March 28, 2018
Delaware Blue Coats/Website
Above is the logo for the Delaware Blue Coats. The Sixers' G League affiliate had been known as the Delaware 87ers before the new name was announced Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The name is a nod to the First Delaware Regiment, which fought in the American Revolution, and the change coincides with the team's plan to relocate to new arena in Wilmington, Delaware, for the 2018-19 season.
On the heels of getting a new arena in Wilmington, the Delaware 87ers are also getting a rebranding.
The Sixers' G League team unveiled its new name and logo on its website Wednesday morning. They'll now be known as the Blue Coats, a name that honors the uniforms worn by American soldiers during the Revolutionary War.
More specifically, it's a nod to the 1st Delaware Regiment, while the logo is for Founding Father Caesar Rodney, who rode 80 miles on horseback to ensure Delaware voted for American Independence.
The new name is consistent with the parent club's embrace of the American Revolution as the underlying theme in most marketing and branding efforts.
Of course, new name means new jerseys. While the blue jerseys with the team name on the front are solid, the white jerseys with the logo of Rodney making his midnight ride are phenomenal.
FIRST LOOK: Delaware 87ers will now become the Delaware @Blue_Coats. Here's the new logo, uniforms, and court design. pic.twitter.com/hrIkknin4k
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) March 28, 2018
HBSE & @Sixers are proud to announce new historically-inspired brand identity for our @NBAGLeague team: The Delaware Blue Coats (@Blue_Coats), moinvg 2 new 140,000-sq ft 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington DE #87ersNoMore #learnurhistory #JoinTheRevolution @ https://t.co/4GNgdeT89i pic.twitter.com/UMzRFnCBP8
— Scott O'Neil (@ScottONeil) March 28, 2018
Again, the rebrand coincides with a new building. The Sixers' ownership group, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, has partnered with a local developer to build the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington.
The Fieldhouse will feature a 2,500-seat arena for the Blue Coats as well as a multi-sport complex to promote youth sports. It's expected to be ready for the 2018-19 season. PhillyVoice reported that a rebrand was in the works at the time of the arena announcement in November.
Rendering of the 76ers Fieldhouse being built in Wilmington, Delaware.
