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Grading the Metropolitan Riveters’ rebrand

Introducing: #SteelRosie

The NWHL’s Metropolitan Riveters unveiled their rebrand Friday morning, including a modified logo, a new alternate logo, and a refreshed color scheme.

Logos: A

I wouldn’t say that the new primary logo is necessarily “new,” but it’s definitely a refreshed version of the old one with a few key differences — most notably the change in Rosie’s skin color, from white to a light gray. This was done in an attempt to make Rosie “nonracial and inclusive for all [the Riveters’] players and fans,” according a graphic the team shared.

While fans might lament the loss of a more “classic”-looking Rosie the Riveter, I think this new, steel-toned Rosie has the potential to be just as iconic.

And though I really like the switch from a white Rosie to a non-racial one, I feel like the Riveters missed a major opportunity to honor the heroic efforts of Black women during World War II with a Black Rosie design — an effort women’s hockey journalist Erica L. Ayala has been spearheading for several years now.

Maybe we’ll see an alternate logo honoring all of history’s Black Rosies for Black History Month? Well, a fan can dream!

The alternate logo is also fantastic, designed to pay homage to “Rosie’s historically patriotic past” while also acknowledging the historical impact of women on aviation during World War II. It does look a little bit like the United States’ Air Force star insignia, which I don’t know how to feel about, but I think that might have been part of the goal. Either way: it looks pretty darn good.

Colors: A-

I really like the simplified and condensed color scheme. The Riveters playing into the contrast between the navy and the red is so, so good, and the varying tones of gray and black really make the two primary colors pop.

Additionally, the biggest color scheme change is the new shade of red, which I like infinitely more than the old, coral-toned shade. This new red feels bolder and more polished, and really gels well with the two shades of blue.

Word mark: A

The Riveters’ new word mark features the classic rivets on the letters — an iconic component of the franchise’s brand since its conception. The combination of fonts is really key to making any word mark look good, and the Riveters nailed (haha, hardware pun) this one on the head with their font pairing. I really like the addition of the stars on either side too, though it seems a little inconsistent since the shield and alternate logos only have one star.

In soccer, a team’s crest gains a star for each championship title (see: the United States women’s national soccer team’s four-starred crest). Since the Riveters have only won the Isobel Cup once, I like to think that the singular star on their shield logo could be an homage to that same concept...but more likely, the steel star is becoming a part of their iconography.

Still pretty sick.

Merchandise: A+

I could go on for hours about the new Riveters merchandise, because general manager Anya Packer and her team really knocked this one out of the park. The Riveters’ new shop — operating independently of The Loyalist — features a bevy of options like the classic t-shirt and hoodie, but also joggers, and crewnecks with a variety of logos. There are also collectibles! Like pint glasses!

The most important thing about the merchandise is that it’s inclusive and not gendered; instead of dividing clothing into “men’s” and “women’s,” the clothing is divided into “narrow” and “regular” fit, which I think is a step in the right direction.

My personal favorite and soon-to-be in my closet is the tie-dyed hoodie with a monochrome Rosie logo, but the crewneck sweatshirt featuring the alternate logo is a close second.

Overall: A

Overall, I’d say the rebrand was a major success. There’s no way that the revamped Rosie logo won’t be just as iconic as its predecessor, and I think all the changes made to the color scheme and other brand features were positive ones and very well-received.

While the Riveters definitely would have struck gold and earned an A+ if they featured Black Rosie — as so many fans and media have been imploring them to do — I also can appreciate the steps they’re taking to make their logo more inclusive. It’s a small step in the right direction, and one that will hopefully foreshadow more inclusion efforts from the franchise.

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