the remarkable saga
Client
Left/Right
'Celtics City' is a new 9-part documentary from HBO Sports Documentaries chronicling the remarkable saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA's winningest franchise. BGSTR designed the Bill Simmons-produced series to follow the team's founding as one of the league's original members to its triumphant 2024 championship.
The Boston Celtics are unlike any team in the NBA. With 18 championships over 79 years of existence, they are the winningest franchise in NBA history. When our partners at Left/Right let us know they were tackling the team’s story, we knew it was something we had to be a part of.
The series premise details the history of the Celtics and the impact the team has had on the city of Boston so we wanted to create a design that would capture the essence of the franchise while spanning the decades of the team’s existence. We were lucky enough to have access to never-before-seen archival footage featuring legendary Celtics players and created a design that showcased the footage quickly and effectively.
Our type exploration similarly led us to a sporty vibe that channeled the scores seen by viewers, cheering their team on from home throughout the decades.
Moving between past and present, our graphics support the series as it examines not just the many eras of the franchise’s history, but also rivalries with the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and others; the relationships and loyalty shared by teammates; and the weight and expectations that come with carrying on a tradition that transcends the game.
We designed a clean logo that would serve the franchise throughout all its iterations and highs and lows. The series also explores the Celtics’ significance in the ever-changing landscape of Boston – a city with a complex social history impacted by racial tensions that the Celtics, led by figures like Bill Russell, confronted head-on.
Congratulations to our partners on the positive reception the series has received— watch episodes Mondays as they air or stream them on Max.
Props where props are due