The Kraken will take the ice in the 2021-2022 NHL season as the league’s 32nd team. It is owned by a group led by financier David Bonderman and movie director Jerry Bruckheimer, who paid an NHL-record $650 million for the expansion spot.
Its future home, a more than $900 million redevelopment of the former KeyArena, is expected to open ahead of its launch and will be shared with the WNBA’s Seattle Storm. Last month, Amazon purchased the naming rights, choosing to call it Climate Pledge Arena – a call to action around climate change efforts. More than 40,000 Seattle fans have already placed deposits for tickets, with the hockey capacity expected to be 17,400.
Other Sports Name News:
— Washington, D.C.’s NFL Team announced it will be called the Washington Football Team until a new name and brand is settled on. Reports suggest the organization still wants a new name and brand prior to the start of this season.
— The MLS expansion team in Charlotte, N.C., announced its name and brand this week: Charlotte FC. The team, owned by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, begins play in 2022.
— UBS secured the naming rights to the New York Islanders’ new $1.5 billion arena in a 20-year deal.
