Belfast Giants’ head of hockey operations Steve Thornton says the club used the Covid lockdown and pandemic to reflect and rebrand after they revealed their new logo.
The club unveiled their new look on Wednesday ahead of their return to action this weekend when they travel to Scotland to face Dundee Stars and Fife Flyers in the Challenge Cup.
And Thornton said it was about more than just coming back to the rink after the pandemic and the loss of the 2020-21 season.
“Belfast Giants has always prided itself on being history makers and game changers,” he said. “This new brand is designed to continue to grow the game.
“Whilst being sensitive and paying homage to our history, it will, we believe, help us to reach the next generation of Belfast Giants fans and grow our brand internationally.
“During the downtime of the last season off the ice, we had time to review and reflect. Whilst our old logo will always be an important part of our history, we need branding that will be fit for the future and how we communicate in a digital-first age.
“It was about more than the launch of a new brand though, it’s about the rebirth of this team and the return of ice hockey to Belfast. After 18 months off the ice, we are ready to make up for lost time and make every game count.”
(PHOTO: William Cherry/Press Eye)
The new brand was officially unveiled at a season ticket holder event at the SSE Arena, Belfast where a massive 30 metre banner at the front of the Arena made a big statement on arrival, featuring the new logo.
The players also skated onto the ice to show the team’s new home, away and Challenge Cup jerseys, before delighting fans with a practice session and the opportunity to see their new team in action.
The new brand features two main elements: a new primary logo that is a modern, refined version of the team’s mascot, Finn McCool and a separate Belfast Giants wordmark, with the word ‘Belfast’ mirroring the arc of The SSE Arena roof.
Their first home game takes place on Friday 1st October when they face Dundee Stars.
