UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The Connecticut Sun, the first independently-owned and operated WNBA franchise, revealed their new logo and colors March 27 and conducted a teleconference to announce the hiring of Bernadette Mattox and Scott Hawk, the franchise’s first assistant coaches.
The logo features a fiery orange sunburst, a WNBA basketball and a blue ribbon with four white semicircular domes, which is a modern interpretation of an ancient Mohegan symbol and represents the four corners of the earth under the sky dome.
The Connecticut Sun partnered with NBA Entertainment and Essex, Conn.-based integrated brand and marketing agency Outthink to create the logo. Numerous designs were developed with the focus on simplicity, imagery and inclusion of a Mohegan Tribal symbol.The team wanted to develop a logo that included a Mohegan symbol, officials said.
The Mohegan Indian Tribe bought the former Orlando Miracle franchise in January, making it the first team independently owned and operated in the league.
The Connecticut Sun will incorporate the colors of the logo in its uniforms, which are set to be unveiled prior to the season. Season ticket holders will each receive an official Connecticut Sun t-shirt as part of their season ticket purchase. Official team merchandise will soon be available at retail locations within Mohegan Sun.
The Connecticut Sun will feature players from the former Orlando Miracle roster, including University of Connecticut star Nykesha Sales. Other stars include guard Shannon “Pee Wee” Johnson, a WNBA all-star, and former Purdue all-star guard Katie Douglas. The team recently announced signing Mike Thibault as the franchise’s head coach and the acquisition of former UConn star Rebecca Lobo who will return to Connecticut after playing six years in the WNBA for the New York Liberty and the Houston Comets.
The Connecticut Sun will host 16 of the 17 regular-season home games in 2003 in the Mohegan Sun Arena. In addition, the team will play two pre-season games at Mohegan Sun Arena in May. The team will tip-off its inaugural season against the two-time defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks on May 24. The game will be the first of seven Saturday afternoon games aired on the league’s new broadcast partner ABC. Season tickets are available at the Mohegan Sun Box office or by calling (877) SUN-TIXX. Individual game tickets for pre-season and regular season games are on sale now.
The Connecticut Sun joins the WNBA under the league’s new operating model. In October, the NBA Board of Governors voted to restructure the WNBA to allow individual team ownership and non-NBA owners and to allow teams to be located in non-NBA markets. The league will feature 14 teams in 2003, with the Eastern and Western Conferences comprised of seven teams each.
(Staff and Associated Press reports)