June 19th 1987, Orlando Sentinel

 When the Orlando Magic take to the court to start the 1989-90 NBA season, cries of "Love Ya, Blue" may echo through the new arena in downtown Orlando. "Electric Blue" is the dominant color in the Magic's new logo, unveiled Thursday for an enthusiastic lunchtime crowd of about 800.

"Quick Silver" and "Magic Black" are the other main colors in the logo. "Magic" is the dominant lettering, with "Orlando" emblazoned above. A basketball, crowded by stars, is to one side.

Moments after the wraps were taken off the design at Barnett Plaza, those in the crowd offered thumbs-up signs. About 500 fans rushed a table to purchase Magic T-shirts at $15 apiece. A thousand bumper stickers, which were free, were snapped up in five minutes.

Some office workers, dressed in shirts and ties, slipped on T- shirts as they headed back to work. Others headed for their cars, where their first move was to affix the bumper sticker.

Final color schemes haven't been determined. The Magic are toying with white uniforms with blue and silver trim for home games.

"This is fantastic. This is a great day," said Pat Williams, president and general manager of the Magic. "We wanted to give something to the people of Central Florida. We wanted to let them know that this franchise is real. It's not a dream."

The Magic are the first of four new NBA teams to announce a logo. Now, Williams said, the Magic can accelerate marketing plans, including the merchandising of novelties such as Magic jackets, cups, gym shorts and pennants.

"People are going to have to be patient for just a while longer," Williams said. "The T-shirts that we had on hand are all that we have. This was a one-time sale. We expect that in 6-8 weeks we will have a complete line of items available."

Williams said the Magic worked for nearly a year on their logo before settling on a design from their advertising agency, The Advertising Works. Doug Minear, president of the agency, created the logo after consulting with artists from Walt Disney World and culling through some 500 suggestions from around the country.

The search for a Magic logo drew national attention when Williams, in a story printed in USA Today, asked fans to mail in suggestions.

"We wanted something exciting," Minear said. "We wanted something that captured what we were trying to say."

Williams also announced another hiring. Ashleigh Bizzelle will assume the position of director of box office operations, he said. Bizzelle is currently manager and assistant publicist for the Zev Bufman Theater Partnership, Ltd., in Orlando and St. Petersburg.

Bufman is part-owner of the Miami Heat, who will begin play in the NBA in 1988-89. Charlotte, N.C., begins that season as well, with Minneapolis joining the league the same time as Orlando.