After several blurred and hard-to-see leaked new Houston Astros logos for the 2013 season, we finally got ourselves a nice clean image for a change.
Twitter user Ernest Moreno (@astromo1977) spotted the new logo on a t-shirt on sale at his local Academy store and snapped the following pic:
Following the leaks earlier from Topps and the Houston Astros themselves, I am very comfortable in saying that this is indeed your new Houston Astros cap logo for the 2013 season – throw a circle around it and you got your new primary logo too.
This is our first confirmed indication of a bevelling on the logo and it came in just minutes after we posted a mockup of a bevelled Astros logo based off of the Topps leak from earlier today.
Topps leak from earlier today shows the new Astros logo on their 2013 baseball cards
The logo is heavily based off of the cap logo used by the team from 1965-1993, the ‘H’ is in a modified font, and as just mentioned both the H and star have bevels where the original logo was flat.
UPDATE (8:20pm ET): Academy, the store where this t-shirt was spotted has issued a press release apologizing for leaking the logo (somebody should tell them that the Astros already leaked the logo weeks ago). In case anyone doubted it’s authenticity, this should just about erase any of that.
Academy Sports + Outdoors (d/b/a Academy) today apologizes to the Houston Astros fans, the Astros organization and Major League Baseball as a result of the inadvertent leak of small quantities of the new Astros product.
“We express our apologies to Houston Astros fans, our partners at the Houston Astros ball club, along with Major League Baseball for inadvertently releasing the new Astros t-shirts in limited quantity,” says Rodney Faldyn, Academy Sports + Outdoors CEO & President. “We take pride in our ongoing partnership with the Astros, and this oversight is not our standard business practice. We are looking forward to celebrating the official jersey launch with the Houston Astros on November 2, 2012.”
A limited quantity of the new Houston Astros product was released early to the sales floor of select Academy Sports + Outdoors store locations in Houston. That product has been removed from the sales floor and is no longer available for sale.
The merchandise that was displayed represented a small portion of the Astros new identity. The entire identity, including the primary logo, authentic field jerseys, batting practice jersey, caps and new mascot will be unveiled at the November 2nd Launch Party at Minute Maid Park at 6 p.m. (Gates open at 5 p.m.).
Chris Creamer is the founder of SportsLogos.Net and has been maintaining it since June 1997. You can follow him on Twitter at @sportslogosnet or contact him via email at ccreamer@sportslogos.net
Michael Dworsky
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:09Nice
Troy Griggsby
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:15Well, I'll be doggone! Academy often sells gear so I thought this was simply a stylized version of the original. But the legs of the "H" are different. Nice find.
Zane Gresens
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:20They've done a pretty awful job at keeping that under wraps until the reveal.
Aaron
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:32If this is their new cap logo, definitely a clean modern twist on the original. Can't wait to see the actually cap and uniform when they do officially come out.
Scott Jacobs
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:32Worst kept secret in sports rebranding history? YIKES
Rich
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:38This looks like a high school team logo to me. Ugh. At least they didn't use comic sans.
Devon J. Puchailo
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:45Old school
Brad Cox
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:46Nice... But beveling? Gross.
Dayne Wills
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:47kind of interesting that the unuversity of Houston went with the bevelled letters as well...its a Houston thing i guess ha
logoloco777
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:48I like the 3D shading. Let's hope that this isn't the last retro-modern rebranding and that this trend goes beyond baseball into other sports! Last year's Jays rebrand has started something big.
Father-John Hissrich
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:50I like.
steve
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 14:53Thats not it. They sell that at Academy year round. It may be close to it but that isn't it
Ernest Moreno
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:10Steve, this particular Academy I go to all the time, and when I took this pic it was the very first time I had seen this shirt with this logo.
abdix
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 21:40Nice find, sir. Good job.
steve
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:25Ernest, dont disagree but how would Academy already be selling it before the Astros. I could see a mistake being made by Academy but new shipment doesnt arrive until days before new launch. Either way, i like it. That shirt has been in Academy for about a month now in Sugarland, Copperfield and Edgebrook
Ernest Moreno
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 15:45Steve, a mistake is exactly what I was thinking, that's why I snapped this pic. It's very possible they put this up prematurely. We will find out one week from today.
Ryne LeCompte
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 16:09.....and its the same as the old one. Not rebranding at all
SportsLogos.Net
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 16:12Ryne LeCompte, it's a rebranding in the same way the Blue Jays was this past off-season
John Gamez
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 16:27I had a feeling they would make changes for the change over to the AL. The Astros have a great tradition of sharp uniforms. I really didn't like the pinstripes that much. Seemed too old school for a team with a name like ASTROS!
