The Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer club based in Portland, Oregon, have used a circular crest centered on a T-shaped axe since their move to MLS in 2011. The current primary mark is a simplified version of that original MLS crest, adopted in 2016.
Design and History
The Timbers unveiled their official MLS crest on June 12, 2010, ahead of their inaugural top-flight season in 2011. The design process began more than a year earlier, with the team consulting focus groups of former players, fans, staff members and soccer constituents. The club selected RARE Design, a branding firm known for professional and collegiate sports identity work, to create the new mark.[1][2]
The 2010 primary crest featured a T-shaped axe breaking through the confines of the team’s original crest, with three chevrons below it. The club explained that the chevrons were more than a graphic representation of trees: they paid tribute to the team’s three eras of professional soccer, the NASL years (1975-1982), the USL years (2001-2010) and the move to MLS.[1][3] The new identity was based on the shape of the team’s original crest, a circle representing unity, wholeness and the pursuit of perfection.[1]
Shortly after the initial unveiling, the club released a revised version of the logo following fan feedback. The updated crest made slight changes, including the removal of some bright green shading within the axe image.[4] The full identity system introduced alongside the primary crest included a secondary crest, a stand-alone axe application, a supporters-inspired ligature design and a “Portland Timbers” wordmark. The secondary crest was described as a direct take-down of the primary crest, altered slightly to reduce shading in the axe.[5]
In January 2016, the club officially made its secondary crest the new primary crest. This version removed the “Portland Timbers” wordmark and simplified the design to the T-axe with chevrons within a circle.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The T-shaped axe is the centerpiece of the Timbers identity. The club described the evolution of the Timbers as represented by the T-shaped axe, “breaking free of the confines of our original crest, we hold strong to our heritage.” The new Timbers axe was said to represent “the strength, precision and exactness in all we do.”[7]
The three chevrons in the crest represent the team’s history across three leagues: the NASL, the USL and MLS.[3] RARE Design noted that the team “embraced a proud heritage, as symbolized by the 3 chevrons, which represented its rise through 3 leagues.”[8]
The club’s official colors are Ponderosa Green and Moss Green. The traditional Timbers color of Ponderosa takes its inspiration from the pines of Oregon’s forests, while Moss serves as an energetic accent.[1]
Typography and Design
The original 2010 primary crest emphasized the word “Portland” and the connection between the club and the city, with subtle visual cues to the typeface of the original crest carried into the new design.[1] The 2016 crest removed the wordmark entirely, leaving the circular badge with the T-axe and chevrons as the standalone primary mark.[6]
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