FanHouse

The NBA is usually very savvy when it comes to their marketing strategies, but this one seemingly came out of nowhere. At a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA basketball camp at Tulane University, in the middle of July, the NBA revealed its logo for the 2008 All-Star Game which will take place in New Orleans. NBA legend Clyde Drexler and random New Orleans Hornet Hilton Armstrong were on hand for the festivities, and the logo's design is said to incorporate some classic elements from the city's heritage:

The symmetrical, circular logo incorporates much of New Orleans' heritage, with two fleur-de-lis symbols, eight brass horns and fringe detail that resembles the cast-iron lace adorning French Quarter balconies.

The logo itself looks okay I suppose, but there are bigger issues surrounding the league's choice to hold the game in New Orleans. There were conflicting reports of how things went in Las Vegas (personally, I had a blast), and everyone from Billy Hunter to the Houston Rockets have raised concerns about the safety of holding the event in New Orleans. Hopefully all of these concerns will be addressed as we get closer, because NBA All-Star weekend is one of the more enjoyable events of the season.

Previously at FanHouse:

Hunter: NOLA Can't Handle All-Star Weekend
The Rockets Are Scared to Go to N'awlins; League Doesn't Care
Can New Orleans Match This Year's Fun?