Boston Celtics Logo PNG
Founded in 1946, the American basketball club “Boston Celtics” has an original and amusing style, and its logo reflects a commitment to Celtic-Irish history. The emblem symbolizes tactical cunning, confidence in victory, and a thirst for leadership.
Boston Celtics: Brand overview
| Founded: | 1946 |
| Founder: | Boston Basketball Partners |
| Headquarters: | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Website: | nba.com |
The Boston Celtics is an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics began playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949 as part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the league. The team originally played in the Basketball Association of America (BAA). It was founded in 1946.
As mentioned, the league was formed as a result of the merger of the BAA and the National Basketball League. Its first owner was Walter A. Brown, the president of the Boston Garden-Arena Corporation. This corporation is considered the official founder of the club.
Throughout its history, the franchise has belonged to several legal organizations: Knickerbocker Brewing Company (1965-1968), Trans-National Communications (1969-1971), and Leisure Technology (1972-1975). Currently, it is owned by the Boston Basketball Partners LLC.
The team has also had many individual owners, including entrepreneurs, businessmen, and public figures: Lou Pieri, Marjorie Brown, Ballantine Brewery, Irv Levin, Harold Lipton, Robert Schmertz, John Y. Brown Jr., and Harry Mangurian Jr., Don Gaston, and Paul Gaston. After the latter became a representative, the club became owned by the Boston Basketball Partners LLC.
The franchise’s nickname was invented by its first owner, Walter Brown. He argued for “Celtics” with his exclamation, “There are a lot of Irish in Boston.” And they are descendants of the Celts, ancient druids. This name was chosen among many others, including “Whirlwinds,” “Olympians,” and “Unicorns,” etc. Thus, the founder connected two factors: the team’s location and the city’s population with Irish/Celtic roots.
Meaning and History
The branding of the Boston Celtics appeared in the first sports season and has always been associated with Celtic traditions. Therefore, the team chose an oxalis plant leaf as its logo. According to legend, it brings good luck. The club has had six logo variants, including the debut one.
What is Boston Celtics?
The Boston Celtics is one of the many franchises of the NBA’s Atlantic Division. It has never moved from its hometown and has not changed its original name, given in 1946. The team’s general manager and principal owner is American entrepreneur Wycliffe “Wyc” K. Grousbeck. Since 1995, its home stadium has been the TD Garden.
1946 – 1950
The original logo features a shamrock – one of the iconic signs and a long-standing talisman. It’s a classic oxalis leaf – the so-called clover of fortune, executed in white. A semicircle above it contains the team’s name, referencing Celtic traditions. Both elements take center stage and are placed within a green circle with a red border.
1950 – 1960
In the 1950s, the club’s management decided to expand the historical side of the emblem and added a jester. Now, the shamrock has become just a pattern on his vest, with the main character fancifully holding a curved stick resembling a crooked stick. The man’s feet (presumably, the famous patron Saint Patrick) have laces with huge buckles, a smoking pipe in his mouth, and a crown with the inscription “NBA” on his head. Only the vest with the leaf pattern was colored; everything else was made contour and colorless.
1960 – 1968
A new version of the “leprechaun logo” with the addition of an orange color in the background. Originally, this design was developed by Zang Auerbach, the brother of the Celtics’ head coach, Red Auerbach. The leprechaun squatting down gained size and color. The vest of the jumping person is green with the magical shamrock. The leprechaun is on an orange background, which repeats his contour. The image of the leprechaun on the logo remained the same: a pipe in his mouth, a crown with the inscription “NBA,” a stick in his left hand, and white half-boots on his feet.
1968 – 1976
In 1968, the image of the leprechaun on the Boston Celtics logo was changed. Now, the leprechaun stands, leaning on a stick, grinning slyly, and twirling a white basketball on his finger. The character is dressed in green pants, a green Irish hat, black shoes with large buckles, a bow tie, and a white vest with a characteristic Irish pattern – a shamrock, the symbol of the northern state. The Boston Celtics logo became more colorful, and the designers changed the background – now it’s a large red basketball with a black outline and the club’s nickname.
1976 – 1996
The Boston Celtics logo from this period is green and white, emphasizing Boston’s Irish roots. The cheerful guy smiles and cunningly winks with his left eye. The half-boots, pants, and shirts are white. On the vest, hat, and bow tie is a pattern in the shape of a shamrock. He’s still spinning a basketball on one finger and leaning on a stick. The basketball in the background disappeared and was replaced with a green ring with the inscription “BOSTON CELTICS” in white.
