Heritage ‘O’ could be future look, too
New president considering retiring ‘Roman general’ for a switch to classic ‘O’ design
As new Ottawa Senators president and CEO Tom Anselmi settles into his role, he’s contemplating a brand new look for the franchise.
The idea of adopting the stylized “O” heritage look as the club’s chief logo is a distinct possibility.
“That jersey has inspired lot of people,” Anselmi said in a telephone interview with Postmedia. “It’s a great-looking jersey and the players like it. But we’re not going to do anything knee-jerk.”
Anselmi replaced Cyril Leeder on Jan. 25 and he acknowledges he’s still getting up to speed on countless issues, including what the next generation of the franchise should look like.
“I’m still drinking from the firehose,” he said. “I’ve been doing a little bit of everything. Meeting people. I’ve been doing a lot of listening, understanding the culture of the organization.”
Anselmi says the time is ideal for “fresh thinking,” considering that the Senators are celebrating a series of significant milestones: The franchise’s 25th anniversary season, the 100th anniversary of the National Hockey League, the 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup and the 150th anniversary of Canada.
When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman visits Ottawa on March 17 — part of a weekend celebration including a Stanley Cup party — it’s expected he’ll finally officially announce an outdoor game against the Montreal Canadiens in December.
When that game happens, the Senators will be sporting the throwback “O” jerseys — a look that has pushed countless fans to suggest it should become the club’s everyday logo. Pop princess Rihanna turned plenty of heads when she wore a sweater/ dress featuring the “O” a few years back.
The notion of that becoming the permanent brand for the Senators has gained momentum, particularly among a younger generation of fans. In the minds of many, the “Roman general” logo is stale and doesn’t adequately represent the city.
In a 2014 article, the Hockey News ranked the logo 22nd among the league’s 30 teams. Last season, Hockey By Design rated the Senators’ “look” 23rd overall — ahead of only Columbus, Carolina, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Buffalo and Anaheim.
There is clearly a groundswell movement toward a back-tothe-future type change. For what it’s worth, the Senators are 9-1-3 this season when wearing their heritage sweaters.
But as Anselmi looks back at what has happened in the first quarter-century of the franchise, he suggests there has been some “schizophrenia” about the Senators’ look, given the numerous tweaks to the primary logo.
“There has been a lot of jerseys, a lot of logos, lots of patches,” he said. “Whatever we end up with at the end of day, we want to stick with it. We want something that will stand the test of time.”
It’s safe to assume that the ill-fated “Sens” jersey isn’t in the running. That belongs in the dustbin of bad Senators history, along with the spectacle of The Spartan who appeared — and disappeared quickly — during the 2008 playoffs.
Anselmi points out that many of the most well-established sports franchises have stuck with a tried-and-true “iconic” image. Anselmi talks about the New York Yankees, Detroit Red Wings and Manchester United as organizations that have “a clear understanding of what their brand is.”
The Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have also made only mild tweaks to modernize their primary logos over the years, steering clear of dramatic change.
“The logo is just a visual representation of the brand,” Anselmi said. “Where we go next is a clear priority. Where we go from here is one of the first things we talked about (when he was hired). We’re aware of what the fans here are saying and we’re hearing a lot.”
Again though, Anselmi says his mind is on the big picture. He quickly dismisses any skeptics who suggest a potential logo change is all about earning more dollars at souvenir shops.
“What the brand means to the organization is too important,” he said. “It’s way more about getting it right. It’s more important than just selling a few more jerseys.”
Six weeks into the job, Anselmi, the former CEO of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, says he’s still trying to get an exact read on the Ottawa community and where the Senators fit into it. He sees the excitement growing as the Senators inch closer towards a potential post-season spot.
“Do I completely understand it? No,” he said. “But clearly, there’s a real quiet, humble pride. I really sense that. There a lot of hockey fans here and you clearly see that when you see a playoff run starting to happen.”
Whatever we end up with at the end of day, we want to stick with it. We want something that will stand the test of time.