The La Crosse Loggers (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) have unveiled several new logos, representing a tweak to their branding ahead of the 2019 season.
The Loggers’ front office unveiled a new primary logo, secondary logo, and an update to Louie the Logger, the team’s longtime mascot. The logo refresh is the first in the history of the franchise, which began play as a Northwoods League affiliate in 2003.
“This will be our 17th year of operation, and we felt like the timing was right,” said Loggers general manager Ben Kapanke. “It’s a way to build our brand and further establish our identity and it’s a refresh that we think the fans can get behind.”
The new logos were designed by Tony Horning, a Minnesota-based independent designer who has recently worked with other Northwoods League franchises including the Willmar Stingers. The primary logo features a sawblade slicing through a piece of lumber embossed with the new “Loggers” typeface, with a more muscular-looking Louie adorning the upper right hand corner of the logo. The secondary logo is a stripped down version of the first, with Louie removed and the words “La Crosse” stretching over the top. The Loggers’ on-field hats for the upcoming season will sport the new icon, which features a new “L” on top of a sawblade.
“La Crosse grew rapidly as a town thanks in large part to its role as a logging community, and the fact that our ballpark sits on a site that was a hub for the industry just further solidifies our connection to the nickname and the history,” added Kapanke.
The Loggers will retain and continue to use the original team logo, including donning the pinstripes for “Throwback Thursday” nights during the season, as well to pay homage to Loggers Legends such as Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, Matt Chapman and the 16 other former team members to play in Major League Baseball.
“It’s an opportunity to freshen up our look while at the same time, further embody who and what the ‘Loggers’ were and are in this community,” said Loggers president Chris Goodell. “It’s a way to continue to tell our story to our fans while still embracing what it means to be a member of the Northwoods League.”
The new logos are the latest change in a busy offseason for the Loggers, who have also made some significant personnel moves. Longtime general manager Chris Goodell will now serve as president, while Ben Kapanke has ascended from the assistant general manager position to become GM. Chris Callaway has been promoted to Kapanke’s former role as assistant general manager.