Cottonmouths unveil franchise’s new logo
Out in the wild, a snake usually sheds its skin a few times a year.
As for the Columbus Cottonmouths, they have officially shed their skin for the first time in 20 years.
The Snakes introduced their new logo and branding Tuesday at a news conference in the lobby of the Columbus Civic Center. Members of the team’s office staff, coach and general manager Jerome Bechard, and owner Wanda Amos were flanked by season ticket holders and media members as they explained their rationale for the change.
“We heard from some people that we weren’t consistent with our brand,” said marketing director Abbie Meadows, who along with team president of business operations Ashley Foster spearheaded the rebranding project. “That’s what I tried to do last season with our 20th-season logo, but to create consistency for the next 20 years, I wanted to start fresh with something totally new.”
Gone is the familiar snake head that adorned Cottonmouths apparel and media for the last two decades. In its place is a side profile of a blue snake head with yellow eyes, mouth open with yellow fangs, and red tongue. The colors also return to the traditional blue, yellow, and red after the team’s flirtation with green in its logo over the past two years.
“It’s more modern and up-to-date,” Meadows said.
To those who observed the team on the ice last season, the change comes at an opportune time. The Cottonmouths finished last in the nine-team Southern Professional Hockey League and failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in the 12-year SPHL history of the franchise.
“Timing was important after the 20th season, not necessarily because of the team’s performance, but because of the milestone,” Foster said. “I thought if we were able to bring ourselves into a more modern look, it was now or never. Abbie and I discussed it, and we’ve actually had fans send us messages about changing our look.
“We had to convince Wanda. She likes the old snake head, but she trusted us with it, and it turned out really well.”
“I’ll be the first to tell you I was pretty reluctant because I think hockey’s all about tradition, so it was a pretty big decision,” Bechard said. “But after 20 years, and after the season we had last year, we get a fresh new look, get back to basics, and start the next 20 with a big bang.
“Last year, nothing went right for us, other than my office staff doing a great job. I think after that, it was perfect timing. I think we need something new and energizing we can be proud of.”
Now that the off-ice rebrand is complete, Bechard can turn his attention to a reboot of his on-ice product.
“We had a little grit last year, but we didn’t have enough,” Bechard said. “We’re going to need some moxie and some grit. If that turns into scrapping, great, but ultimately when we play gritty and hungry and give everything, that’ll equate to winning.”
The Cottonmouths begin their 21st season of pro hockey on the road Friday, Oct. 21, at Macon. Their home opener is the next night at 7:30 p.m. at the Civic Center in the back end of a home-and-home series with the intrastate rival Mayhem.
“We want a championship, but all our fans want is for us to be competitive and give everything we’ve got every single time we’re on the ice,” Bechard said. “There’s only one way to play this game, and that’s playing hard and in your face. If you combine that with a little discipline in what we’re trying to accomplish in our systems, that’s going to win you championships.”
Note: A limited number of t-shirts with the new logo are available at the Cottonmouths office, located inside the Civic Center. The team will have more merchandise branded with the new logo closer to the season opener in October, according to merchandise director Melissa Ford.
This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Cottonmouths unveil franchise’s new logo."