Post by David on Dec 9, 2015 16:29:57 GMT -8
12.9.15 -
The team formerly known as the Spokane Shock have revealed its new name and logo: the Spokane Empire.
The team was forced to re-brand after it was unable to retain the Shock trademarks and logos when it joined the Indoor Football League after five seasons in the Arena Football League. Due to the AFL's decision, the team announced a "Name the Team" contest back in October and the result was the Empire.
The Empire name is a nod to the geographical ties of the Pacific Inland Northwest, nicknamed the "Inland Empire." The Inland Empire region is centered around Spokane and includes the surrounding Columbia River basin and all of Northern Idaho. The city of Spokane is the largest city in the region and was the commercial center of the Inland Northwest in the early 20th Century.
The new Empire logo, which features a steam locomotive and railroad elements such as the rail spike, is a tribute to Spokane's railroad history, which contributed to population growth and economic opportunity in the area during the late 1800's and early 1900's. It was designed by graphic designer Brian Gundell, who has worked with teams such as the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks, NFL's Miami Dolphins, Nike, and the University of Washington Huskies football team.
The train logo is a hybrid train, incorporating numerous parts of steam trains during that time frame. The logo also pays tribute to Spokane's fanbase, the 9th Man, with a hidden 9 on the train's lamp located on the front boiler. The team worked with individuals with ties to the Inland Northwest Rail Museum and plan to develop a relationship with the museum as part of the team's outreach program.
The team colors have changed from navy and yellow to "coal black" and "silver smoke." The lone color retained from its Shock identity, orange, has been tweaked to an "engine orange" color. In the team's press release, the silver smoke serves as a tribute to the mining history in the region, which also had ties with the railroad.
In the Empire's press release, Ryan Eucker explained that the organization wanted a name that was "unique and that also possessed the geographical or historical ties to our region." He also made a pun that the team "hit the spike right on the head."
The Empire's primary & secondary logos, wordmarks, and colors. (image credit: Spokane Empire/Brian Gundell)
Eucker thanked the fans who submitted suggestions in the team's rebranding process, appreciating their suggestions as the team had a short amount of time to establish its new identity. Over 400 submissions were entered during the contest.
With the new identity, the Empire will enter the 2016 IFL Season with a complete clean slate. The Empire essentially are a brand new expansion team, with the team's historical statistics being reset. However, the team's record books and championship achievements from the Spokane Shock will continue to be recognized internally and in the rafters of Spokane Arena.
The team's 2016 uniforms and helmet designs will be revealed in the upcoming weeks.
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena GM Matt Gibson was highly enthusiastic about the rebranded IFL team. "We have greatly enjoyed ten seasons of incredible football at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. To say that we're excited about the future of this new brand is an understatement," he said. "This February is going to be one to remember with the home opener of the Spokane Empire!"
-DKH
To comment on this thread and others on this forum, please login or register.
Graphic courtesy of David.