Logo 7 was founded in Indianapolis in 1971 by Tom Shine, with a mission to manufacture licensed sports apparel at the highest level. Mall pioneers Herb and Mel Simon bought the operation in 1984, just after purchasing the Indiana Pacers, and the company grew steadily throughout the decade. The company's product line included everything from t-shirts and hats to jackets and jerseys, holding licenses with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. By the early 1990s, Logo 7 was one of the most recognizable names in licensed sportswear and a genuine competitor to brands like Starter and Sports Specialties.
The hats are where Logo 7 truly carved out its place in collector culture. The brand is recognized for its NFL licensed apparel and is best known for its branded headwear, with vintage snapbacks valued for their retro team graphics and high quality embroideries. Among their most popular models are the Sharktooth and paint splash style, featuring bold colorblocking. The Splash and Diamond Cut designs rounded out what became one of the most distinct cap lineups of the entire era, all produced during the peak years of the licensed sportswear boom.
In 1992 Logo 7 was to Virginia based Tultex Corp., and by 1997, the operation changed its name to Logo Athletic. In 1994, Logo 7 secured a highly sought after NFL Pro Line license and increased its advertising budget in an effort to overtake Starter as the industry leader. The rebrand to Logo Athletic signaled an attempt to expand the brand's identity beyond its roots, though the core Indianapolis operation remained the heart of the business. In 1998, a local group headed by Shine, the Simon brothers, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway bought the company back from Tultex. But just two years later, Logo Athletic declared bankruptcy during a free fall in the sporting apparel industry. In 2001, Reebok bought the operation for a fire sale price of $13.8 million, and the plant later became part of Adidas when the German company acquired Reebok in 2006. The Logo Athletic name faded away with the bankruptcy, but the hats lived on in closets, thrift stores, and eventually the hands of collectors who knew exactly what they had.
