Ranking every primary CFL logo ever (30-16)

This is the third installment of our series ranking all 70 primary CFL logos, so if you haven’t already checked out part one or part two, hit the link for a stroll down memory lane.

A reminder of the ground rules: no alternate or specialty logos were included — just primary logos. Votes were cast by 12 individuals with at least one representing all nine CFL markets. We also didn’t include teams that never played a game.

Most of these images came courtesy of SportsLogos.net, though others were sourced from teams directly or elsewhere online. To keep things neutral, all logos were presented on a plain white background.

Without further ado, here are logos 30 through 16.

30. Ottawa Rough Riders (1975-85)

As we’ve previously written in these rankings, slapping a logo on a helmet doesn’t make it a new logo. However, if you’re going to do it, this is the way to execute it. Ottawa’s ‘R’ is as iconic as any look in the CFL and this logo matched the team’s on-field aesthetic perfectly. The creativity here is lacking but it’s hard to argue with the results.

29. Toronto Argonauts (2005)

The Argonauts briefly forgot about representing double blue in the mid-2000s, completely ditching Cambridge Blue to outline their Oxford Blue shield with grey. Fortunately, this decision was reversed one year later when Cambridge Blue returned to the logo, replacing the ill-advised grey to create a much better logo.

28. B.C. Lions (2005-present)

B.C.’s current logo comes in four spots ahead of its predecessor, which was virtually identical save for a handful of dots and a slightly different shade of orange. This is the second-lowest active primary logo on our rankings and the Lions are the only team without a logo in the top 25, which means it might be time for change on the West Coast.

27. Montreal Alouettes (1970-73)

The green eye in this logo paid tribute to the green accents that started appearing on Montreal’s uniforms in 1967 and was accompanied by an all-green jersey the team wore at home for four seasons. The trend didn’t last long as Montreal pivoted to blue in 1974 but we’ll always have this logo to remind us of the sudden colour shift in La Belle Province.

26. Saskatchewan Roughriders (1985-2015)

This logo bears a strong resemblance to the one that followed it, though there are a few notable differences. This emblem has a surprising amount of grey, considering it’s never really been one of Saskatchewan’s colours, and the tail of the ‘S’ is oddly long. All in all, this is a solid logo, though the update it received in 2016 was definitely an improvement.

25. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1996-2004)

This logo marked a bold departure from Winnipeg’s previous logos, embracing the “radical” movement of the 1990s with a giant lightning bolt. The team’s colours also changed, as yellow turned greenish-gold and royal blue became navy blue. Our voters didn’t seem to love the changes, as the logo this one replaced ranked considerably higher.

24. Memphis Mad Dogs

The Mad Dogs finished with the second-highest logo on our rankings among U.S. teams, which seems like a reasonable consolation prize. The snarling dog is intimidating but not scary enough to turn off little kids, while the wordmark being placed on a bone is clever. If the Cleveland Browns ever want to upgrade their logo, an orange-and-brown version of this emblem would look pretty slick.

23. CFL (2016-present)

We’re officially two-thirds of the way through our rankings and we’ve come to the current CFL logo. This emblem is certainly clean and crisp, though it’s been criticized for being a little bland. The CFL is a corporate entity, sure, but this feels a little cold and impersonal for a league that means so much to Canadians.

22. Calgary Stampeders (2013-15)

The Stampeders temporarily added a large circle to the background of their logo, which fixed the problem with its predecessor: there was no red. Later, the logo was tweaked to remove the embossing on the circle, eliminating the illusion of a three-dimensional logo.

21. Edmonton Football Team (1988-95)

This is the second of Edmonton’s three oval-shaped ‘EE’ logos, which placed 16 spots higher than the emblem it replaced. This one features a thinner gold band around the outside of the logo, a more uniform oval shape, and slightly more stylized text. We’ve got two Edmonton logos ranked higher than this one but there’s no denying it’s pretty slick.

20. Toronto Argonauts (1956-75)

The Argonauts have four different boat logos, three of which made our top 20. The colours are great, and there’s a lot of intricate detailing, which fits the time period in which this was released. Toronto’s current logo is certainly an upgrade from this one but it’s a classic for a reason.

19. Toronto Argonauts (1995-2004)

This logo marked the first appearance of grey on an Argonauts logo, though the team maintained its double-blue colour scheme with a thick outline of Cambridge Blue. The shield is awesome, the hero is intimidating, and the logo has a fun, unique shape. It’s almost hard to believe the Argonauts still have three logos to come.

18. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1968-94)

There’s a lot of history tied to this logo as it was the team’s emblem when they won three Grey Cups from 1984 to 1990 and was worn by legends like Dieter Brock, Chris Walby, and Tyrone Jones. Then again, this logo was never actually worn on Winnipeg’s helmets, which donned a plain white ‘W,’ as it was relegated to the sleeve.

17. Montreal Alouettes (1974-81, 1986)

This logo might still be in use today if the Alouettes hadn’t folded after the 1986 season as it remains highly popular. The emblem, which has been worn on the front or sides of the helmet, is unabashedly a product of its time, featuring bold colours and geometric patterns. If you look closely, you’ll notice the blue shape is an ‘A,’ the red shape is an ‘M,’ and the white space between them resembles a bird in flight.

16. Baltimore Stallions

The top-ranked U.S. team on our list is also the one that enjoyed by far the most success on the field. Baltimore’s colour scheme was taken directly from the Colts, who left for Indianapolis in 1984, though the logo itself was completely different.

Come back tomorrow when we reveal the top 15 CFL logos of all time.

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