New era for New Orleans as the Pelicans

The Benson family today officially annnounced that come the end of the 2012-13 season, the Hornets name will cease and a more representative symbol of the Gulf Coast region.

As well as the confirmation of said name change, new logos and colour scheme was made public for the first time, which will come into full effect for the 2013-14 season.

The team will use and remain under the name New Orleans Hornets until the end of the 2012-13 season.

Although the name change has been widely expected since the recent acquisition in April 2012 of the New Orleans franchise by Tom Benson, having held the rights to the name ‘Pelicans’, but it is wanted to also be seen as a mark of strength and recovery within the local community in recent years.

It is represented on Louisiana’s state flag and seal, the Pelican has been the state bird for over a century. The Pelican symbolises the determination to not only survive, but thrive even when the odds are stacked against them as our region has demonstrated over and over.

“When we purchased the basketball team, it was a priority to change the name to reflect our culture, our community and our resolve. The Pelican does that,” said owner Tom Benson in a press release. “Our region has been hard hit in recent years and the one thing that stands out is the resiliency and determination to comeback, to fight and overcome. The Pelican symbolises that. The synergy of this name, this bird and the future of our state and region are intertwined and in three, five, ten years from now, it will be not only be a name of a sports franchise but it will also be the face of the continued recovery of our region. We will promote healthy habitats, not only for our youth but for our community, our coast and our wildlife. The Pelican name will do that. It is more than a name. It represents our way of life.”

“Establishing the New Orleans Pelicans is a process of building a basketball legacy for our community that entwines our team image with the best qualities of our community,” said Hornets owner/Vice Chairman of the Board Rita Benson LeBlanc. “The Pelican is not only the state bird of Louisiana, but it is also representative of teamwork, the positive synergy of group dynamics and, as we’ve experienced recently here on the Gulf Coast region, regeneration. The strength, resiliency and loyalty of a Pelican are the core values our fans and team can be proud of. This identity change was an investment we had to commit to, in order to provide a fresh beginning for our fans. Forging a new and bright future for the Pelicans will bring awareness to the best of New Orleans, the Gulf South, and provide our fans with a team that they can identify as their own.”