(Edmonton) The new owner of the Edmonton Elks declined to say whether the Canadian Football League team will change its branding, but he said the letters “EE” will now be much more visible.
Alberta businessman Larry Thompson became the first private owner in the history of the Alberta franchise Thursday at a news conference called by the Elks.
During the event, Thompson referred to the club as the Elks or their former name, the Eskimos.
The Alberta-based franchise underwent a rebranding overhaul in 2021, following similar moves by other North American professional franchises to eliminate racist or derogatory references. As part of the overhaul, the team developed a moose logo to replace the letters “EE.”
Asked if the team was considering backtracking on the issue, Thompson said “it’s not on the agenda right now,” before adding that the team will focus on the letters “EE” in the future.
CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie, who attended the news conference, said he is “comfortable” with bringing back the old logo to define the team’s branding.
Thompson, the former owner of construction company Thompson Brothers, said he has been a fan of the team since childhood and wants it to be successful again.
Since the Elks will be privately owned, that means only the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are still owned by their respective communities.
The Elks (2-7) sit last in the West Division and haven’t made the CFL playoffs since 2019.
Last November, the Alberta team, which has been community-owned since its inception in 1949, reported a $3.3 million deficit for the 2022 fiscal year – the team’s fourth consecutive year of deficit – and indicated it was looking for a private investor to secure its future.
Before its recent slump, Edmonton was a CFL powerhouse, winning 14 Grey Cups, including five in a row between 1978 and 1982.
Thompson would not reveal the price paid to acquire the team.