Previewing the Predators New Logo

The image above is the the logo that the Nashville Predators have used as the crest on their jerseys and as their main logo for the past 13 years. I had a chance today to visit with Chris Parker, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Predators to review the new logo and secondary mark that the Predators will be unveiling next season. Here is the new logo:

The logo has been streamlined and taken from 7 colors to 3. According to Chris, this will allow for easier reproduction onto various forms of merchandise, not just jerseys. The logo is cleaner, and emphasis has been added to make the Predator head look more fierce and to imply forward motion with the horizontal yellow stripe. This logo will be more functional for use in more mediums as opposed to the old logo because of less detail and fewer colors.

The Predators secondary mark, on the shoulder of the jersey, has also been changed.

"The guitar pick ties the Predators to the heritage of Music City, yet the three stars in the center of the logo are to symbolize that this is a hockey team for the entire state," said Parker. The secondary mark in years past on the jersey had been the spire of the tower atop Bridgestone Arena and most recently was the Predator skull logo.


"The benefit of the new secondary mark is that it very marketable well outside of Nashville and our local fan base," according to Parker. The team is looking at using this mark in other forms in their marketing efforts.

The word mark has been altered slightly, with a subtle change in the font. The letter "P" in the word mark and in the initials has been changed to look more like a fang. The initials will most likely be used on the helmets this season.

Parker said that there was a general consensus from the ownership group and the front office that the logo needed to be updated. Focus groups of individual fans along with the corporate community were brought in, and the NHL and Reebok were involved in the process from its early stages. The desire was to update the logo, but Parker said that maintaining a sense of continuity was also critical and would not be sacrificed.

The new logos will be unveiled on the away jersey at the draft. When I asked Parker about what the new home jersey would look like, he just smiled and said that he couldn't answer that question at this time.

He did say the new home jerseys would be unveiled at the Skate of the Union meeting in mid-July.

I asked about the third jersey, and he said that the NHL strongly encourages teams that are making a logo change to not use their alternate jerseys. To that end, he said the thirds were not going to be used at all this upcoming season, but were being, in his words, "set aside". Their future would be determined at a later date.

As mid July approaches, I would certainly be making my plans to attend the Skate of the Union to see the new jersey unveiling.

Home games in Smashville will be sporting a spiffy new look.