Last week, we had a special Mike Chamernik’s “Question of the Week” for New Year’s Eve, and Mike is back in 2025 with his latest QOTW.
Question of the Week
by Mike Chamernik
A new women’s pro basketball league, Unrivaled, revealed their jerseys last week. At first glance they’re uninspired, though I do like some of the color schemes, and the Laces wordmark. We’ll see how it looks on the court later this year.
Over the years, what non-major or start-up competitor pro league had the best uniforms and logos? Was there a team you are particularly fond of?
I think the ABA is an easy choice. I do also love the logos of the WHA. Also, the Big3 has had appealing uniforms and branding, which isn’t a surprise since it’s the work of Todd Radom, one of the best graphic designers in the business.
Thanks, Mike — great question again.
Can’t wait to hear the readers’ responses! OK guys…fire away!
The OG USFL.
Not sure if it counts, but the early days of the MLS were great. Looking back now, I wish they would have stuck with what made them American/unique in the world of soccer, rather than trying to replicate how it’s done in Europe.
I think MLS 1.0 counts in this case. It would have been interesting, especially with FIFA making sure a full 90′ are played nowadays, to see if the countdown clock that stops for out of bounds/injuries/”injuries”/subs would have caught on globally.
No chance I’d have agreed on the clock issue even two years ago, but I think you’re right – at least at the professional level. There tends to be a notion in soccer (and maybe other sports) that rules should be the same from grassroots up to the professional game, so naturally at many levels it doesn’t make sense to have a stopped clock.
In my league, there is a scoreboard that starts counting down from 25 minutes, but with ~3 minutes left in each half the ref will pause the clock and then end the game on his own terms, which seems to be a good compromise.
Nobody wants a last-second attack to be cut short by the buzzer, but maybe an approach like the NFL’s would work, with the referee ending the game once the final play has ended after 0:00.
Nobody wants a last-second attack to be cut short by the buzzer
Wouldn’t bother me. No buzzer means no buzzer beater, and that’s the best thing about sports.
I do agree with you that MLS shouldn’t have tried so hard to Europeanize themselves. Although I don’t miss the Clash and Burn… those names had to go.
It’s slightly different in soccer. You can’t get a person or the ball up and down the field as quickly as you can in basketball or hockey. I wouldn’t be opposed to FIFA/IFAB testing out a buzzer beater arrangement in less “important” tournaments.
I think something could be worked out, if nothing more than a simple guideline like how a delayed minor is called in hockey and play continues past 0:00 until there is a goal, a stoppage, or a change in possession.
I will put in the obligatory vote for the original NASL, for the same reason of being different from overseas soccer’s look. But even more specifically American with some use of big logos and lettering instead of everyone wearing small crests. And having home and road jersey in the same team colors instead of having clash colors.
I’ll second the NASL. Cosmos had one of the all time great logos and uniforms. The Rowdies looked amazing in their striped socks. California Surf had great jerseys.
And who can forget the Caribous of Colorado (not in a good way).
Original MLS counts! Yeah early on they definitely put an American spin on pro soccer.
The WLAF had some good stuff, especially the Euro teams.
Agree 100%. Came here to say the same thing. Really original — but not garish (even Orlando!) — color schemes, too.
Love Orlando in lime green but their logo was so clip art
I’m guessing Jim Vilk and I might both nominate the MISL. Seeing the Cleveland Force at the old Richfield Coliseum was a fond memory.
MISL, yes… and the original USFL.
It was a great time to be a young sports fan!
Agree with MISL, great logo concepts and names. Buffalo Stallions cool name and logo. Another league is National Lacrosse League. Ever popular Buffalo Bandits great logo and uni concepts. Nice uni’s and unique logos from other teams as well.
Might you include this Wichita Wings fan in your classic MISL circle? The Wings played a big part in my formative years. I couldn’t afford a jersey, but pennants I could, and did, and I also made a standings board.
Jimmer also mentioned the USFL, and I did a standings board for it as well. Uniforms and logos played a large initial part in my fandom.
USFL was pretty good and WLAF did okay.
USFL 1.0 is the gold standard of upstart leagues. But there were plenty other good ones, namely the WHA, NFL Europe, ABA and WFL. Favorites were the Jacksonville Bulls, San Antonio Riders, Philadelphia Blazers, and Michigan Panthers.
I liked the San Diego Mariners
Kind of cheating here, but the AFL was basically classic uniforms all the way through. I especially love the standing buffalo Bills unis, but the classic Oilers and Chargers uniforms are also amazing. Really the only miss was the Broncos original look with the yellow and brown and the vertically striped socks.
Pro Beach Hockey.
Those uniforms were sick. Gotta push the envelope if you’re beach hockey
Loved PBH!
XFL 1.0 anybody?
As a 10-year old I loved the XFL names, logos and unis
I think the uniforms were pretty garish, but it had far and away the best team names of any league that’s ever existed.
Maniax, Rage, Enforcers, HITMEN… what a league
The SF Demons were legit scary.
Vegas was pretty well executed … dare I say terrific…but that’s it.
The WFL had some cool stuff as well.
WFL logos are pure 1970s
Arena Football has had some great uniforms (and some horrible ones). One of my favorites are the Iowa Barnstormers Uniforms (link)
The goggles helmet was so creative
I really loved the uniforms from the short-lived AAF, and the 2020 edition of the XFL.
Both use more shoulder caps and yokes than most modern sensibilities, but the Apollos, Iron, Dragons, and Battlehawks all stood out to me as iconic.
The AAF’s demise was quite a story
Apollos had a good logo
Agreed. Also worth mentioning that the Memphis Expreess may be the first/only team to make a gradient colored helmet look good
I loved the Atlanta Legends purple and gold uniforms. After the league folded there was quite a bit of gear for sale on eBay for cheap, and I picked up a t-shirt, stocking cap, and very nice Starter rain jacket. Wore it yesterday. I do get lots of looks and questions about who the Legends were.
Was it the WFL that had the Portland Breakers? Loved those unis, and a few other WFL teams.
WLAF for me, with WHA a close second.
Not sure about which league but to pick a handful of teams from a few leagues:
WHA – Stingers and Stags,
RHI – Rhinos & Voodoo,
NLL (1974-75) Caribous,
Nice to see Todd Radom’s BIG3 uniforms get the respect they deserve.