Halifax National Lacrosse League Franchise To Be Named The Halifax Thunderbirds
Oct 21, 2019
HALIFAX NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE FRANCHISE TO BE NAMED THE HALIFAX THUNDERBIRDS
February 16,2019- Today, the NLL Halifax Franchise announced its name and brand identity. In September, the National Lacrosse League awarded a franchise to the city of Halifax, under the ownership of Curt Styres. The team is the 12th team in a league of 13 teams. On a rainy Saturday afternoon in Halifax, the team announced their much-anticipated team name and logo. The professional team will be known as the Halifax Thunderbirds, and will begin play at the Scotiabank Centre for the 2019-2020 season.
Curt Styres, a two-time NLL General Manager of the year award winner said “It was incredibly special to launch the Halifax Thunderbirds with traditional Mi’kmaq ceremony as our people ritually began our matches ancestrally. To continue the legacy of Indigenous sport and culture is personal to me and to see how this sport is being embraced here today in Mi’kmaki is overwhelming”
As many are aware, lacrosse originates from the First Nations people of Canada, and as such, we have incorporated the same ceremony and regalia they were known to ritually begin their matches at our launch on February 16th.
Regional Chief Morley Googoo was honored to participate in the launch, “To have a National Lacrosse League team call K’jipuktuk- Halifax home creates a new connection to our culture through a historic Indigenous sport. This will bring a whole new aspect of educating the public of the richness of our culture and heritage while creating role models for our youth.
“Naming a team is a very difficult process with numerous variables and options to consider.” Said Chris Bell, Chief Business Officer for the Thunderbirds. “However, from the very beginning, we wanted to find a name that embraced the territory within which we will be playing, by acknowledging and paying respect to the First Nation peoples and Military connections of the region we call home. Thunderbirds delivers that all both front.”
The Halifax Thunderbirds and Lacrosse Nova Scotia have structured a working agreement to collaboratively grow the game of lacrosse in Nova Scotia. To kick-off this partnership, LNS leagues & member clubs, used Saturday, February 16th as an official registration day for players to sign up for the 2019 Spring lacrosse season, along with educating attendees thinking of playing organized lacrosse in Nova Scotia.
Stuart Brown President & CEO of Halifax Thunderbirds states, “The main pillar of our business plan is community, and we are going to play our part in working with Lacrosse Nova Scotia, First Nations and Corporate Nova Scotia at growing the game of lacrosse to breakdown identified barriers in having kids play this amazing game.”
Season tickets for the Inaugural season will be going on public sale mid-March.
For more information, and updates on the team, follow us on social media
Facebook: Halifax Thunderbirds
Instagram: @HFXThunderbirds
Twitter: @HFXThunderbirds
About the Halifax Thunderbirds
The Halifax Thunderbirds will being play in December 2019 for their inaugural season at the Scotiabank Centre. The Thunderbirds are the first professional sports team in Halifax as part of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), North America's premier professional indoor lacrosse league. Halifax was awarded a franchise on September 13, 2018.