For 32 years, the Moose Jaw Warriors have used the same logo, but now it appears a change could be on the way.
“I think that’s something we need to review and have a look at,” said Warriors president Chad Taylor.
On Thursday, the Western Hockey League (WHL) team announced it will be undergoing a formal examination of the primary logo, which has been in place since 1988, having undergone minor tweaks in 1996 and again in 2001.
“I think we have to educate ourselves and try and understand a little bit better about it,” Taylor said. “I think my board is open to any suggestions and it’s something in our society that we have to talk about.”
Taylor said the club will be engaging with stakeholders and community partners as part of the review process. He expects an announcement could come in the new year.
“Right now, I think we’re just in the education steps,” he said. “I think there’s a strong will for change but the league will have a part to play in that.”
It’s not the only thing Taylor and Warriors have had on their plate, either.
The team held its annual general meeting this week, where it announced a financial loss of more than $390,000 for the 2019-20 fiscal year, which forced the team to take steps to soften the blow.
“We’ve done some layoffs, we’ve had staff take pay cuts, everyone’s doing their part to try and make this all work,” Taylor said.
The club says it had more than $282,000 in lost revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic alone. Plus, it was forced to give up another $180,000, which was the Warriors’ share of a minimum wage lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League in May.
However, the community-owned team still has a bank balance of $610,000 and another $154,000 in the education fund. It has also taken a deferral on the multiplex payments, which amounts to $200,000 per year.
“We’ve had tremendous support over the last 10 years and definitely with the new facility being built back then, it’s definitely helped our cash flow,” Taylor said.
“We’re fiscally responsible within the organization so we’ve got some cash in the bank and we’re going to do everything in our power to make sure we can maintain a good bank balance and get through this tough, difficult period.”
All the club can do now is wait until the WHL gives the green light to resume the season. The league has targeted Dec. 4 as a potential start date, but with so many unknowns across its six jurisdictions (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Oregon and Washington), that date is not guaranteed, which is something Taylor has learned to live with.
“There’s so many unknowns,” Taylor said. “We’ve got to get to playing hockey and generate some revenue.”