Official New Red Sox Logos and Unis

The Red Sox unveiled their new slate of uniforms and logos tonight at a party at GameOn at Fenway, and I was lucky enough to score a spot on the guest list and snag a press packet. In this post, I’ll share the official logos and uni mockups distributed to the press, and in my next post, I’ll share a whole slew of photos of all the Fenway happenings.

First up, the brand new – yet not-so-new – official logos. The Sox announced that the primary logo will switch from the circle logo to the doublesocked “Hanging Sox” logo, on the left below. Noted Boston fashion designer Joseph Abboud was on-hand for the festivities, and said that there are few logos in sport that clearly and concisely define a team and make it instantly recognizable without the need of any labels or words – and the “Hanging Sox” is that kind of logo. The “Circle Logo” will serve as the secondary, and was updated to change the font lettering on “Boston” to match “Red Sox”.

From the press packet:

The “Hanging Sox” logo – a prominent mainstay in the club’s collection of logos since it first appeared on a Red Sox uniform in 1931 – will become the team’s new primary logo and used more frequently in the future. The “Circle Sox” logo, in redesigned form, will now serve as a secondary logo along with the red “B”. The decision to change was made given the long time iconic stature of the “Hanging Sox”, which possesses an instant appeal and recognition of the team.

All three logos were streamlined to reflect uniformity in font and messaging. The “Circle Sox” logo was further distilled and now the words “BOSTON” and “RED SOX” are in red and appear in the same font as the lettering on the team uniforms. Transition to the use of the new primary logo in signage, collateral and other materials will occur over the coming months.

Next up, the new uniforms. The Sox announced there are now four official uniform options – primary and alternate home, and primary and alternate road. All uniforms use the same font and style lettering. In addition to a new navy alternate road uniform, the primary alternate road uniform, called “retro roadies” by the Sox front office, will feature a Hanging Sox patch on the left sleeve — “the one closest to the heart” (of course).

Home Jerseys – Primary and Alternate

Away Jerseys – Primary and Alternate

From the press release:

Inspiration for the uniform changes started during a “turn back the clock” game against the San Diego Padres on June 22, 2007. The Red Sox wore gray road uniforms from the early 1980s, and team ownership and management were taken with the appeal of the traditional look. The team approached Major League Baseball with the request to design road uniforms that would reflect the heritage and history of the ballclub in a similar way. During the year-long process, the decision was made to extend the design refinement to other uniforms and the logos.

And here’s an additional close-up look at the ballcaps:

Verdict?

I love every single change made… with the exception of the alternate cap. I love the switch back to focus on the doublesocks logo as the primary, and I love the change making the secondary circle logo look uniform in font and style. I love moving back to the retro blue lettering on the away greys, and I adore that they ditched the block 80’s lettering in favor of the uniform, uniquely Red Sox font. I also, suprisingly, like the navy alternate away jerseys- they look sharp.

However, I staunchly oppose the doublesox making an appearance on a game cap. The patch on the shoulder of the away jersey is one thing – but I do not like any deviation from the classic “B” logo on the hat.

Stay tuned! As I mentioned above, I’ll have tons of photos from the reveal party coming up in my next post.

All of the Sox logos, uniform mockups and cap mockups are courtesy of the Red Sox front office and the press packet distributed tonight at the release party.