1996 – today
The modern logo of the Boston Celtics has become more colorful and realistic. Now it has new details: the inner and outer contour with the team’s nickname, black pants, white knee socks, and brown buckles on the shoes. Some elements have been updated: the vest and hat band on the black derby hat of the smiling guy have become beige, and his stick and basketball are red. The pipe sticking out of the right corner of his mouth is the only thing that remains unchanged.
Boston Celtics: Interesting Facts
- Starting Strong: The Celtics were among the first teams in the NBA. They were good from the start.
- Winning Lots: They have won 17 championships, the highest number tied with the Los Angeles Lakers. They were especially great in the 1950s and 1960s.
- The Best Times: With a coach named Red Auerbach and players like Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and John Havlicek, the Celtics won 11 championships in 13 years. Bill Russell was amazing at defense and leading the team.
- Bill Russell: He was more than a great player; he stood up for equal rights and made a big difference off the court.
- Big Rivalry: The Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have a huge rivalry. They’ve played against each other a lot in finals, showing how different they are in style and where they come from.
- Famous Floor: Their home court had a unique wooden floor known for being tricky to play on. This floor was in use from 1946 to 1999.
- Honoring Russell: In 2022, the Celtics retired the number 6 across the league to honor Bill Russell. This was a big deal because it showed how much he meant to society and the game.
- Famous Names: Many great players and coaches, like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, have been part of the Celtics, making the team very famous.
- Changing the Game: Red Auerbach introduced new strategies, such as the fast break and using a sixth man, which changed how basketball is played.
- Helping the Community: The Celtics do a lot of good in their community and work on important causes. They try to make a positive difference for everyone.
The Celtics aren’t just a basketball team. They’ve made big impacts on and off the court, making them a team that people remember and respect.
Font and Colors
Each version of the logo, regardless of the time of creation, corresponds with the name and reflects the Celtic theme. They are united by the legendary element – the shamrock, the clover of fortune, bringing luck and indicating a white stripe in a sports career. On the debut emblem, the leaf was one – -large, though schematic on all subsequent ones – the pattern on the vest of the “gentleman” with a cane. Since 1968, another significant attribute has been basketball. It indicates the team’s affiliation with the National Basketball Association.
The club had two types of fonts: one on the debut emblem and another on modern versions. The early version is an individual font, hand-drawn, and the next one is from the Sans Serif category. Now, the name is executed in uppercase block letters. The words are placed on the right and left edges of the logo on a wide contour strip. The corporate palette traditionally includes green, white, and black colors. Other colors constantly change. Among them are brick red, yellow-straw, brown, and beige.
Boston Celtics color codes
| Green | Hex color: | #008348 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 0 131 72 | |
| CMYK: | 100 0 91 27 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 356 C |
| Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 6 25 34 | |
| CMYK: | 30 0 0 100 | |
| Pantone: | PMS Black C |
| Gold | Hex color: | #bb9753 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 187 151 83 | |
| CMYK: | 30 40 80 0 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 874 C |
| Brown | Hex color: | #a73832 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 167 56 50 | |
| CMYK: | 40 95 100 0 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 174 C |
| Beige | Hex color: | #fab383 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 250 179 131 | |
| CMYK: | 0 35 50 0 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 472 C |
FAQ
What does the Boston Celtics logo represent?
The main symbol of the Boston Celtics is an image of a leprechaun, who, with one hand, leans on an Irish club and, on the index finger of the other hand, spins a basketball. His vest, hat, and bow tie are adorned with a shamrock print. The background is a white circle with a green ring in the frame, on which the franchise’s name is written: BOSTON on the left and CELTICS on the right.
Why is “Boston” called “Celtics”?
This name was chosen at Walter Brown’s initiative. The head of the Boston Garden Arena corporation wanted the new franchise to carry the nickname of the old basketball team, Original Celtics, which existed in New York from 1914 to 1930. He explained his choice by stating that the state capital of Massachusetts, where the “Boston Celtics” is based, is inhabited by many people of Irish descent.
Does the Boston Celtics logo have a name?
The leprechaun, which is the main element of the visual identity of the “Boston Celtics,” is called Lucky. However, the logo itself does not have an official name.
Do the “Celtics” change their logo?
This sports team often changed its logos. The current version, adopted in 1997, features modern graphics and a multicolored design. It has been in use for over 20 years, and as far as is known, the “Boston Celtics” does not plan to abandon it.
