Logo Links: Winnipeg’s NHL Team, New Bills Uniforms, the Cnbs?!

Busy week in the last few days of sports; as you are all well aware the Atlanta Thrashers have announced plans to relocate to Winnipeg, Manitoba in time for the upcoming 2011-12 NHL season, pending a vote amongst the team owners later this month.

If this relocation is approved it would be the first league-approved relocation of a franchise to Canada in the history of the four major sports leagues.  In 1980, the NHL’s Atlanta Flames shipped off to Calgary in a move that did not require league approval… my how things have changed in that league.

Of course what everyone in the logo world is concerned about is what this new relocated team will be called and what logo will they be wearing.  The new owners have been tight-lipped about this ever since the purchase was announced; but we do have some bits of information…

• One misconception that’s been cleared is that the team can indeed call themselves the Winnipeg Jets if they so desire, the NHL owns the rights to the name and logo and Gary Bettman made it known that they’re free to use it.
• In a, “Well, then it’s obvious they’re not going to be called the Jets” turn of events the new owners announced that the new identity will not be unveiled until AFTER 13,000 fans have committed to at least 3-years worth of season tickets. “So, you won’t support them if they’re not called the Jets, eh?  Take that!”
• Another on-going debate is should it be Winnipeg or should it be Manitoba — here’s what fans from Manitoba think in an article from the Winnipeg Sun
• When nobody can agree on what they should be called, it’s always best to consult local third graders as the Winnipeg Free Press did – so, Winnipeg Chufugaboos? I’ve heard worse!
• Then again there’s also the news I broke about them leaning away from Jets in March and leaning towards Moose… if you ignore the bit about my source being wrong about where the AHL team was relocating to it’s still a solid lead!  Right?  Eh, at least I was right about the “no Jets” bit.

Elsewhere in the world of sports logos and uniforms:

• The Buffalo Bills announced they will be unveiling their new uniforms at an event on June 24th; we already know the uniforms look fabulous as we have seen in the annual EA Sports’ Madden NFL uniform leak trailer.
• With the word about the new retro Bills uniforms on their way, NFL.com put together a slideshow of their favourite and least favourite old-time NFL uniforms.
• In media news, the Big Ten Network has re-branded themselves as BTN and launched a new logo to reflect that
• The North American Lacrosse League (the #3 pro lacrosse league in North America!) has announced a new team for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania with a press conference this afternoon – they will be not unveiling their name and logo however, perhaps borrowing a page from the Winnipeg NHL team’s policy of “make ‘em buy tickets before you anger them”
• All you designers who love working for free (and golly there’s a lot of you!), you have a chance to design a logo for New York Jets punter Steve Weatherford!  Details are here.
• And finally, how about those Chicago Cnbs?  Way to keep that winning tradition alive Cubbies!