Sports and active competition are a major part of  our society. Most days of the week are dedicated to some sporting  event and we just can’t get enough of it. Just like most things, sports can open the door for other marketing opportunities like TV commercials, merchandise sales or team logos. Everyone knows the major designs for our most famous sports teams, but what about some of the lesser known ones? In the world of recreational sports, there are a ton of smaller, non-professional teams that have worked hard and created logos that are just as good as the famous ones.

With some inspiration from the NFL logo, the Mount Lawley indoor soccer team uses a shield to express its strength and it stands out with a bold, black line surrounding it. The ink splatter makes it more unique and gives it a distinct look. The spots that are left on the white background somewhat resemble the black and white of a soccer ball.

Simple and to the point. Outlaw Motor Sports sticks to only a few warm colors that compliment each other and don’t overkill the design. The text looks like a low sunset at the bottom of a mountain with the yellow fading into the red.

I love how the “M” and the horse’s legs seem to run together in this design for the Medaille Mavericks. The design has potential, but does not seem complete to me. The “M” could be reworked a little to flow better and some yellow highlights on the horse may help a lot.

I’m not sure why this monkey is kick boxing or how the monkey itself represents anything that has to do with kick boxing, but perhaps that is the idea behind this logo. It may be meant to cause you to question it. It looks like it is done well, simple, limited color use and memorable, but the monkey just confuses me. At least it does stand out.

The Seattle Orca logo is a great visual for team logos. It has the orca whale as the main focus with a football on its fin as if it’s holding it. The Space Needle in the background is a great addition, representing Seattle and the text is a perfect representation of sea life. Overall, the logo has everything and works great.

I know this qualifies as a video game, but since it also forces you to get off the couch and work those muscles, Wii Sports Resort also qualifies as a recreational sport. The logo is just blue text, but the font used for the word sports has an italicized look as if it is leaning from a swift wind blowing by. It’s a nice, subtle touch that seems to carry a feel of energy.

Magic is a race against your other opponents and also works as a social event. Like most card games, interaction with others is involved and Magic brings the fantasy element to the table. The logo has that fantasy/sci-fi look, like something right out of the pages of a book of spells. This version of the logo briefly demonstrate the detailed work that is displayed on each individual card. They all represent different things depending on what the card is about, but the artwork is pretty amazing in itself.

Uno has a very simple logo with bold, block lettering. The letters have a sleek shine and 3D effect. On the box cover, there is a plain, red background, but the individual cards have the “Uno” name within a red oval with a black background. This oval carries on to all the other cards thereafter.

Sports and logo designs seem to go hand in hand. Every team needs a great logo. If they didn’t have one, what would they display on their shirts or helmets? Recreational games are an enjoyable part of all our lives, why not get involved?

-Nora Reed