Oklahoma City NBA Team Formally Unveils Thunder Name, Logo

The Oklahoma City NBA franchise yesterday formally announced the team will be named the Thunder, and while there was "little suspense in recent weeks that Thunder would be" the nickname, there was "one element of surprise -- the team's primary background color is sky blue," according to Mike Baldwin of the DAILY OKLAHOMAN. Thunder Owner Clay Bennett said of the name Thunder, "We felt it reflected the identity we hope to establish for the team. And thought the word connected to Oklahoma in an effective way, a word of power and strength and clarity. It was a favorite early on. Thunder was the leader for a long time." Bennett added, "We think the logo is classic in its style. We think it's powerful in its design. We think it evokes energy. We think the word Thunder is displayed with simplicity and dignity. And the colors represent much about Oklahoma." Baldwin notes team uniforms "will be unveiled when training camp begins later this month." The Thunder worked with Ackerman-McQueen, Oklahoma City, and the NBA to develop the logo (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 9/4). Bennett said of fan suggestions for the team's name, "Everything that we received, we weighed and we considered and was part of the vetting and the development of the name." Thunder Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Brian Byrnes said Bennett "really took ownership of collecting all the input and directing all the research and vetting all the various examples of the names" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 9/4). Bennett said that the team has "other derivative and secondary logos in development, as well as a mascot" (USA TODAY, 9/4). Meanwhile, the DAILY OKLAHOMAN reported a url appeared yesterday on the NBA Web site, ahead of the official announcement, with "links to merchandise for the Oklahoma City Thunder" (NEWSOK.com, 9/3).

THUNDER ROAD: In Oklahoma City, John Rohde reports the team's color scheme "essentially is a rainbow, consisting of sunset yellow, the same blue found on [the Oklahoma] state flag, dark blue and a color referred to as Thunder Red, a politically correct" mixture of the colors of Oklahoma Univ. and Oklahoma State Univ. Bennett said the color is "not too red and not too orange." Rohde writes a "more creative nickname would have given fans a bigger charge than Thunder, but there was no absolutely correct choice," as no nickname "would have been unequivocally accepted by all" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 9/4). Also in Oklahoma City, Berry Tramel writes "cheers" to the Thunder colors, as "dominant blue is the way to go, a regal, proud color, and the sunset trim is Bedlam neutral." Tramel also offers "cheers" to the Warriors, whose mascot is named Thunder. Bennett said that he "had heard no dissent" from the Warriors over the Oklahoma City name. But Tramel writes "jeers" to the Thunder logo. The logo is "not terrible," but it is "not snazzy." Tramel also offers "jeers" to the Thunder Web site for "locking up not long after the announcement" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 9/4). Tramel wrote the Thunder "should go with a buffalo" for the mascot, as a herd of buffalo "mimics thunder, and what's more Oklahoman than a buffalo?" Tramel added of the uniforms, "So maybe OKC, not Thunder, is the dominant uniform image. And there's nothing wrong with that" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 9/4).

DOUBLE STANDARD? TRUEHOOP's Henry Abbott wrote Bennett "made a very low-enthusiasm presentation, saying how enthusiastic he was," and there was "some talk about how hard it is to keep a secret, and even a line about character." Abbott: "I smirked at this man, whose double-dealing e-mails and bold-faced lies have been well-documented, telling me about character." But Abbott noted people in Oklahoma City are "unbelievably fired up about this team," and he wrote, "I'm thrilled for them" (ESPN.com, 9/3).