To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the current incarnation of the team, the Edmonton Elks have unveiled a new anniversary logo along with plans to celebrate the milestone throughout their 2024 Canadian Football League season.
The logo was launched on Monday, March 25, during a media event at Commonwealth Stadium. It depicts the stadium and the Edmonton skyline inside a gold shield with a green border. A large number “75” towers over the skyline in green, with the years “1949-2024” above. The team’s original double-E logo sits at the bottom of the shield. Each flash bulb in the stadium stands represents one of the team’s 14 Grey Cup championships.
The logo was a collaboration between local graphic designer Curtis Ogrodiuk and Elks staff designer Daniel Trojillo.
Several team legends were on hand for the unveiling Monday, and the reviews were positive.
“It’s beautiful. It’s really nice. I enjoyed it. Like I say, and I’m going to say it over and over again, I’m a proud fan of the EE and I’m a proud supporter of the Edmonton Elks,” said famed kick returner Henry “Gizmo” Williams. “I love that logo. It’s really great. It brings back a lot of memories. It’s touching when you see some of (moments) that happened because you can’t believe you were a part of that.”
“I think it touches everything that you want in a logo. It’s got the city, 75 years, a very successful organization,” added kicker and punter Sean Fleming. “The logo itself looks like the 1970s version, which I like quite a bit, so it’s got some classic memories to it. I think they did a really good job. I think people are going to enjoy it.”
For their season opener on June 8, the Elks are bringing back their successful “In the Game” program that debuted last season, which gives fans the chance to put their names on helmet decals that will be worn on the field.
The 75th anniversary logo will be on the Elks’ helmets for the June 8 game, and the names of 90 fans will be printed in the outlines of the shield. Fans can secure their spot on the decal the Elks’ online store for $270 each — a price that includes a framed set of game decals (75th logo, Canadian flag, CFL logo) and an autograph from an Elks player.
To mark their 75th anniversary, the Elks are also hosting a Kickoff to 75 Dinner on June 6 with notable alumni from throughout the team’s history, as well as a legends autograph signing on June 8. All-Decade Teams will be honored at home games throughout the season, starting with the 1950s team on June 14 against the Montréal Alouettes. An EE All-Time Team will be voted on by fans between October 5 and 20, and it will be unveiled at the final home game of the season on October 25 against the Toronto Argonauts.
Merchandise with the 75th anniversary logo will be available in the stadium and online all season long.
While various football teams started and folded in Edmonton between 1895 and 1939, the current iteration of the Elks joined the Western Interprovincial Football Union in 1945 under head coach Annis Stukus. They moved to Commonwealth Stadium in 1978, the same year they won the first of five consecutive Grey Cups. The Elks’ Wall of Honour contains such notable names as Warren Moon, Ricky Ray, Johnny Bright, Willie Pless, Jackie Parker, Rollie Miles and Norman Kwong.
The Elks kick off their 75th anniversary season on Saturday, June 8, when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
