Manchester Magic and Manchester Mystics have a new logo.

Designed by André Taylforth, it has been created to:

·        Bring the two successful basketball programmes under one banner for the first time;

·         Give them a fresh, new look that will excite players and fans;

·         Increase public interest in the Magic and Mystics;

·         And bring players, parents and coaches of both clubs even closer together.

It means all Magic and Mystics teams, including the WBBL side based at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Belle Vue, will sport the same motif on match kit from next season.

The new logo will also start to appear on merchandise, banners and other promotional material over the next few weeks, as the Magic and Mystics continue their preparations for what will hopefully be another successful campaign at senior and junior level.

Taylforth is a University of Salford graduate now working as a graphic designer in Austria.

Explaining his design, he said he wanted to give the Magic and Mystics a “distinctive look” that would help them stand out from the competition and hoped fans would wear the new logo “proudly” on their chest.

“I wanted to create something that would accurately represent Manchester, in terms of the creativity that thrives in the city and the true spirit of the streets I experienced while studying there,” he added.

“This means the communication should be in your face, loud while encompassing the essence of the game.

“The logo itself was crafted by slicing a basketball, using the natural lines of the ball itself. This means the logo instantly signifies what it is. Laying another pattern over the slice made for a more beautiful composition.”

How the logo was formed…. It started with a ball.

Formed in the 1990s, the Magic and Mystics are two of the biggest names in British basketball and boast an enviable track record of success at junior and senior level.

In 2016/17, the Mystics, guided by Jeff Jones, won the inaugural WBBL Cup, while Paul Middleton steered the Magic to a successful defence of their National Trophy and Division One Play-Off titles.

The Magic and Mystics have won a combined total of 81 national titles in 18 seasons, with many of their players going on to earn regional and international honours.

Several youngsters have come through the junior programmes to represent the senior teams, while the Magic and Mystics have also helped many talented youngsters further their basketball careers and education in the United States.

You can view a full list of accolades – club and individual – by visiting the ‘Honours’ page on the club’s website (www.manchestermagicandmystics.co.uk/pages/honours.aspx)

The Magic and Mystics junior programmes, as well as the senior Magic team, continue to be based at the Amaechi Basketball Centre in Whalley Range under the leadership of Greater Manchester Community Basketball, a charity and non-profit organisation.

The National Basketball Performance Centre in Belle Vue is now home to the senior Mystics team after Eastlands Trust took over the ownership of the WBBL franchise in August 2016.

The core logo will be used to identify both the Magic and Mystics, but Andre has a created a number of variations, including a special blue for the WBBL team.

See the logo portfolio below: