For some fans, it probably doesn’t feel like 50 years ago.
The Capitals will celebrate and commemorate their golden anniversary — including happier moments from the past half-century — throughout the 2024-25 season with a variety of initiatives, logos and word marks, some of which were revealed Monday. The team’s primary 50th anniversary logo is inspired by the Capitals’ original home white sweaters and features a reverse-italic 50, a hockey stick and puck, and red and blue stars.
A secondary logo, which offers a three-dimensional take on the primary mark, will be featured as a patch on the team’s home and away jerseys all season. The patch will debut on the jerseys given to the Capitals’ selections at the NHL draft, which begins Friday. Washington has worn patches commemorating milestone anniversaries before, most recently for its 40th anniversary season in 2014-15. Center ice at Capital One Arena will feature either the primary or secondary 50th anniversary logo.
The logos and word marks were developed in collaboration with Fanbrandz, a New Jersey-based sports branding creative agency. Multiple versions of the primary and secondary logos will reflect the different color schemes the Capitals have used since then-owner Abe Pollin held a name-the-team contest for his new franchise in January 1974. Of the more 12,000 submissions, Comets was the most popular. Cyclones, Streaks and Domes were among the other names in the running, while Pandas, another popular suggestion, was not considered. Pollin picked Capitals, which 88 people had entered.
From 1974 to 1995, the team’s visual identity was mostly unchanged. In 1995, the Capitals traded red, white and blue for black, blue and bronze, and introduced the screaming eagle design they would wear on the front of their jerseys for more than a decade. The stretch included the franchise’s first trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 1998. Washington returned to its red, white and blue roots with an updated take on its original Capitals word mark ahead of Alex Ovechkin’s third season in 2007. The team’s look hasn’t changed much since.
The tagline for the Capitals’ 50th anniversary season, which fans can expect to see incorporated on social media, in-arena signage and merchandise, is “A Legacy in All Caps.” Anniversary-themed events throughout the season will include a season-opening celebration at Capital One Arena, with a musical guest to be announced, and an alumni game at MedStar Capitals Iceplex as part of alumni weekend Oct. 10-13. The home opener will feature a pregame ceremony honoring 50 years of Capitals hockey, while “Eras Nights” throughout the season will pay tribute to specific periods in the franchise’s history.
Monumental Sports Network will reach into the archives to offer 50th anniversary-themed programming, and the Capitals will recognize and celebrate the loyalty of the 37 fans who have been season ticket holders since the team’s inaugural season. Additional details will be announced in the coming months on washcaps.com/caps50th.
“We are excited to launch a celebration of the Capitals’ vibrant past and honor our history as we mark 50 years as an NHL franchise,” Jim Van Stone, president of business operations and chief business officer at Monumental Sports & Entertainment, said in a statement. “Fans can anticipate several events and initiatives that will uniquely commemorate this milestone, and we are eager to share the celebration with our fan base. We are also proud to highlight the Capitals’ impact off the ice, including the franchise’s contributions to the community and the growth of youth hockey in the region, as we pay tribute to 50 years and embrace the future of Capitals hockey.”
