That’s the message from the Atlanta Hawks, where a logo from the past has been revived and updated. Atlanta’s old Pac-Man logo design, used by the team from 1972 through 1995, has been designated as a secondary logo.
The original design, which features the profile of a hawk’s head inside a partial circle, drew comparisons to the old Pac-Man video game character when viewed in reverse-field. The new version features a more predatory angle for the hawk’s head, a sharper hooked beak and a fiercer-looking eyeball.
The timing of the move is surprising, as it’s unusual for a team to introduce a new logo — even a revival of an old design — during the postseason. The Hawks are on the brink of upsetting the Indiana Pacers, leading the first-round postseason series 3-2.
Game 6 is set for Thursday night in Atlanta, and fans attending the game will have a chance to get their hands on the updated Pac-Man. The Hawks plan to use the logo on a T-shirt that will be given away to all fans attending the game.
The Hawks are already using the updated Pac-Man logo as their Twitter avatar, although they sent out a tweet this morning indicating that their primary logo “isn’t going anywhere.” That logo, which shows a hawk carrying a basketball, has been in use since 2007.
