The Story Behind the FantasyTrophies.com Logo

When I say I created everything related to FantasyTrophies.com, I mean everything.

The trophies. The website. The branding. And, of course, the logo.

I still remember sitting on my in-laws' couch in Charlotte, trying to come up with a logo that would capture what FantasyTrophies.com was all about.

This wasn't going to be some slick corporate logo.

It needed to have personality.

It needed to feel like fantasy football.

And, most importantly, it needed to look like something a sports fan would actually love.

Taking My Cues From Sports

I started doing what any sports-obsessed guy would do: I looked at logos from professional sports teams across the country.

There was plenty of great stuff out there, but I kept coming back to one thing.

College logos.

I'm going to say it: college teams are where it's at when it comes to sports artwork.

For whatever reason, college programs seem to have always been given a little more freedom to get creative. Some of the best logos aren't just letters or abstract shapes—they're characters. Animals. Personalities.

And I love that.

I was particularly drawn to some of the older college football artwork. The old Florida Gator logos immediately come to mind. The Georgia Bulldogs. Butler's Bulldog.

Those older designs had an attitude to them.

They weren't trying to be overly polished. They had character.

That's exactly what I wanted for FantasyTrophies.com.

Enter Johnny

Once I had an idea of the direction I wanted to go, I knew who the star of the logo was going to be.

My cousin Johnny.

Let's just say Johnny had the right look for the job.

He was going to be my heavyset fantasy football fanatic—the guy with the big belly, a beer in one hand, and a remote control in the other.

Basically, the guy sitting on the couch watching football all Sunday and convinced he could coach the team better than anybody on the field.

Sound familiar?

That's the fantasy football fan I wanted to capture.

And Johnny was perfect.

I spent a few days working on the design and tweaking the details until I finally felt like I had it.

Then I sent the artwork off to a graphic designer, who added the color and lettering and brought the whole thing together.

And just like that, the FantasyTrophies.com logo was born.

More Than Just a Logo

I've had the logo for years now, but every time I look at it, I'm reminded of those early days.

I'm reminded of sitting on my in-laws' couch in Charlotte, trying to figure out how to turn this crazy fantasy football idea into a real business.

I'm reminded of the trophies I was creating, the website I was building, and all the possibilities that were still ahead of me.

And, of course, I'm reminded of my in-laws' home cooking.

That's probably the best part about creating something yourself.

The things you make end up carrying memories with them.

That logo isn't just a piece of branding to me.

It's a snapshot of where FantasyTrophies.com came from.

A fantasy football obsession, a little creativity, a lot of trial and error, and a family member with the perfect beer belly.

Not a bad way to start a business.

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