Louisville hasn’t been home to a pro basketball team since the late 1970s when the Kentucky Colonels, a member of the ABA, folded after the ABA was absorbed by the NBA. Since then, we’ve had a fair share of semi-pro teams from the dreaded CatBirds of the mid 1980s to a very short lived Kentucky Colonels in 2004 when ABA 2000 formed.
Since then Louisville has tried to lure an NBA team whenever one has looked to relocate to a new market. As recently as 2010, Louisville made the short list when the then Charlotte Hornets left for greener pastures to New Orleans. Honestly, I’m not sure if anyone outside of the 502 area code ever really took Possibility City as a serious possibility. Until recently.
A few weeks back, Darren Heitner, in his piece for Forbes, touts Louisville as the ideal home for a relocating NBA team. This got our folks thinking. What if? What if investors and the city did land a team?
Instead of keeping the said NBA’s team moniker, let’s assume we’d tap into our pro basketball heritage and rename the team the “Kentucky Colonels”. What would that new mark look like?
Here are a few ideas our creative team came up with….
Dennis Bonifer | Does it have to be a Colonel?
I wanted to create a mascot that would be indigenous to the region. I wanted to some how incorporate a Fleur di Lis into the mark. And, finally, I wanted the new icon to be able to have a natural doppleganger as a physical Mascot, not just something out of the blue – I’m talking to you Boomer, of Indiana Pacers fame.
I landed on a raccoon. Sure it’s a stretch for a team called the “Colonels”, but why not?
They are native to the region. A Fleur Dis Lis could be subtly created within its mask and markings. Plus, raccoons are quick, shifty, agile and would make natural ball thief – in an anamorphic Disney character kind of way. And what kid wouldn’t want to watch Colonel the Raccoon goof-off on the sidelines? I also tapped into the original color of the old ABA Kentucky Colonels, chartreuse green, because it’s not only a crazy hot color these days, but it’s a color scheme our new Kentucky Colonels could own within the NBA.
Donovan Sears | Kentucky Attitude 
This mark represents a modernized take on the original colonel – giving him some much needed attitude.
Chaney Given | It’s a basketball with a big hat (and mustache)… It’s funny
When brainstorming about Kentucky Colonels iconography, one particular thing kept coming to mind — the mustache and beard. I drew a quick sketch of a basketball with the facial hair as a joke, but the more I looked at the doodle over the next couple of days the more I started to think it could possibly work.
And there you have it, a Kentucky Colonel basketball.
Mary Kate Zihar | Nitty Gritty 
Since I have a background in drawing, I wanted to incorporate my own style into the logo. I liked the thought of having the Colonel look mean and gritty, instead of a happy old man with a white beard and suit. I wanted him to be someone you don’t want to mess with. Which, I think is a trait you want in a team mascot.
Arica Johnson | Sword Play
I wanted to venture outside of an actual Colonel persona. After fiddling with a few ideas, I ended up going with a sword. I think the sharp edges of the mark and the vibrant colors say “BRING IT!”
Chelsea Grider | Good Ol’ Kentucky Badassery
For my Kentucky Colonels NBA logo, I knew I had to pay homage to the classic ABA Kentucky Colonel logo used for the team from 1967-1976. I kept a similar color palate to the old logo – Kentucky Wildcat Blue & Louisville Cardinal Red. If a NBA team did finally land in Kentucky this would be a great way for diehard UK and UofL fans to join together and cheer for one team, UNITED! I incorporated the red, white, and blue basketballs that can be seen in the original KC logo, and were also used during games. I gave the Colonel a more modern simplified look, as well as a more “bad ass” demeanor. I also included the Fluer de Lis to represent the teams home city, Louisville. BRING THE COLONELS BACK HOME!”
Jim Deweese | Kentucky Cavalry
My idea was to get away from the Southern gentleman and take another meaning – the military colonel. (One of the commenters kind of stole my thunder with the whole military angle, but it was too late to start over!)
I started thinking about Kentucky’s history of being the home of armored cavalry training at Fort Knox for decades and I wanted to give nod to that heritage. I wanted to work in the legacy color of the old Kentucky Colonels, chartreuse, but it could easily be modified to match the black and gold of the US Army.
Plus, I think the theme really has legs for in-arena atmosphere. I love the idea of a uniformed mascot running around the arena with a chrome helmet and a riding crop, dunking off trampolines at half time (Think a hyperactive George S. Patton). T-shirt bazookas. Bomb sound effects when the home team hits a 3. Alternate uniforms with military themes. A dance team called The Special Forces.
These are all great but I love Chaney’s the most! I can even see it as a full-body mascot: dressed just like Colonel Sanders from the neck down, but having a huge facial hair laden basketball for a head. Plus with the obvious nod to KFC, I bet the guys at Yum! would like it too!
