We've commented before on the recent trend for sports teams to revert to old logo designs, from the Anaheim Ducks to the new LA Kings logo. Fan service? Perhaps. Others suggest laziness. But if the New York Jets were hoping their recent bout of nostalgia would allow them to avoid the cost of creating a new logo, it appears they may have a problem.
The designer of the New York Jets logo is now suing the team, claiming that he wasn't paid for the readopted design when he first created it back in the 1970s.
The current New York Jets logo is an updated version of a design used from 1978 to 1997 (Image credit: New York Jets)
As we reported back in April, the Jets have made some tweaks to the old logo design for its current resurrection, refining the characters and adjusting the weight and spacing of certain elements, but it's very much based on a design first used in 1978.
According to TMZ Sports, Jim Pons, now 81, has filed a lawsuit in New York claiming that he created that logo while he was working as a film and video director for the NFL team. As such, the design work fell outside of the scope of his agreement.
With the team now raking in profits from new merchandise featuring the retro logo, Pons claims he should be compensated for his work. He's suing for unspecified damages. He wants the court to cancel the Jets' trademark of the design and to rule that the team can't use it on uniforms or merchandise without his consent.
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
