Winnipeg Jets: Upper Deck Tired of Logo

Before every major sports season gets underway, Upper Deck churns out endless numbers of cards to satisfy every seven- and 67-year-old card junkie.

But this year, all those NHL card junkies out there that are looking for a new Ilya Bryzgalov card now that he’s joined the Philadelphia Flyers or a Mike Richards card with him wearing his new Los Angeles Kings duds, they will all have to just sit tight. 

The reason things are slightly behind schedule is because the Atlanta Thrashers were purchased by True North Sports and Entertainment Group, which moved the team to Winnipeg. While the team name was obvious – the Jets, like the NHL team that left town in 1996 – Winnipeg’s logo has yet to be announced.

This is what’s holding things up, the London Free Press reports, since the logo plays a key part in the card’s design.

Upper Deck Hockey tweeted Wednesday the following: “The delay in releasing uniforms and having photo shoots for the #Winnipeg #Jets is really hindering our ability to get cards done of them.”

The Jets, of course, say they are working diligently with the NHL to get the “graphic brand” done, and the logo could be ready to go public in the next two weeks.

The Province reports that the logo design is actually far into the process: "We're working through the final logo and jersey work," said Jets director of corporate communications Scott Brown commented to the Province, adding:

"That doesn't mean it'll be announced any time soon. We just want to let the public know that contributions to any type of contest aren't going to be considered because we're long past that stage. To take in a new concept or logo now would mean the jerseys would not be ready for the beginning of the season. We're far down that road in the process of making final detailed tweakings to the logo and the jerseys."

However, if you have a hankering to design a Jets logo, Slam! reports that a Vancouver marketing and branding company is sponsoring a contest to find the best one. So far, 190 have come in.

(Above image from NHL video of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft announcement of the Winnipeg Jets team name)