PHOTO COURTESY CEBL.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League announced the name and logo of Calgary’s newest pro basketball team today via livestream.
The Calgary Surge will sport a red, black and grey colourway with a stylized hawk as their logo.
The name, Surge, represents both the “the continued positive economic and social momentum of Canada’s third-largest city” and the fast-paced basketball fans will come to expect, according to a press release.
You can see the official reveal on the CEBL’s Youtube channel.
The logo is a distinct nod to the Guelph Nighthawks, who the Surge replaced in the CEBL. The four wings of the hawk also represent the four quadrants of the city, and the red, black, and grey colourway was chosen to keep with the tradition of other Calgary sports teams.
Top division Canadian basketball was confirmed in Calgary on Aug. 17, when the CEBL announced that the Guelph Nighthawks would be relocating following an 11-11 season in which they bounced out of the quarter-finals against the Niagara River Lions.
There are currently 10 teams in the league from Vancouver to St. John’s. The CEBL cited Calgary’s strong media market — the fifth-largest in Canada — and basketball culture as a reason behind the move.
“Minor basketball enrolment in Calgary has more than doubled in the past seven years,” the league said in a press release.
Fans were given the opportunity to have their voices heard via an online survey where they were asked for their input on the team name, mascot, and jersey colours.
The Surge will play home games at the Winsport Event Centre. Their inaugural season will begin in May, and ticketing information will be released at a later date.