11/32 – New Orleans Claws
A Sleaux Start for the Bayou Brigade
Team 11 in this series is the New Orleans Claws, the third member of the Atlantic Division of the East Conference.
With every dynasty – and this league has a few – there's the team that gets beat up on. Unfortunately, the New Orleans Claws are the latter. Throughout 27 UFL seasons, the Claws have yet to make a playoff appearance. Furthermore, they have yet to break the .500 mark, posting their best record at 8-8 multiple times including last season.
Visual Direction
With over 100 million pounds produced per year, Louisiana appropriately designated the crawfish as the official state crustacean in 1983. Some 20 years later, an identity was built around it for a fictional franchise based in New Orleans with the nickname "Claws" coming from one of the more gripping features of the creature.
New Orleans has no shortage of visual inspiration. From the ornate ironwork of the French Quarter to the expressive hand-painted typography of old marketplaces – this visual identity is seasoned with the spice of the city.
Execution
The primary logo, named the "Fleur de Claw", depicts a burnt maroon and crimson-colored crawfish forming the shape of a fleur de lis. This symbol has a widely-recognized association with New Orleans, incorporated in both the city flag and city logo.
In the secondary spot is an interlocking "NO" monogram, implementing beveled details inspired by the many independent fresh markets with hand-painted signage. This detail mirrors the shading of the primary logo, which also uses an eminent light source.
A stylized football with two claws forming at the base takes the tertiary logo spot. This mark is used intermittently throughout the identity to visually tie the team name and sport together.
The typography adopts a Tuscan style that compliments the linework of the primary Fleur de Claw logo. The swooping, decorative terminals in the "C", "L", and "S" mimic the design of the claw while a handful of other letterforms include branched serifs with similar angles and points.
The jersey number set revises a previously designed typeface to be slightly more condensed to enhance legibility on the uniform. Certain letterforms feature serifs and ball terminals that are geometrically cut to reinforce that athletic block feel while maintaining a distinct personality.
Geaux Claws, Geaux!
With one of the more uniquely recognizable identities in the league, the New Orleans Claws are equipped with a brand new graphic suite as the team looks for positive fortune on the gridiron.
Football Helmet Mockup by SportsTemplates
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