British designer makes pitch for revamped Jets logo

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This article was published 16/06/2011 (4298 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

COULD a design presentation from across the Atlantic hold some clues about the name of Winnipeg’s new NHL team?

Whether True North Sports & Entertainment will reignite the Winnipeg Jets name or opt for a new identity and direction is the hottest topic around water coolers, pubs and produce aisles around town.

Fraser Davidson, a London, England-based animator and designer, is one of several hundred people to submit a logo design to True North. He has come up with a full-scale proposal for the team, including uniforms, T-shirts and hoodies and brand applications.

The name? The Winnipeg Jets.

He was approached by Winnipegger Andre Hall, a hockey fan and aspiring artist himself, who saw some of Davidson’s work online.

“I told (Davidson) that Winnipeg might be getting an NHL team back and I was wondering if he could put something together and that I would like to submit it to True North and see what happens. He said he was too busy to do any free work, but after the announcement two weeks ago, there was an online contest and he came up with a design,” Hall said.

“I was inspired right away.”

So inspired that he sent it off to True North.

Hall said Chipman must have been sufficiently impressed, because the hockey club chairman called to talk Wednesday.

“I sent him the brand presentation and we had an interesting phone call and conversation. It was a very positive phone call. I told him, ‘If you give me 20 minutes of your time, I guarantee this will be the new logo of the Winnipeg Jets,’ ” Hall said.

Hall was quick to add Chipman gave him no indication about what the team will ultimately be called.

Scott Brown, director of corporate communications for True North, wouldn’t confirm or deny Chipman spoke to Hall. As much as the new team’s owners appreciate the input from fans, he said, the NHL has a company that designs logos for its franchises.

“We’ve received more than 250 or 300 logos from the public,” he said.

Davidson said he was flattered that his work was attracting so much attention on a number of websites and chat boards.

“We thought we may as well put together a professional presentation. We just posted it on Tuesday. We’ve had a reasonable profile on Facebook and a few websites. I never would have thought it would have got to (the media),” he said.

“It was just for fun, really, a speculative thing.”

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca