Since 1983, the Triple-A franchise that plays in Las Vegas, Nevada, has had three monikers, which have highlighted celebrities, aliens, and the aviation industry. None of those brands has featured what the city is best known for—the gaming industry.
In a promotional video unveiling a new alternate identity this week, the team asked what we’ve all been wondering: “What if instead of Stars, 51s, or Aviators, we were able to take a look into the past and embody the essence of what this city was built on? … What if, 41 seasons ago, we were able to call ourselves what we will call ourselves on April 20?”
On that day, the team will rebrand for one game as the Las Vegas Gamblers, finally acknowledging an industry the brought in more than $15 billion in the state last year.
With the unveiling, the team pointed out some details of the identity. The jersey’s sleeve cuffs are set in a gold and black pattern meant to evoke the edge of playing chips. The character in the logo is wearing boots with spurs that borrow elements from the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign. And a pair of dice in the logo reveal numbers with two different hidden meanings: Snake eyes are a tribute to 1911, the year of the city’s incorporation, and a pair of 5s could be construed as 55, or in Roman numerals, LV, which stands for Las Vegas.
The Gamblers will take to the field Saturday, April 20.
