Prince Albert Raiders brings back the controversial logo

The Prince Albert, Sask., Raiders, known to Canadiens fans for the junior hockey team to which prospect Kaiden Guhle belongs, did not say how many games they plan to wear this vintage-flavored third jersey for this season. Hundreds of netizens greeted his comeback announcement coolly on social media.

In this third jacket we find a character Boston Rider, which the raiders used from 1982 to 1996, when it was replaced with a pirate face. In 2013, the Raiders again changed their emblem to the Sword and Shield emblem, which is still used today.

A bearded mustache that looks like a comic book character, Boston Rider He wears traditional Arab clothes, as well as a saber and hockey stick. The logo, created in the early 1980s, was brought back into the public eye for the first time in 2014, as a mascot named after Boston Rider The result of a partnership between the team and a local restaurant at Boston Pizza.

The Boston Ryder’s mascot was revealed to Prince Albert Ryder, and he retired in 2014.

Photo: Courtesy/Prince Albert Raiders

The Raiders then announced the arrival of the mascot as a reminder of the original team crest, which had been used for 15 seasons.

Several voices have been raised against this mascot, in particular that of the Director of the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan, Rhonda Rosenberg. she saw Stereotyping of an unfair symbolWhich indicates that the amulet and this emblem recreated the image of a violent Muslim man, Discrimination that many people find difficult to live with.

In the face of criticism, the raiders put the mascot in the closet, outlining the logo (A new window) Represents a fruitful period of the franchise (Editor’s note: Raiders won the Memorial Cup in 1985, when they wore this logo) that fans associate with, and Apologies to those who have been offended. In the process, a spokesperson for Boston Pizza International also clarified that Prince Albert’s Boston Pizza franchise was a Longtime Raiders partner, but its owner was I have not seen the mascot before being disclosed to the public.

Last time with a jacket Boston Rider It was used by Prince Albert back in 2019, in Calgary, during a season of pen, collect, arrange, circle Series, which consisted of a three-game retro presentation hosted by the Calgary Hitmen of the Canadian Hockey League.

The jerseys worn by the Raiders in this game were auctioned off after the match, among the many 175 fans interested in acquiring them.

Decision against the pills

back Boston Rider The Prince Albert Raiders shirt goes against the trend of teams in professional sports today, with many changing their logo or name to give up a controversial legacy.

In Canada, two minor hockey teams have changed names in recent months: the Neepawa Titans (formerly Aboriginal) and the Morden Bombers (formerly the Redskins). Either way, it was about turning the page on a brand image that some deemed offensive to First Nations.

In hockey, too, the Western Junior League’s Portland Winterhawks – the same player they play for Prince Albert Raiders – revealed a new visual identity this summer.

Winterhawks adopted the coat of arms of a fictional predator, 45 years after wearing a replica of the Chicago Blackhawk’s coat of arms, the rights to which they acquired in 1976.

This logo change was the result of a long reversal process, but it wasn’t It has nothing to do with the debate over the use of indigenous imagesMichael Kramer, co-owner of WInterhawks, reassured the specialist site Athlete.

Another recent example, the Edmonton Football Club of the Canadian Football League became the Elks in June. The team had dropped its name in July 2020 because it was deemed inappropriate.

In major baseball, the Cleveland baseball team announced in July that it would change its name to guardians , after giving up its former name, which is considered racist by many indigenous groups.

In 2018, the company decided to ditch its logo, Chief Wahoo, a stereotypical Aboriginal cartoon. The team reported this year that they no longer allow fans to enter the field of progress with an Aboriginal headdress or warrior makeup.