The Ottawa Rough Riders name which had existed since 1898 was forcibly retired after Saskatchewan enforced trademark rights. Since adopting the Rough Riders moniker in 1898, Ottawa has changed names several times over the years being known as the Rough Riders, Senators, Renegades, and Redblacks.
The latest move to change their name to the Redblacks came in 2014 and has already resulted in the second-longest run for a name next to only the Rough Riders. Although many know the story that led Ottawa to abandon the Rough Riders name, some may not realize that they tried to pay respects to the history of Ottawa football by incorporating a version of the “block R” found in earlier Rough Riders logos.
They also incorporated a saw which was intended to honor the loggers the franchise initially chose the Rough Rider name for. In their inaugural game, they took it one step further and retired ten jersey numbers that had previously been retired by the Rough Riders. The Redblacks are simply the Rough Riders reincarnated.
Time to Look Back Fondly on What it Took to get Here
Now that ten years have elapsed since this change, the ownership group, which brought financial stability to the team after decades of concerns, wants to celebrate how far they have come since 2014. Having initially started the process to purchase the intellectual properties and relaunch the Ottawa franchise in 2008, realistically the work began long before the 2014 season we look back on fondly.
Since the new ownership group took over things have changed. Initially, the league didn’t consider the three iterations of Ottawa as the same franchise but rather as three separate entities. That was until a few years after the team was launched when the CFL began acknowledging all three teams as versions of the same organization. This seems like a small step, but it was a larger step than most realize and one that made sense from day one.
To commemorate this occasion the festivities will begin before kick-off June 13th versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Henry Burris one of the most recognizable names in Redblacks history, and the quarterback that led Ottawa to their first Grey Cup win in 40+ years will be in attendance for the game and events.
Among these announcements, the team slipped in details about their plans to celebrate Canada Day and host their “All-Decade Game” vs the BC Lions on August 24th. For Canada Day fans can anticipate a fireworks display and a special musical guest.
Get Your Votes In
The Redblacks have decided to take fan votes to determine the top ten players in Ottawa’s history. Voting began March 20th and remains open for 30 days!
https://play.ottawaredblacks.com/tb_app/497841
With a season of celebration ahead, the Redblacks may have some added pressure to give the fans something to celebrate on the field as well.
