On Nov. 8, the Winnipeg Jets will face the Dallas Stars as the team hosts its first Filipino Heritage Night at the Canada Life Centre. The Filipino Jets logo, which aims to combine Filipino culture with hockey heritage, was unveiled on Tuesday. The designers have created a perfect blend for Jets fans who wish to represent their favourite team and honour Filipino culture.
Marc Gomez and Jonato Dalayoan are the graphic designers responsible for the new logo that the Jets will wear in warmups and auctioned off after the game. Let’s get into everything you need to know about the new logo and Filipino Heritage Night.
Breaking Down the Filipino Jets Logo
When looking at the new logo, you can easily tell it belongs to the Jets but with some new elements. Noticeably, it is surrounded by eight golden shapes. This is meant to resemble a golden sun, which is a symbol on the Filipino flag and significant to Filipino culture. There are also three stars embedded within the circle of the logo, which represent Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — three major island groups in the Philippines.
Replacing the traditional grey colour on Winnipeg’s logo, you will see a trifecta of white, red, and blue in the jet symbol, bearing a resemblance to the Filipino flag. This blend of colours is meant to signify the integration of Canadian culture and Filipino heritage. Lastly, the jet is surrounded by a traditional Filipino textile-patterned border.
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Gomez and Dalayoan wanted to tie together the aspects of Filipino culture into one sleek logo that appeals to all hockey fans. Dalayoan has spent over 20 years working in graphic design, and for this logo, he drew inspiration from tattoos, textiles, and tribal patterns. Dalayoan says, “I don’t want people to think it’s just for Filipino people. I wanted it to be cool enough that everybody would wear it.”
Gomez, the creative lead for True North Sports + Entertainment, grew up in Winnipeg, and his parents are from the Pangasinan province in the Philippines. He has worked with the Jets for nine seasons now, so it’s fair to say he is very familiar with the franchise and its values, as evident with this innovative design.
The Filipino Heritage Game – What’s in Store
The new logo will make its debut in warmup at the Filipino Heritage Game as the Jets prepare to take on the Stars. During the 2020-21 season, the team also revealed a specialty jersey in warmup, which aimed to celebrate Indigenous culture in partnership with The Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre (WASAC).
There will be a puck drop ceremony honouring the Filipino community featuring key members of the community and special guests. Some of those who will take part include Rod Cantiveros (the Publisher of the Filipino Journal), Manny Aranez (Commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association and Basketball Manitoba Hall of Fame inductee) and Ron Carlo (goalie with the St. Paul’s Crusaders and Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy Alumni).
The national anthems and intermission acts will be performed by the Filipino Choir Musica, led by Dante Aviso. The Canada Life Centre will also welcome Filipino DJs to energize fans in the concourse and atrium, and Filipino cuisine will even be available for fans to enjoy during the game.
Jets Jersey Auction and Merchandise Availability
After the game, the worn player jerseys will be available for auction from Nov. 17 to Nov. 27 at auctions.nhl.com/WinnipegJets. All proceeds will go towards supporting Filipino youth initiatives in Winnipeg, with Sisler High School’s CREATE program being one of the initiatives the proceeds will go towards.
The CREATE program is an entertainment arts training program in Winnipeg that provides high school and post-high school students with educational opportunities and experience that will lead them to worldwide educational and career pathways in the creative industries. Using their skills, students from the program will be designing graphics and imagery, which will be on display during the game.
Not planning on participating in the auction but still want to get your hands on some new merchandise? On Nov. 8, fans can purchase hoodies and t-shirts with the Filipino Jets logo at Jets Gear and TrueNorthShop.com. A portion of the proceeds will go towards local Filipino youth initiatives. Later in November, you will be able to purchase pucks with the Filipino Jets logo, as well as crested hoodies.
Witness the debut of the Filipino Jets logo by tuning in to the game on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. CT!
