Packers Will Stick with the “Lombardi” Team Logo

Did you see through our April Fool’s Day prank or were you taken in?

Yesterday we posted a story about changing the team’s logo and helmet over to a largely black color scheme, the idea being to make the players appear more menacing to the opposition. It’s not true – though who knows, it might be worth a try. The Oakland Raiders, with their black uniforms and pirate image, have a .532 win percentage in their 57 years in the NFL.

Of course the Las Vegas Raiders will now likely be changing their colors to puce and lime, and adopting a poker chip as their helmet logo. Deck of cards? Stripper?

And, yes, it was Vince Lombardi who instituted the use of the Packers “G” in 1961.

The oval “G” logo was created in 1959 by equipment manager Gerald “Dad” Braisher for coach Lombardi. Saint Vince added it to the helmets in 1961 – the only logo that has ever been on the team’s helmets.

The graphic in yesterday’s posting is that of the Grambling State University football team. The Packers hold the trademark to the design, and have granted limited permission for GSU to utilize the look. The University of Georgia, who uses a similar design but entirely different colors, also received clearance from the Packers to use the look.

Lombardi and the Packers also introduced a “primary” or official team logo, for use on its stationery and in its publications, in 1961. It features a ball carrier in front, a dark green silhouette of Wisconsin behind him, and a yellow football silhouette behind that. After Lombardi left — and after five world championships had been won — the “G” logo also became the team’s official logo.

I’ve been unable to find whether the league must approve uniform design changes, but I’ve got to believe it’s so. At any rate, there can be no major design changes for five years after the last design change is made. The NCAA study was also fictitious.

Diehard fans undoubtedly recognized that “Andrew B. Turnbull” is not a current Packers’ board member, but rather the first president of the Green Bay Packers Football Corporation, in 1923.