Ernest Moreno
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 16:47Wow, now this pic is on our local papers website. http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/ My favorite line, "Astros officials are withholding comment for now."
David G.
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 19:09I believe u are correct. Academy is receiving new Astros product now. This was suppose to be under wraps untill the announcement. Which store did you see this merchandise?
Ernest Moreno
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 19:15I went back to the Academy that had this shirt and ALL Astros related gear had been pulled off the shelves. I was there earlier this week and it was all there, not anymore.
Brian Castner
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 16:50The beveling on the H isn't bad but I like the beveling on the mockup of the star better.
Bill Harrison
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 17:14Chris: is the cap logo is going to be the club logo as well (e.g. Topps BB Card leak)? Wasn't the club logo supposed to be a round design like so many other teams use these days?
Chris Creamer
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 18:07The club logo, as far as I know, will be this logo inside a circle with the team name around it, ala San Diego Padres
Matt Marczel
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 18:36I agree. The shading on the star logo featured on this shirt looks a tad wierd to me. Defintately like the mock-up one better.
jpmoniebags
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 16:58Can anyone explain the reasoning for the shading of the orange on the star? It doesn't seem logical.
Alec Johnson
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 17:05The star looks like the Citgo logo.
Chris Robinson
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 19:26Wow they really did a horrible job of keeping this under wraps lol. Been leaked aobut 5 times already.
Chris Robinson
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 19:26Wow they really did a horrible job of keeping this under wraps lol. Been leaked aobut 5 times already.
Ernest Moreno
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 19:52For those that do not know, Academy has issued a press release apologizing for leaking this shirt. Apparently several stores were given small amounts of the new Astros gear and they were all put on the shelves inadvertently. But regardless, this IS the new Astros logo!
Brad Moss
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 20:41Why is this website putting their logo on someone else's twitter pic?
carg0
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 21:08beautiful. a return to class & respectability. cant wait to see the uni's.
Ben Anijar Andersen
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 22:59I love it! And I am a Cards fan. Should have never got rid of this color scheme or logo.
Syndic
Friday, October 26, 2012 at 23:09I'm still excited about the official unveiling, because I want to see the uniforms with the new fonts and stylings. It's gonna be sweet. Just one week away!
Michael Q.
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 00:58Its ok, but it seems kinda 90's.
Nick B
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 01:27I was at the LIDS website and found this hat. http://www.lids.com/MLB/Houston-Astros/20420003 Possibly a leaked hat w/ logo patch? I'm not sure, but it looks awfully suspicious. It's only a snapback, not an authentic hat, however, it seems almost identical to the one pictured in the article about the leek a few weeks ago. How close is this to what will likely be released?
Chuck Xu
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 02:03Old is new
Bill
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 03:48Reminds me of that day in 1981 when I watched Nolan Ryan mow down the Dodgers and pitch his 5th no-hitter. I like this new version, and look forward to the official release.
Benji
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 09:36Keep the rainbows retired! GO SKEETERS!
Jason
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 11:21Is it almost impossible to keep a new major league logo underwraps these days? I do like the vintage and classic look of the Astros updated new logo.
Mark
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 14:40Old is new but this franchise will always feel like an MLB version of Bad News Bears. I hope their official logo has a bit more going on, & I'm curious to see what they're up to inside Minute Maid Park -they want to ditch the western motifs yes? Maybe they should retire the train to a museum & install a rocket ship taking off lol.
Aaron
Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 15:18I like the rocket ship idea, but the choo choo train gives really any stadium that classic charm. Perhaps in Minute Maid Park, they could find room for a rocket ship. Say where Tal's hill is.
Tom O'Grady
Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 15:04Another classy redesign from Todd Radom I assume? It has his sophisticated touch with a hint of newness that makes it work. So glad that the Astros have returned to their roots.
Jeff
Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 18:40I just logged-on to this website and was pleasantly surprised to see the "new" Houston Astros logo for next year. It actually is not that new, but it was used back in the 1970's and early 1980's. I am really glad that they are going back to these colors as well and will be anxious to see their new uniforms too! I know that the Astros are moving to the American League in 2013 and this logo change will give them a fresh start.
Doug
Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 22:00Sucks. The star they are replacing is lightyear's better.
jeff feichtl
Monday, October 29, 2012 at 22:30better than the Miami Marlins unis- can def accept these! Plain but nice.
Aaron
Monday, October 29, 2012 at 22:36By far! Maybe with other teams (Toronto, Houston, Baltimore) going back to their original look in some fashion, perhaps the Marlins and Padres will follow suit.
Ernest Moreno
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 14:57I recently did an interview with a local news station and they put it up online. Here it is. http://newsfixnow.com/2012/10/31/astros-new-logo-leaked-before-teams-official-launch/