Windy City Bulls revealed as name of new Chicago Bulls NBA D-League team

(CHICAGO) – The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team’s new NBA D-League franchise will be called the Windy City Bulls.

“The Windy City Bulls will build on the great traditions of the Chicago Bulls and bring the enjoyment and love of the game of basketball to fans in the Northwest Suburbs,” said Chicago Bulls President & COO Michael Reinsdorf.  “Windy City Bulls emerged as a fan favorite during our ‘Name the Team’ campaign earlier this season, and we thank the thousands of fans who helped us select a name that creates a strong connection to the region, reflects our civic pride, and extends the reach of the Bulls brand.”

The team name and logo were revealed today in front of more than 600 students from Eisenhower Junior High School located in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The Bulls coordinated with the school’s senior leaders to surprise the students with the reveal, which included a trivia game followed by a Windy City Bulls-themed pep assembly. T-shirts with the new team logo were waiting for all the students when they returned to their classrooms after the assembly. Windy City Bulls President Brad Seymour and Bulls entertainers, including Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls and the Incredibulls joined the festivities.

“It was important for us to announce the team name in our new community,” said Seymour. “We want to thank Eisenhower Junior High School for hosting a fantastic reveal and pep assembly. There were a lot of future Windy City Bulls fans in the gymnasium today, and we look forward to building relationships with them and every basketball fan in the region.”

The Windy City Bulls primary logo features design elements that convey a new brand personality for the D-League team while maintaining a connection with the iconic Chicago Bulls logo. The overall shape of the Bull head has been altered to incorporate a larger and wider set of bull horns with the removal of the red tips. The brow line dips down in the center, and the three horizontal lines were shaped to form the lines of a basketball. The Windy City Bulls wordmark anchors the logo, with the word “BULLS” in the same font as the Chicago Bulls logo. The secondary logo shows the profile view of the Bull head integrated into the outline of the state of Illinois to incorporate a more regional appeal. The primary branding colors are red and black, with metallic silver serving as an accent. The Chicago Bulls Creative Services department designed all of the logos.

The team selected the name following a two-round “Name the Team” campaign, which was presented by BMO Harris Bank. Nearly 6,000 fans participated in the campaign. In the first round, fans were invited to suggest names for the team. During the second round, fans were encouraged to select their favorite team name from three finalists, including Windy City Bulls. The results of the second round were incorporated into the selection process of the final team name, which was conducted by a cross section of Chicago Bulls staff members representing departments across the organization.

The Windy City Bulls will begin play with the 2016-17 season and will host 24 home games at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. For more updates on Windy City Bulls news and events, please visit www.bulls.com/dleague or follow the team on Twitter @windycitybulls and Instagram @windycitybulls. Fans interested in purchasing Windy City Bulls season tickets can visit www.bulls.com/dleague or call (847) 396-7070 to place a non-refundable deposit of $50 to gain season-ticket priority.

To celebrate the Windy City Bulls’ arrival in Hoffman Estates, Ill., the team will host a Fan Fest at Sears Centre Arena on Sunday, March 13. Local residents are encouraged to attend the event and enjoy activities for all ages, including face painting, a mechanical bull ride, pictures with the Bulls’ six NBA Championship trophies, a meet and greet with Bulls ambassadors and entertainers, and a variety of basketball games, among others. Parking and admission are free. Pre-registration is preferred at www.bulls.com/dleague. By pre-registering for the event, fans will have the opportunity to win exclusive autographed merchandise.