Last July, the Edmonton Eskimos initially announced that the CFL franchise would keep its name. Later that month, it reversed course, using “EE” as a placeholder until a new name is selected.
The new name has been selected, and revealed. Meet the Edmonton Elks.
The colors (green and yellow) are unchanged. The helmet decal consists of elk antlers, not the Elks logo.
Elks gear is available here. The CFL, which shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic, is targeting an August 5 return, subject to governmental approval. As anyone who has watched any of the Stanley Cup playoffs knows, the games in Canada still have no fans.
“Institutions are being renamed around the world,” Edmonton board chairperson Janice Agrios said last July. “The change to our name is part of a sweeping societal change.”
That same month, the Washington Football Team ditched the nickname it had used since 1932. A replacement isn’t expected for 2021. It’s possible that the no-name name will remain indefinitely.