Cal’s New Look is Incredible, ASU’s New Helmets Are Pretty Nice Too

I’ll be continuing my branding identity countdown, but over the past week and a half, the Cal Bears and ASU Sun Devils have updated their look. Let’s start with Cal.

This will be the best new look in the country this season, easily. I’m so happy the Bears didn’t mess with the iconic logo that is the Cal script or the color combo, but totally redesigned the look of the logo and the uniform lines. On top of that, they embedded the look into the numbers of the jerseys (which is so, so sick), the pants and the shoulder pads. It also looks like they are going to the ever popular matte helmets to replace the shiny domes. This new look has a lot of intricacies and yet it’s so clean. First, let’s look at the old look:

October 27, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Zach Maynard (15) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

November 02, 2012; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears wide receiver Chris Harper (6) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Huskies during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

And here’s the new look Bears:

I’m cool with that look (threw the basketball jersey look in for the new font)! I’ve always been partial to the Golden Bears and now even more so. In fact I think this easily jumps Cal to my 2nd favorite look in the Pac.

Now to Arizona State’s new helmets. Despite the branding being my 2nd to least favorite look in the Pac-12, the new helmets are nice. I still wish they’d change the overall logo, but the logo on the new helmets is big and bold, and the fact that it’s etched on makes it look more fierce and less, well, stickery.