The 76ers will not use a logo featuring a cartoon of Ben Franklin dribbling a basketball during the coming season, though it was "something they explored," according to a source cited by the Wilmington News Journal's Jason Wolf (TWITTER.com, 6/24). 76ers PR Dir Michael Preston said the Ben Franklin logo is "part of an overall logo package," and the NBA will "primarily use that mark for merchandising." He added, however, the team currently has no plans to work it "into our uniforms or use [it] as a secondary mark." The logo was initially posted on RealGM.com before being circulated on various social media outlets. In Philadelphia, Jared Shelly wrote he was "completely against the idea" of adding the logo until he "saw the actual mock up." Shelly: "Ben looks kind of awesome and mean. ... In a city that's named a bridge, a parkway, an ice cream shop, a museum and countless other things after Ben Franklin, why not add him in to the Sixers logo?" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/24). DEADSPIN's Tom Ley wrote he typically dislikes secondary logos, as they "aren't much more than an excuse for the team to double dip on merchandise sales." Ley: "But I am 100 percent in the take for this logo. Look at how hard Ben Franklin is balling!" (DEADSPIN.com, 6/24). CSNBayArea.com's Ray Ratto noted the Franklin logo was the "alternate logo for the 1999 All-Star Game," which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia but was cancelled due to a lockout (CSNBAYAREA.com, 6/24).
