The new Winnipeg Jets revealed their logo on Friday, July 22 and there is no relationship whatever to the old one. Neither the new main logo nor the two secondary logos have a hockey stick capital 'J' featured in the design of their logo before the franchise moved to Phoenix to become the Coyotes.
Jets co-owner Mark Chipman, who spoke to the media about the new logo, noted that while the stylized 'J' was the logo for the team in the last years of its previous existence, there were other logos before that, different ones for the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA, for example. So given there was not a continuity of logos, despite that last one being so strongly associated with the team, they felt they could seek out their own brand.
"Unlike the Habs or the Red Wings or the Blackhawks, we didn't have just one logo that may have been more logical to go back to," he said. "We thought we had the freedom to try something new (and) also to make it very meaningful to the community."
Military Winnipeg Jets Logo: RCAF Connection
The primary logo is a circle with a stylized red Maple Leaf inside it and a military-looking Jet - it bears purposely a strong resemblance to the CF-18 fighter jets - over that and pointing upward (north); colors are blue, grey and white. The 17 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force base is near Winnipeg's airport and has been connected to the city since 1922.
"Our desire was to authenticate the name and make it as meaningful as we possibly could," said Chipman. "In my view, the best way to do that was to draw a connection to the rich history that our city has enjoyed with the air force, particularly with 17 Wing."
Secondary Winnipeg Jets Logos
The former Atlanta Thrashers will have their jerseys out in September but have started selling t-shirts, baseball hats and other merchandise, available in Winnipeg and beyond. Secondary logos feature one that looks like a military badge and another with a more modern approach where the word 'Jets' is in large handwritten letters, supported by 'Winnipeg' over top. A stylized red Canadian flag appears in each of the three logos.
The overall effect? The grey and white give each logo a flat, dull look, and the main logo lacks flair. And the old one was a good one, look for it to appear as a third jersey if fans clamor for it. What do Winnipeg Jets fans feel? That remains to be seen but thus far the reaction is mixed, with some missing the old and others not liking the new and those that like the military look.
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