A's 125th Anniversary Patch Brings Back the Iconic Elephant Logo

The Athletics released their 125th anniversary patch for the 2026 season and the best part about it is the return of the elephant.

The elephant has been part of the A's identity since 1902 when the logo originated as a response to a rival calling the team a "white elephant." The franchise leaned into it and the elephant became one of the most unique logos in professional sports. Over the years, the A's have moved it in and out of their branding, and in recent seasons it's been largely absent from their primary look. This anniversary patch brings it back front and center, and it looks great.

The patch also works as a subtle nod to the Oakland era without putting the city name on the jersey. The A's are currently playing their home games in Sacramento as a temporary stop before the move to Las Vegas, so any direct Oakland branding on the uniform isn't happening. But the elephant carries that history with it. Fans who grew up watching the A's in the Coliseum know exactly what that logo represents.

The A's also released a series of commemorative coins featuring different versions of the patch for each city the franchise has called home: Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oakland, and Sacramento. 125 years of baseball history across four cities.

Speaking of Vegas, the new stadium is shaping up to be one of the more interesting builds in baseball. It features a roof that goes up rather than retracting, almost like an umbrella opening. That design makes sense for the desert heat because an indoor environment is a necessity for summer baseball in southern Nevada.

We're curious to see how the team handles the wordmark situation going forward. Right now they're simply the "Athletics" with no city designation on the jersey. Once they officially settle into Las Vegas, that will almost certainly change.

For now, the 125th anniversary patch is a solid piece of design that honors the franchise's long history. More teams should find ways to incorporate their legacy logos into anniversary branding like this.

Images via Athletics