Yesterday we took a look at the 2010 Logo Set for the MLB Postseason. What's interesting about the logo's is that they are so different than logos used 2007 and earlier, but very similar to logos 2008 and later. The argument that I'm presenting, is that we are witnessing (very slowly) the idea of the Post Season as the Fall Classic. It's been referred to as the Fall Classic for a while but in terms of logo art, the idea of “Fall” has really been pushed on us.
Let's first take a step back, yearly logos for the World Series as far as I can tell, started in 1974. They changed (in terms of shape) yearly until '78 where the '78 and '79 logo's were nearly identical (note all images are from Sportslogo.net):
After 1979, the World Series had essentially the same logo from 1980 until 1986. The big initial change for this logo switch was for the first time since 1977, MLB put the year of Series in the logo, which was necessary to tell the logos apart from each other. And then they had the same logo from 1987 until 1991. If you notice, up until this point, the message in the art is baseball, and Americana (ie. Red, White and Blue):
Starting in 1992 thought, the concept of “World” really came into play in the art again. The MLB kept the idea of keeping the same logo set from 1992-93, changed the color for '94 (although there was no series in 94), then they changed the color of the logo in '95, and then changed the color again for the logo for '96 and '97:
Honestly from above, they all look incredibly similar, with the exception of the 1995 logo. The main common theme that started in 1992 and really will be pictured all the way through to 2007 is this idea of the globe, especially the globe designed in this grid form. After '97 season, the logo took slight change for the '98 and '99 season:
This was the first time the logo got more dynamic looking. The key characteristic of this logo was that it formed the bridge to the 2000-03 logos, which all looked very different, except for a few common themes that linked them together. The 2000 logo also really started this notion for a while (in fact until this day) that year to year the logos need to be different. Here is the first set:
So two themes here. The first is the one that started in 1992 of the globe that is portrayed like a grid. This look continues for a few more years. The one theme that starts in 2000 and ends in 2003 is this sweeping or flying baseball across the back and in front of the logo. Besides those themes (and of course the MLB logo and year) these logos on the whole are different and unique. The next set of similar logos started in 2004 and ended in 2006:
Once again, the grid sphere. However where the sphere has generally maintained a common shape over the years, it was stretched, then became an actual sphere, and then streteched again. Two things I wanted to point out before moving on are the pennants in the '04 logo and the stiches on the '05 logo. Now here is my opinion, the 2006 logo is really the last logo for this concept of “World” in world city. Using the ability to see beyond the year 2007, looking at all of the logos toghether, the 2007 logo becomes the bridge to new fall theme because it downplays the global-grid theme:
Notice that the two other symbols pointed out in the 2004 and 2005 logos are in the 2007 logo above. It still has a circular look to it, but at this point is it a world or is it a baseball? Of course they want you to think its both (again a shout out to 2005) but its really the end of this “globe” idea. Starting in 2008, the fonts, colors (which I'll argue starts here), and symbols start to change to push this idea of “Fall” and “Classic”:
It is obvious from the above, that 2008 is the official start of a new set of logo design. First the words “Fall Classic” have been added to each logo. Also the colors, continuing from 2007 (thus my arguement for it being a bridge) are muted, they feel older and more classy. The fonts have now changed as well. They have left this space like, futuristic feel to return to a “classic” font. Also, outside of the word “World” there is no feeling of “World” which hadn't happened since 1991. Finally, the most crucial symbol addition is the leaf at the bottom of the symbol.
If I was more cynical, I would say this is a push to make the World Baseball Classic or appealing, because of the play of Classic but I think it has more to do with the Super Bowl and other major sports. Baseball's arguement for America's game is that has been here for so long so this push for classic, especially the Fall Classic is a push to keep reminding people that there is so much history in this game.
