Sports brands have serious staying power. I grew up in Minnesota rooting for the Twins. Part of my identity was about being a Twins fan. I carried that with me in 2007, when I moved to Chicago; I couldn’t pretend to have any allegiance to the Cubs or the White Sox, not that my friends ever stopped trying to get me to choose sides.

Still, I was drawn to the Cubs’ brand — not just the logo, but the mythology surrounding the team, the story of Wrigley Field, the curse of the billy goat, the whole thing. I like the specific sense of community that’s created when fans wear the same colors and logos, chant the same slogans, come together and support their team and each other. I was in Chicago when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016. The city went wild. It felt like everyone was a fan. The energy and excitement was unforgettable.

That’s how good sports branding is supposed to work. It’s supposed to encapsulate the team and community of fans, giving people something to rally around. For sports organizations, it reflects what they stand for: their mission and values. It’s no wonder that women’s sports branding is often scrutinized, as leagues like the WNBA and the newly launched Professional Women’s Hockey League look to showcase both commercial impact and abilities of their world-class athletes

© Sports Business Journal