I’m gonna have to go with the raccoon (maybe add a little foam to the mouth to give him more of an edge).
Someone’s gotta say it… I think you might run into some objections extending the traditional “colonel” stereotype into the NBA demographic.
I love Chaney’s. Colors, mascot, everything about it.
Great effort by all, but I have to give it up to Donovan Sears for Kentucky Attitude. I like the Colonel is mean and gritty, incorporating Mary Kate Zihar’s same idea of someone you don’t want to mess with. I’d be a fan of maintaining the gray but replacing Donovan’s red with the original chartreuse green as Dennis Bonifer suggested, keeping with the heritage AND being unique in the NBA.
The original logo from the 70s is way better than any of these
Hi Jack!
We’d be happy to open up the exercise to anyone who wants to submit a logo concept! We’re not an exclusive bunch!
Heck,we’ll even add it to the blog! Would you like to give it a shot? If so, send it my way – katy@current360.com
Katy
Although I have to forgive him for being a UK fan, I’d go with Dennis Bonifer’s raccoon. I like his descriptive characteristics of the animal, as it pertains to a basketball team. My only question is how many fans will identify the drawing as a raccoon, versus, say, a wolf?
A raccoon and chartreuse??? C’mon Duane man…really? Ive known you 35 years and you give me this.
Have to agree though that any extension of the actual “colonel” image throws it into Ole Miss territory where your forced to change your mascot into something innocuous like a Black Bear as they did.
So upon further review maybe the raccoon is our fall back mascot after the media skewers us for our natural / historical choice.
In that case the raccoon is brilliant. Kudos.
Glenn: That was Dennis who created the logo. You should know that I’m enough of a sports traditionalist that I would be in favor of a slightly updated Colonels’ logo from the 1974-75 ABA championship season.
LOL….I knew it was Dennis….unfortunately my fingers didnt. Was typing so fast plugged in the wrong brother.
Great job by all! Still in shock that the response was so strong. Just shows how high the level of NBA interest is in Louisville, Kentucky!
The naysayers tend to be louder than most because they are scared of change.
@nba2lou applauds the ‘Current 360′ team for designing these awesome logos judging by the feedback we received via Facebook, Twitter, Instragram and email… I’d say there is a ton of support for the NBA in Louisville.
Keep up the great work!
Phil
@nba2lou
I like the raccoon because we sure have a lot of them in Kentucky. Also the actual colonel as the mascot is too predictable as well as the team colors Red, White and Blue. The new colors displayed in the raccoon’s logo are very different from anything the NBA has seen in a while.
these are not suitable logos, despite valiant attempts. the muse obviously is eastern kentucky’s mascot, but it doesn’t quite carry the prestige that being a kentucky colonel carries in actuality. we don’t need to water down the basis by cartoonizing iconography and making it marketable. let’s find a symbol besides a redneck with a stache and cowboy hat. this isn’t texas. we’re are true southern gents here with class, not a bunch of cowboys.
ps: the originaly logo is not suitable either. this is not kanas city, and that’s what it seems to portray.
My favorite is the raccoon! Also could do something with an eagle, inspired by the colonel insignia used in the army.
You stole my thunder Brad! Mine is posting today and I took a military angle, but I didn’t go with the eagle. Great minds…
New favorite. Chelsea’s Hank Williams looking Colonel has now taken over my top spot. Awesome. I like that the Red, White and Blue is incorporated but doesn’t necessarily have to be the teams colors. I’m a fan of the navy look with whatever alternate color. Different from most of what’s already out there in the NBA.
I like the colors best in Chelsea’s. Donovan’s reminds me too much of KFC but I like it.
One thing that’s huge is support from *today’s* NBA players, which lean heavily into Hip Hop and not so much Country themes.
Keep up the good work!
All neat ideas and I hope that the NBA does put a team in Louisville. I’m partial to the historical Colonel name, though I understand the connotative concerns. That said, I think the nickname Kentucky ‘Coons would be far worse.
My favorite is Donovan’s update from the 70s design while Chelsea’s simply looks like Hank Williams, Jr.
I like the color scheme of Bonifer’s. And I like the overall design of Sears’. But I think we could make a move for another mascot. Kentucky has so many kickass things. We could be The Kentucky Miners, The Kentucky Pioneers or The Kentucky Stillers (short for distillers). And the obvious horse stuff, but I didn’t want to get too cliche.
I like Chelsea’s, the color scheme is great, I like that you can’t see his eyes (which adds to the badassery)…that guy just looks like he’s going to mess you up hahaha. I think this logo could get beyond the “hip hop” culture because of the attitude and “swag” it brings, and there’s something to be said for the younger generation’s love of southern hip hop, which seems to have roots in the artists being “country boys” (i.e. Nappy Roots). Plus, I like that it sort of has a Hatfield & McCoy feel to it
We need to drop the Colonels name altogether and get with the times.
