Well when the Philadelphia 76ers unveiled their new 76ers Field House back in the fall, the team said that their G-League affiliate Delaware 87ers would undergo a name change and the team announced that new name on Wednesday.
Say Hello to the Delaware Blue Coats!
The new name recognizes the 1st Delaware Regiment soldiers of the American Revolution and where their marketing phrase ” Join The Revolution” was inspired from too.
The new team logo represents former Delaware politician Caesar Rodney’s famous 70-mile horseback ride from Dover to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to cast the the tie-breaking vote for the Declaration of Independence.
Check Out The Story Behind The Name Video:
This is not the first time Philadelphia 76ers G-League affiliate was named after a historical moment from the state. Their old name the Delaware 87ers name came from Delaware being the first state to ratify the Constitution in 1787.
Chris Heck the president of business operations for the 76ers told Delaware Online’s Kevin Tresolini that name is also “a little tip of the cap to the Blue Hens and the Blue Rocks and even the Blue Bombers.”
The Eastern Blue Bombers were a Eastern League basketball team who played in Wilmington from 1963-70 and won two titles ( 1966 & 1967).
In the new name roll out the Philadelphia 76ers showed renderings of the Blue Coats court in the new in the 140,000-square-foot 76ers Field House that is set to open later this year.
Fresh New Court:
Seating:
The Delaware 87ers since their inaugural season (2013-2014) have been at the University of Delaware’s Bob Carpenter Center which the team has not always had flexibility to schedule weekend games with sharing the arena with the college.
Related:76ers FieldHouse Is Coming To Wilmington, DE; Will Be 87ers New Home
The Philadelphia 76ers are hoping with a move to the Wilmington Riverfront, more flexibility to schedule games and a new arena that it will entice fans to come more regularly to Blue Coats games.
The next thing the 76ers rolled out with Blue Coats franchise was the jerseys and they are definitely on point.
Check Out Blue Coats Fresh New Jerseys:
With a new name, new arena and new jerseys the team hopes this rejuvenation translates on the court as well because this season the Delaware 87ers struggled going a NBA G-League worst 16-34. The G-League franchise has only had one winning season since its inception in Delaware and that was in 2016-2017 when they went 26-24.