Minnesota's NHL expansion team unveiled its new name,
the "Wild," along with its logo, including the official
colors of Iron Range Red, Forest Green, Harvest Gold and
Minnesota Wheat (Wild). In Minneapolis, John Millea reports
that 3,500 fans attended the team's ceremony, where the name
was introduced to Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild." Wild
merchandise went on sale "immediately after" the event
outside, and will be available today at retail. Wild CEO
Jac Sperling: "The identity is the wilderness. It's one of
the good things about Minnesota; the rugged natural
wilderness and the enthusiasm of the fans" (STAR TRIBUNE,
1/23). Also in MN, Patrick Reusse writes that after an
effort to get the name "North Stars" back from Dallas
failed, and the expansion team's owners "showed no interest
in reviving" the old St. Paul "Fighting Saints" name, the
moniker is "certain to be a disappointment" to MN's hockey
traditionalists: "The name offered no link to St. Paul, no
link to the NHL's Minnesota past" (STAR TRIBUNE, 1/23).
OFF-ICE: Wild Managing Partner Bob Naegele "declined
comment" on reports that he had "more than doubled" his
initial $10M investment in the franchise when other
investors withdrew (Charley Walters, PIONEER PRESS, 1/23).
