The helmet is brighter and the flag is bigger. The red pops more, the skull is meaner and pretty soon it will be plastered on hats, T-shirts and jerseys that will all be for sale.
Thursday night the Tampa Bay Buccaneers introduced their new helmet with an updated logo design. Hall-of-Famer Warren Sapp and current Buccaneer defensive tackle introduced the helmet live on the NFL Network.
The new black helmet features a chrome facemask, the first in the National Football League, and has the new Bucs logo displayed more prominently on the helmet.
“Oh, you absolutely need more bling in your life,” Sapp said. “I love this helmet.”
“This is an exciting day for the entire Buccaneers organization as we begin the process of introducing our new look by revealing an enhanced logo and new helmet design,” said Buccaneers Co-Chairman Edward Glazer. “The logo is much larger and portrays a more intimidating presence, while the chrome facemask is the first used by an NFL team. This is the first alteration to our logo and helmet since the previous redesign 17 years ago, and we believe it sets the stage for our transition into this new, exciting era of Buccaneers football.”
Intimidation on the field and identity in the community are important aspects for the logo update but the $2.1 billion the league made in 2010 from merchandise revenue was an equally big factor. Overall, the league earns more than $9 billion annually.
New T-shirts, hats, jerseys, sweatshirts, dog accessories, home goods, stuffed animals, stationary and golf equipment will all feature the new logo. The most common attire at NFL stadiums, jerseys, sell for more than $134 on NFL.com.
A public unveiling of a new jersey on March 5 will follow the logo and helmet update. Team officials said the colors of red, pewter and black will not change.
The Bucs join seven other NFL teams that have drastically altered their uniform design in the past five seasons. The entire league changed the template for jerseys when Nike became the uniform supplier, replacing Reebok, in 2012.
Nike is also the supplier for college programs like the University of Oregon Ducks who are known for their creative and wide-ranging jersey and helmet combinations.
Last season the Jacksonville Jaguars introduced the first two-tone helmet, and the Minnesota Vikings became the first team to ditch the glossy finish on the helmet for a matte finish.
Nike signed a contract worth $1.1 billion in 2011 to replace Reebok as the uniform supplier.
The Buccaneers’ first logo change in 1997 was designed to accomplish the same goal as the 2014 redesign. After years of failure and mockery with the creamsicle-colored jerseys that featured the original winking-pirate logo nicknamed Bucco Bruce, the Buccaneers worked with the league to design a new, more intimidating presence.
Long-time Tampa Tribune cartoonist Lamar Sparkman designed the original logo in 1976. The “Bucco Bruce” logo was introduced as a throwback uniform that the Buccaneers wore once a year from 2009 to 2012. The team didn’t wear the throwbacks last season because of a rule change in the NFL that required players use the same helmet the entire season.
