NHL Seattle may announce name, logo and colors in February or March
Dec 10, 2019, 10:41 AM | Updated: Mar 21, 2020, 12:37 pm
The NHL Seattle team name, logo and colors could be announced in February or March of 2020.
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According to an NHL.com story by Dan Rosen, NHL Seattle president and CEO Tod Leiweke said that’s likely the case following his presentation to the NHL Board of Governors on Monday. Seattle will be the league’s 32nd team and will have its inaugural season in 2021-2022. The city was officially awarded a team last December by the NHL.
“We think so, but we’re still working on it,” Leiweke said of the announcement. “It’s moving right up the list.”
Last month, NHL Seattle general manager Ron Francis said the hope was to announce the name during the first quarter or half of 2020. His wish appears to be coming true based on Leiweke’s comments.
Sportsnet in Canada reported last month that NHL Seattle aimed to announce a name before the league’s All-Star break in January, but Francis’ comments last month and now Leiweke’s comments Monday are the first public comments in a while from an official member of the team regarding the team’s name, logo or colors.
Per Rosen’s report, Leiweke’s presentation was short and he is in Seattle Tuesday for a meeting with NHL Seattle investors.
“Everything is great,” Leiweke said in the story. “We’re getting to see our fans, and that’s been chicken soup for the soul.”
Leiweke said consulting with the fans who have submitted deposits for club seats has been helpful in the team name selection process.
“The most passionate fans (are) buying the most expensive seats in the building,” he said. “They’re sharing and it’s been super, super informative. It’s really what do the fans want. It’s being smart enough to listen and then thoughtful enough to interpret just right.”
Rosen’s story reports Leiweke said the organization is moving through assigning the club seats to the fans who are making a three-, five- or seven-year commitment, and the hope is to assign the general seating by the first half of 2020.
Leiweke also said the foundation for the team’s arena will be poured in early spring.
Rosen also reported that the roof of the former KeyArena, a Seattle icon, is being supported above the excavation so it can be placed back on top of the new arena that will be built under it.
“They’re going to pull it off,” Leiweke said.
Fans of the soon-to-be team have been waiting patiently for the team name, colors and logo.
Leiweke told 710 ESPN Seattle in late 2018 that a team name may be revealed in spring 2019 and that the team colors could be a surprise. While there was no announcement in 2019, the franchise did change up its official website in June with a pink and teal color scheme that caused some to believe that may be the color scheme.
New site, who dis?
Our @NHLdotcom page is officially up & running!
Check it out → https://t.co/w8tIOxENcV pic.twitter.com/g7OIP2u9KA
— NHL Seattle (@NHLSeattle_) June 5, 2019
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