I’m for the raccoon. I am tired of the ol’ southern gent idea and the big KC makes me think more of Kansas City than Ky Colonel. I know that the arena is the KFC center and they are probably pushing for the colonel to continue branding.
I appreciate the subtle fleur de lis idea too! Maybe some more vivid colors for merchandising, but I also understand using historic colors that would be unique in the current NBA. I just can’t get on board with the colonel.
As a branding professional this contest is a no brainer. I’d say it’s between Chaney and Chelsea. Looking good!!! (If I was pressed I’d give advantage Chaney) And let me know if you need logo merchandise! : )
All of these ideas are outstanding. I agree with Dennis on the name. I would like to see something other than a Colonel. Maybe something with a horse racing theme. I don’t think Louisville can support an NBA team. Miss working with you guys. I hope all is well.
Raccoon? Seriously? I’ve got more opossums in my hood.
Griders-Looks like Hank Williams Jr or something?
Sears-Looks like a knockoff of KFC .
Johnson-In todays culture no weapons.
Deweese-The colonel (a ky one) is a southern gentleman and putting a war machine…too polarizing with war going on.
Zihar–black and white won’t work and making him in color might ruin you thought.
Gotta go with Chaney’s-Really very good design and like the in-motion effect.
First off, nicely done and thanks for helping continue the conversation.
Couple things to consider here:
1. When I saw the raccoon, my first thought was of the shortened name of the animal. Even if it’s only a mascot and not an official nickname, I’m not sure I’d want that associated with the team.
2. I get and appreciate trying to tie Louisville into the Colonels logo, but does the fleur de lis accomplish that? Would someone from out of state make that connection?
As a tangent of the last question, does the name have to be Kentucky? Would the state support a team named Louisville? There have been teams named Louisville Colonels in the past, most notably the city’s baseball teams up through the early 1970s.
I’m fully aware of Louisville vs Kentucky, the city vs the state, but are we shortchanging basketball fans out in the state? Would the team name really keep someone from Lexington or Bardstown or Bowling Green from becoming a fan or coming to Louisville for a game? Or could the Louisville Colonels bridge the divide between the city and state?
Just some other things to think about. Again, thanks for doing this.
PS — What about the uniforms?
Great ideas and thank God you are going with “Colonels” as a logo. Any attempt to create another purple bat in this town will be met with great resistence on my part….!
Ok, I have to go with the logo with the light blue and bearded basketball.
I have lived in KY all my life and have seen one raccoon. Perhaps an opossum would be better? The tank idea is dead because Ft Knox is shutting down as a armour base. The fully bearded colonel looks too much like Hank Williams, jr. I like the logo with the sword, but the “shield” needs to go. It looks midevil. The black and white logo looks like Johnny Reb of Ole Miss and we don’t want to end up with a bear like they did. My second fav is the red and gray colonel. I just wonder if that doesn’t look too “Confederate” and since the NBA is primarily a black culture society, anything to do with the Old South is domed to be met with protest.
Good luck guys!
Why does the team name have to be the Colonels? Its unoriginal and produces to much stigma of old whites guys making fried chicken.
I have thought about this team name for years, and found it the most fitting:
The Kentucky Cavalry.
The traditional military definition of cavalry is troops that are trained to fight on horseback. A cavalry is also defined as a highly mobile army unit using vehicular transport, such as light armor and helicopters. I like Cavalry because it (a) references Kentucky’s equine industry (which is what the state is mostly known for) and (b) pays homage to our local military bases, such as Ft. Knox, home to armored brigades and cavalry regiments past and present.
An opportunity to make a cool new logo, with tanks or armored soldiers charging into combat on a horse (but we can still keep the cool looking “KC” logo from the past for nostalgia and throw-back jerseys).
Show the world that Kentucky/Louisville doesn’t have to recycle old ideas/team names like the SuperSonics, Hornets, or Kings. Its an opportunity to create something from the ground-up like the OKC Thunder; driven by local grass-roots effort and originality.
Make a new logo with this in mind please!
I like the Kentucky Attitude logo the best, but I think the face should be changed to a basketball like Chaney’s logo. Keep everything the same in the design but add a basketball as the face.
I am an Indiana Hoosier, born and bred. I love basketball, and I love the Indiana Pacers. I greatly dislike Kentucky (rivalry, and all that [not to mention Indiana is just plain better in every possible way]). But I hope and pray the NBA eventually adds the Kentucky Colonels. It’s been too long since the Pacers beat them.