Review: Montreal Royal (AUDL)

Part of the series critiquing the professional Ultimate team logos and nicknames.

Team: Montréal Royal

Web: http://royalultimate.com // twitter: @MontrealRoyal

Representation: City // League: AUDL

Disc within logo?: No. // Ultimate element in team name?: No.

Eli's Eval: Nice simple layout: shield with diagonally crossing arm, with circle overlaid on that. From there we encounter a few problems: the circle icon is too small in relation to the overall shield, plus the white and brown are similar in tone and blur together from afar. The crossbar is at such an angle that there is much more space on the upper left than there is in the lower right so both the "R" and "M" end up being small and crowded close to the circle in the middle. If they removed the diagonal, dropped the circle and put "RM" on one line at the top this would read much more clearly.

The odd "O" seems completely out of place and has no relation to any other part of the design or, as far as I know, to Montreal itself, or royalty. If it has no reason to be there it is just distracting and should go. Lastly, the curved "Montreal" above seems to be on a different curve than "Royal" and the top of the shield.

:Eli's Grades:
Overall Grade: B
On Logo: B
On Typography: B-

Background by SLUDGE: The team is named after the elevated park, Mount Royal Park, located west of downtown Montreal, Quebec. Also, it's a nod to the Montreal Royals - a former minor league professional baseball team - that launched the careers of players like Sparky Anderson, Roberto Clemente, Tommy Lasorda, oh, and Jackie Robinson. Read the Royal's highly detailed explanation.

First impression(s) by SLUDGE: The aigu accent mark above the "e" could have been replaced with a bladey disc, but it wasn't (and that's okay). The single lines on the shield's right edge makes it looks like a brush. The use of a bird distorts the team name (put a bird on it?), though "eagle" does rhyme with "regal". The eagle image has resemblance to the DC-area Eagle Bank.

What are you thoughts on this AUDL's team name & logo?