The LA Clippers unveiled a new visual identity on February 26, 2024, ahead of their move to the Intuit Dome for the 2024-25 NBA season. The rebrand replaced the previous mark introduced in 2015 and returned the franchise to its nautical roots with a familiar but elevated colorway of naval blue, ember red, and Pacific blue.[1]
Design and History
The current primary logo features a Clippers “C” that surrounds the points of a compass and an oncoming ship with basketball seams on the hull, a nod to the organization’s maritime roots and a symbol of its direction.[2] The design pays homage to the team’s origins in San Diego, where the franchise adopted the Clippers nickname because the city was known for the great sailing ships that passed through San Diego Bay.[3]
The visual identity was created by Doubleday & Cartwright, a Brooklyn-based sports branding agency whose clients have included Nike, Apple, LA Galaxy, LA Dodgers, and Inter Miami.[4] The rebrand also included a modernized version of the classic Clippers script that adorned uniforms from the 1980s through the mid-2010s.[5]
The previous identity, introduced in June 2015 under new owner Steve Ballmer, had retained the legacy colors of red, white, and blue while adding black to provide a modern edge.[6] That 2015 mark featured a primary Clippers wordmark with curved lines said to symbolize the horizon of the ocean as seen from the bridge of a Clipper ship, plus an LAC monogram depicting a blue “C” wrapping around the “L.A.”[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 2024 logo’s compass points and oncoming ship reference the franchise’s maritime heritage, while the basketball seams on the hull connect that nautical imagery to the sport.[2] The team described the new marks as blending “bedrocks of our past and our future,” capturing both the organization’s roots and its aspirations as it moved to a new arena.[3]
The rebrand’s colorway of naval blue, ember red, and Pacific blue was described by the team as an “elevated” version of the franchise’s traditional red, white, and blue palette.[7] The uniforms also featured a Pacific blue trim that the franchise said represents “the horizon line of the ocean.”[3]
Typography and Design
The 2024 logo uses a custom typeface inspired by naval typography, according to the team.[8] The naval-inspired font appears in the primary logo, on the uniforms, and in the design of the playing surface installed inside Intuit Dome.[3]
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.
