NLL Unveils New Logo For 31st Season; Commissioner Looking To Possibly Expand

The NLL on Saturday "unveiled its new logo" at Mohegan Sun Arena prior to the start of its 31st season next week, according to Marc Allard of the Norwich BULLETIN. NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz "introduced the logo that features a shield with a star in the middle." The points of the star "represent the four franchises" that began the league: the Washington Wave, New Jersey Saints, Philadelphia Wings and Baltimore Thunder. None of those currently exist, a "problem the league acknowledges." Sakiewicz said that the unveiling "took place at Mohegan Sun because of its 'strategic location.'" Mohegan Sun's NLL tenant, the New England Black Wolves, are the "nearest franchise the league has to the media capital in New York where the NLL is trying to court interest from, not only Wall Street (owners), but Madison Avenue (sponsors)." Sakiewicz added that he was "talking with, at least, 30 cities about future NLL franchises." He has been "meeting with NBA and NHL owners and talking with arena operators, but the four original cities are the top priority." There are "currently nine NLL franchises." For the first time since '13, no franchises "relocated this year." Sakiewicz: "I would like to say: no more moving teams, no more bad arena deals, no more shady owners. We have nine great owners now and we want to build on this" (Norwich BULLETIN, 12/18). Sakiewicz said that the logo was about six months in the making. It is designed to highlight both the league’s history and new mentality. The NLL designed the logo with Brownstein Group, which it is working with on PR, social media and a new OTT network, NLLTV, which it recently launched in conjunction with Sportsrocket. Sakiewicz said, "Lots of focus group, lots of key-stakeholder feedback, and we feel pretty good: It’s a modern representation" (Adam Stern, Staff Writer).