THE CANADIAN PRESS
WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are hoping a retro look for the coming season may help them recapture their glory days.
The CFL club announced Tuesday it is changing its helmet logo back to a simple ‘W’ which, aside from some navy blue trim, is identical to the logo the club had when it won Grey Cups in the 1960’s, 80’s and 90’s.
Gone is the stylized lightning bolt and football that have been part of the logo since 1995 — five years after their last championship.
"The ‘W’ really truly represents this football club and who we are," Jerry Maslowsky, the club’s vice-president of marketing, told reporters.
"I also know our current players, every time that they were putting on that W on that retro jersey, there was just something a little bit extra that brought that tradition and pride with them as well."
The team had current and former players on hand for the announcement.
"I love the simplicity of it. It’s strong," said linebacker Marcellus Bowman, who was four years old when the Bombers won their last cup.
"It’s a nostalgic sort of rebirth, so to speak, and of course I always loved the old logo so it’s good to see it back," said former receiver Joe Poplawski, a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame who played for the Bombers between 1978 and 1986.
The Bombers are also aiming to be in a new stadium this season, although construction delays have pushed back opening day until well into summer and have forced the team to schedule its first several games on the road.
The club will give an update on the new stadium next week — the same time it will unveil new jerseys.
