Glasgow’s professional ice hockey team, Braehead Clan, have announced that they will be taking up the Glasgow name with a club rebrand to the Glasgow Clan.
In a press conference today, the club unveiled the new look Clan with their new logo as well as released a first look at the new ‘Summer Series’ jersey that will be worn during the home preseason games in August.
Gareth Chalmers, the club’s Hockey & Operations Director, believes that now is the perfect time for the rebrand:
“We’re absolutely delighted to announce the Club will rebrand from the Braehead Clan to the Glasgow Clan ahead of the upcoming 2018/19 season,” he confirmed.
“Since our inception in 2010, the growth of the Clan on and off the ice has been phenomenal, going from attendances of 800 at Braehead Arena in our inaugural season to over 3,000+ fans, the West of Scotland continues to support the sport in the Elite Ice Hockey League.”
“While the Clan will always be synonymous with the Braehead name, we feel it’s now time to incorporate one the UK’s biggest cities into the organisations future.”
Chalmers went on to say that “to be associated with Glasgow now gives off the right impression” and that the club board are “super positive” about the rebrand.
The now Glasgow Clan were originally founded as Braehead in 2010 and play their home matches at the Intu Braehead Arena, located at the Braehead shopping Centre. Clan’s Sport & Brand Ambassador, Gerry McLaughlin, said that the arena management “completely understood” the motivations behind the decision and also said that “Braehead has been so iconic and really helped the development of [the club]”. McLaughlin went on to say that there was a sense of players not understanding where the team was actually based, he recalled an interview with a Fife Flyers player who once said to him “I didn’t realise Braehead was Glasgow.”
Glasgow Clan will be one of three Scottish sides competing in the 2018/19 Elite Ice Hockey League, the top tier of ice hockey in the UK. Pete Russell – who also coaches the GB team who won promotion to the top level of international hockey for the first time since 1994 back in April this year – was upbeat about the changes, saying “the brand is Clan and we can just get better and better now.”
The new look Glasgow Clan will take to home ice for the first time against German side Fischtown Penguins on Saturday, August 18th. All game information and ticket information for the Summer Series can be found on the Glasgow Clan website.
Photo courtesy of Glasgow Chamber.
