The El Paso Chihuahuas are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, playing in the Pacific Coast League at Southwest University Park in El Paso, Texas. The team’s name and visual identity were introduced together on October 22, 2013, following a community-wide “Name The Team” contest that drew over 5,000 submissions. The winning name, submitted by fan Shae Vierra, was chosen for its reference to both the popular dog breed and the Chihuahuan Desert that surrounds the region.[1]
Design and History
The El Paso Chihuahuas identity was created by Brandiose, a San Diego-based design firm founded by partners Jason Klein and Casey White. The firm had previously developed brands for the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and Omaha Storm Chasers. Klein and White met with fans, team staff, and community members in El Paso to learn about the region’s stories, history, and personality before developing the logos and team uniforms.[1]
The primary logo features the team name emblazoned in front of a snarling chihuahua wearing a spiked collar.[2] The official team colors are desert red, black, and Chihuahua tan.[1] The full family of logos unveiled at the 2013 event included a classic “EP” mark featuring the hallmark mountain star, a chewed ball and crossbones design, and a swinging chihuahua logo that served as a nod to the San Diego Padres’ “Swingin’ Friar.”[1]
In November 2018, the team introduced a new set of alternate logos for the 2019 season. These included a “Howling Chihuahuas” logo featuring the team mascot Chico wearing a sombrero with “EP” across the brim, two updated El Paso and “EP” marks, and a revival of the “Chile D” pepper logo worn by El Paso’s former Double-A team, the Diablos, from 1999 to 2004.[3]
For the 2023 season, the team unveiled a 10th Year Celebration logo in the shape of the state of Texas, featuring the iconic mountain star of El Paso, gold gradients, the number 10, the Chihuahuas Dog Head logo in the center, and the years 2014 and 2023 in a red banner.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Chihuahuas name was chosen primarily to represent El Paso’s spirit and fiercely loyal community, and to recognize the region’s location in the Chihuahuan Desert.[1] General manager Brad Taylor said the name was selected because chihuahuas “represent fun and are fiercely loyal.”[2] The branding process focused on fun and appealing to kids and families, the team’s core audience.[1]
Brandiose partner Casey White described the brand as embodying “El Paso’s values of independence, community pride, and a fighting spirit.”[1] The swinging chihuahua alternate logo was designed as a deliberate homage to the San Diego Padres’ “Swingin’ Friar,” reflecting the team’s affiliation with the Padres.[1]
Typography and Design
The team’s 2023 brown and yellow alternate jerseys featured the word “Chihuahuas” in the San Diego Padres font across the chest, with the Swinging Dog logo on the left sleeve paying tribute to San Diego’s Swinging Friar.[4] The 10th Year Celebration jersey featured a gold “Chihuahuas” wordmark across the chest with gold and black piping, paired with a black New Era cap featuring the raised Chihuahuas Dog Head logo embroidered in gold.[4]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
