Edmonton Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson (10) makes the throw against the B.C. Lions during second-half CFL action in Edmonton, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
EDMONTON – The new owner of the Edmonton Elks wouldn’t say whether the CFL team is in line for a rebranding, but he said the classic “Double E” logo will be more prevalent in the future.
Alberta businessman Larry Thompson was introduced as the Elks first private owner at a press conference Tuesday.
Thompson referred to the club both as the Elks and by its old nickname of “Eskimos” at times throughout the media availability.
Edmonton’s CFL franchise changed its name to the Elks in 2021, following similar decisions by other pro teams amid pressure on franchises to eliminate racist or stereotypical names. That included a stylized elk becoming the team’s primary logo in place of the “Double E”
Asked whether the team would consider reverting the name change, Thompson said “that’s not a question for today” before saying the team will be focusing in the future “on Double E.”
CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie, who was also at the conference, said he is “comfortable” with the old logo driving the team’s identity going forward.
Thompson, the former owner of Thompson Brothers Construction, says he is a lifelong fan of the club and wants to return it to its winning ways.
With Thompson taking over the Elks, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the last two community-owned teams in the league.
The Elks (2-7) sit last in the CFL’s West Division and haven’t made the playoffs since 2019.
Last November, the team, which has been community-owned since it was founded in 1949, reported a $3.3 million deficit in 2022. It was the fourth straight year the club ran a deficit.
Before falling on hard times, Edmonton’s franchise was a cornerstone of the CFL. The team has won 14 Grey Cups, including five straight from 1978 to 1982.
Thompson said the team’s sale price was confidential.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2024.
