Florida Panthers Logo PNG
The enraged panther on the emblem of the Florida Panthers symbolizes fearlessness in the face of difficulties and the ability to overcome an opponent and emerge victorious from a challenging situation. This is precisely what the Miami hockey team emphasized: the emblem of the Florida Panthers consists of a dangerous predator depicted in a direct leap. It’s a warning to competitors: do not interfere!
Florida Panthers: Brand overview
| Founded: | 1993 |
| Founder: | Sunrise Sports and Entertainment |
| Headquarters: | Sunrise, Florida, U.S. |
| Website: | nhl.com |
The Florida Panthers are a hockey team based in Miami. They compete in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the NHL.
Establishing an NHL team in South Florida seemed like a bold move, given that the state of palms, beaches, and dolphins is not the most suitable place for hockey. The first attempts to establish a hockey team in Miami date back to the early 1970s, when the World Hockey Association planned to expand. The club was named “Screaming Eagles,” but the idea failed due to a lack of funds or other reasons. In the early 1990s, the NHL was ready for even more outrageous actions than expanding south. Additionally, Florida billionaire Wayne Huizenga, owner of the largest video rental chain in the U.S., decided to bring hockey and baseball and his football team, the Miami Dolphins, to Florida.
In December 1992, Wayne Huizenga received an NHL franchise for $50 million. The new team joined the NHL in the 1993-94 season.
Wayne Huizenga named his team the “Florida Panthers,” which caused sharp criticism from NHL officials. The choice of “Panthers” was clear. The Florida panther, a North American cougar inhabiting Florida’s pinelands and tropical hammocks, is currently the focus of efforts to preserve the remaining 150 panthers in the state, residing in the Everglades, Florida’s famous national park. Wayne Huizenga chose this name because the panther is a very fast and agile animal. He wanted the team’s name to reflect a fast and aggressive playing style.
However, there was much debate over the use of “Florida.” Why did Huizenga decide his team would represent the whole state when a team from Tampa had already joined the NHL? Wayne Huizenga, a Fort Lauderdale resident, decided that both his clubs would represent the entire state. Thus, his baseball club was named the “Florida Marlins” (now the “Miami Marlins”).
The Florida Panthers’ shoulder patches featured an intricate alternate team logo: a red-blue palm crossed with a white-blue stick in front of a yellow sun. The sun symbolizes Florida, officially known as the “Sunshine State.” The alternate blue sweater appeared in 1998 when the team moved to Fort Lauderdale, or more precisely, its suburb of Sunrise, located on the edge of a vast state-protected swamp.
Later, the alternate logo was replaced with a panther breaking a stick in two with a leap.
Now, the history of the Florida Panthers continues without Wayne Huizenga, who sold the team to billionaire Vincent Viola but remained the owner of the BB&T Center, an indoor arena in Sunrise. This incredibly beautiful arena, with palm-lined alleys and a second-tier balcony (fans can even go out to smoke during matches), is unfortunately rarely visited by dedicated fans due to the franchise’s poor state.
Meaning and History
The Florida Panthers franchise has only two logos to date, owing to the club’s relatively recent founding. In 2016, the team changed its logo from a leaping panther to a military-style emblem depicting the head of the beast. While retaining the color scheme and redesigning the old logo, now seen on the players’ helmets, the team symbolizes a connection through time.
What is Florida Panthers?
The Florida Panthers are the southernmost NHL team, based in Sunrise, Florida. Since 1998, they have played home matches at the FLA Live Arena; previously, the hockey players played at the Miami Arena. The club was founded in 1993 and belonged to the Eastern Conference, representing the Atlantic Division. In 1996, they participated in the Stanley Cup final but did not win.
1993 – 1999
The team’s inaugural season featured a signature logo of a leaping panther. The aggressive animal was golden-blue, with eyes, mouth, and paws in bright red. The panther was depicted with bared fangs and claws.
1999 – 2016
A minor update to the logo occurred in 2000. The changes only involved a deeper and richer color palette. The leaping panther with sharp fangs and claws remained unchanged.
2016 – today
In 2016, the franchise introduced a new logo, completely different from the previous ones. A more mature and stoic panther is placed inside a gold-blue shield with a dark blue outline. Its head is slightly turned to the left. The golden creature has a white face and bright red eyes. The shield is topped with a white “Florida” inscription in a red inset with a gold outline. The shield resembles a military dog tag. Previously, this logo was used as an alternate emblem for the Florida Panthers, but instead of the “Florida” wordmark, it featured “Panthers.”
Florida Panthers: Interesting Facts
The Florida Panthers are a hockey team in the NHL that plays near Miami. They’ve had some interesting times since they started in 1993.
- Beginning: They joined the NHL in 1993 and quickly made it to the Stanley Cup Finals by their third season, but they lost to the Colorado Avalanche.
- “Rat Trick” Tradition: A funny tradition started when a player killed a rat in the locker room and scored two goals. Fans began throwing plastic rats onto the ice to celebrate goals.
- Playoff Times: They’ve had some tough years, missing the playoffs for ten seasons in a row at one point. But they’ve gotten better recently and started making the playoffs again.
- Where They Play: They first played in Miami but moved to the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida, in 1998. This place is known for being great for fans.
- Big Achievements: Some players have done well, like Jonathan Huberdeau, who set a team record for the most points in one season.
- Helping Out: The Panthers do a lot for their community, including helping with youth hockey, health programs, and when there’s a big need.
- Leadership: They’ve had different owners and managers, all trying to make the team as good as possible.
- Players from Everywhere: The team has players from all over the world, which has helped make hockey popular in Florida.
- Mascot: Their mascot is Stanley C. Panther, named after the Stanley Cup. He helps make the games fun for families.
The Florida Panthers have had some great moments and tough times and do a lot of good in their area. They’re known for having fun traditions and bringing people together for hockey.
Font and Colors
In all versions, a panther is the central image. In early versions, it is depicted in a leap: the predator looks intently forward and lunges with extended sharp claws, open mouth, and visible whiskers. The fierce animal’s demeanor reflects the highest emotional tension and readiness to tear apart anyone in its path. Thus, the emblem is designed to intimidate opponents. Broken lines and sharp angles emphasize the high intensity. The second version appears less aggressive but no less formidable.
The logo’s inscription uses a Sans Serif font – smooth, blocky, grotesque. The lettering is wide and in uppercase.
In early logo versions, the palette seems more diverse than in the current one, but this is not the case. The same colors are used: white, PMS 465 gold, PMS 282 dark blue, and PMS 186 red. All are part of the official color scheme.
Florida Panthers color codes
| Red | Hex color: | #c8102e |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 200 16 46 | |
| CMYK: | 2 100 85 6 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 186 C |
| Blue | Hex color: | #041e42 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 4 30 66 | |
| CMYK: | 100 90 13 68 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 282 C |
| Flat Gold | Hex color: | #b9975b |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 185 151 91 | |
| CMYK: | 0 31 98 0 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 1235 C |
FAQ
What happened to the “Florida Panthers”?
After a series of failures, the Florida Panthers started winning matches in November 2021. Mid-month, they defeated the Minnesota Wild and the New Jersey Devils.
When did the “Florida Panthers” join the NHL?
The Florida Panthers first appeared in the NHL in the 1993-1994 season. They established themselves as the most successful expansion franchise in history. Their record was broken by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017-2018 season.
In which city is the “Florida Panthers” located?
The Florida Panthers hockey club is based in Sunrise, Florida, and is considered the southernmost.
