Post by David on Jan 25, 2017 15:14:16 GMT -8
1.25.17 -
Two months after its expansion announcement, the Baltimore Arena Football Franchise finally has its new identity by digging into the past and recycling an old name that longtime AFL fans might recognize: the Brigade.
At the Royal Farms Arena, the very building Baltimore will play in, Monumental Sports and Entertainment revealed the team's identity, as well as the team's logo and uniforms for the upcoming 2017 season. According to the press release, the Brigade name was chosen in reference the War of 1812 as well as the iconic poem of the battle that would become known as the Star-Spangled Banner. MSE also added the Brigade's name is a tribute to Baltimore's "rich military history" and "symbolizes the strength of the city and the team playing as a unified force on the field."
The team's primary logo consists of a white and silver block B inside of a navy blue pentagon shape, which is outlined in light blue, and beneath the B is flowing wave design. The pentagon and the wave represent the Baltimore harbor and Fort McHenry, respectively, as well as the "historic brick walls" found throughout the city. According to MSE co-owner and managing partner Roger Mody, the "B" symbol "stands tall to represent the strength of the team and the city, with a flowing wave as a reminder of the power and strength of water, and its vitality to a community."
Three alternate logos were also introduced. Two of the alternate logos feature the Fort McHenry design, one with a star and the other with a light blue "X" through the middle of the pentagon. The third logo features a blue football with the wave design on the bottom end of the football.
Baltimore's alternate logos (image credit: SportsLogos.net)
“Baltimore is a historic and proud city, and we’re thrilled to be able to reveal today the Baltimore Brigade team name as the latest addition to the city’s sports’ landscape,” Mody stated in the press release. “A brigade is defined as a unified military group, so what better way is there to describe our arena football team’s determination and drive to win, while also signifying their city and their dedication to the community.”
The team's uniforms were also revealed. According to the release, the uniforms were made to symbolize the team's motto, which is "One Team. One City. One Brigade." However, longtime AFL fans, specifically those in Portland and Chicago, will notice the uniform templates are similar to what the Rush and the Steel wore. The only differences with Baltimore's uniforms are block numbers (reminiscent of the old Buffalo Destroyers font) and a BALTIMORE script written beneath the collar. The team will have three sets of pants to pair with the blue and white jerseys: navy blue, grey (silver), and white. The blue and white pants will have the Brigade name run down the side of the pants, while the gray pants will say "Charm City" in reference to Baltimore's "famous nickname."
While the Brigade are Baltimore's first ever AFL franchise, the name will be familiar to longtime fans of the AFL. The previous Brigade, the Kansas City Brigade, was founded in 2006 and played for three seasons before the AFL folded in 2009. That franchise's logo also was created as a military tribute, featuring a stealth bomber modeled after the B-2 Spirits stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri. In 2011, the Brigade returned to the AFL under a new name, the Kansas City Command, but retained the logo and color scheme of the Brigade.
The Kansas City Brigade played from 2006-2008
As for the current Brigade, Baltimore will kick off its inaugural season Fri, April 7 on the road against the Washington Valor, which is also owned by MSE.
- DKH
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