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Social Timeline: Raptors Unveil The Logo

Related Links: Official Press Release

By Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com

Raptors Mobile Users, visit Raptors.com for version with media embeds.

What started as a quiet Friday afternoon with the Toronto Raptors on the road to face the Detroit Pistons quickly turned eventful with the unveiling of the team’s new logo.

At 12:29 p.m. the team’s official Twitter account posted a YouTube video informing fans that the franchise had a new shield to accompany their "We The North" battle cry.

The logo featured a black and white colour scheme including a basketball adorned with Raptors claw marks.

Two hours later, the team’s Twitter account was back with more info for its fans. Tweeting “Now that we’ve got your attention…” the team posted an additional photo, this time showing the logo with red, black, white and silver colouring as well as an alternate black, gold and white logo. The graphic also showed silver, black, red and gold versions of the clawed basketball.

 

 

President and General Manager Masai Ujiri was busy on Friday afternoon, as well. While his team was unveiling their new logo, Ujiri surprised a bus full of Raptors fans traveling to Detroit to take in the game, bringing Raptors gear, trivia and chants along with him.

 

 

Shortly before the team took on the Pistons in front of a large contingent of very audible Raptors fans who traveled to The Palace, the team released a second version of the YouTube video with a voiceover saying, “Three simple words that changed the game forever. Every movement needs a badge to stand behind.”

 

 

The video also contained the full colour scheme for the logos, including a black, white, silver and red logo before fading into the black and gold logo.

At 8:10 p.m. The team confirmed the logos in a press release sent out to media and identified the red, black, white and silver colorway as the primary logo and the black and gold as an alternate.

“Last year during the playoffs, ‘We The North’ became a rallying cry for this team, and all of our fans," President and General Manager Masai Ujiri said. "Our new logo represents that attitude and will be an important part of our identity starting next season."

The release also confirmed that the new logo will be introduced in time for the 2015-16 NBA season and that team merchandise featuring it will be in stores Fall 2015, prior to the start of the NBA season.

To close out the launch, the team sent out a final tweet linking to a seven-second Vine clip showing the logo changing colours amid a flurry of backgrounds. Flashing through solid colours to scenes from their We The North spot and action shots of Raptors players, the Vine serves as a quick and bold way to ensure the new logo makes a lasting impression.

On the court in Detroit, the Raptors went on to defeat the Pistons 110-100 to move to an Eastern Conference best 21-6.

After the game, the team walked off to cheers and We The North chants from their fans. Before leaving the arena, the traveling supporters took a photo in The Palace to capture and share the moment.