties in perfectly with the retro jersey. Underlining the classic look is the team's new "Lucky Beavers" logo that is prominent on the left-hand sleeve. Longtime baseball fans in the Rose City will remember the endearing moniker, "Lucky Beavers," bestowed upon the city's professional baseball team in the 1940s thanks to a string of good fortune on the field.
The home cap has a Midnight Navy crown and bill with the team's new cap logo highlighted by a gold "P" outlined in Metropolitan Blue and a beaver swinging through with its tail. The road cap has a Midnight Navy crown, Pacific Blue bill and a similar "P" logo outlined in Metropolitan Blue and filled with Pacific Blue.
The overall identity initiative will incorporate many changes over the next two months leading into the 2008 season, which begins April 3 at PGE Park. This includes updates to marketing collateral, websites, in-stadium displays and advertising campaigns.
A wide variety of new-logo merchandise - including all three official game caps - is available during a special one-day sale at Pioneer Place on Tuesday. Beginning Wednesday, the Beavers team store at PGE Park will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday, Feb. 1. New-logo merchandise will also be available online at www.portlandbeavers.com beginning Wednesday.
The launch comes at an exciting time in team history. In recent months, the Beavers have introduced new team ownership and announced they will play host to the Cricket Wireless 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game. Additionally, the team announced a multi-year deal to televise 20 games per season, the installation of a new, state-of-the-art FieldTurf playing surface at PGE Park, four Oregon State baseball games at PGE Park in 2008 and a variety of new ticket packages filled with attractive new amenities.