Saskatchewan Rattlers are now the Saskatoon Mamba- how I feel about the rebrand

Welcome to a big, complicated moment for Saskatchewan basketball fans. Today, the Canadian Elite Basketball League announced that the Saskatchewan Rattlers are now the Saskatoon Mamba, under a new ownership group and with a new brand identity, colours, & venue plan. And while of course, I want to support our province’s (city’s now?) pro basketball team, I’d be lying if I said this change didn’t have a bite to it.

First, some positives, in my estimation. The team is now owned by Jason Ribeiro and Usman Tahir Jutt, who also operate the Calgary Surge. The CEBL framed this as a “defining moment for basketball in Saskatchewan” and I do think this new ownership has the know-how to grow the game, create new fans, & lean in to community. They’ve been proving themselves in Calgary. And the league is growing, with millions of Canadian fans. The Rattlers just weren’t keeping pace & after the many games I attended that were pretty light on spectators, I feel lucky to still have a team.

The group has also committed to playing games at both SaskTel Centre and Merlis Belsher Place, which could make the sport more accessible to different audiences. I’m on board with that change!

The toughie is the name, colours, & timing. If you follow me on Facebook, you know I hoped the name would stay. The Saskatchewan Rattlers felt like… us. Saskatchewan is home to rattlesnakes in the South! Now, we’re the Saskatoon Mamba. Ok, “Mamba” keeps the snake theme, I actually like the slick new snake logo, & purple is a regal colour, but it all feels less Saskatchewan to me. We’re supposed to be green and gold, no? And the only Mambas in North America are in zoos.

When this announcement was first teased, I heard from followers who’d just bought or received Rattlers merch for Christmas which makes the timing of the switch feel kinda crappy. My family invested in the team by buying merch along the way — it took some time & money to build our collection so our whole crew could rep in the stands.

The first reactions online have been passionate. There are a handful of comments expressing excitement about the fresh look & new colours. Others are confused about the shift from “Saskatchewan” to “Saskatoon.” Many are questioning the pivot in name & branding. And yikes, some are calling it a cash grab. It’s a real mix of excitement, confusion, and frustration!

Sports teams are businesses, sure, but they’re also symbols a community. As for me, I clearly have feelings, and yet, I’ll still be cheering for our team. I’ll go to games, share their events, & root for pro basketball to thrive here. Saskatchewan (or… Saskatoon? I’ll dig into this) deserves a strong, visible team that inspires kiddos, brings people together, & puts us on the national sports map.

But I’m really going to miss the Rattlers. What do I do with my family’s merch collection? I don’t wear jerseys in real life & I don’t want to wear the fully wrong colours to support our team.

Here’s hoping the new ownership group follows through on their commitments to invest in community, youth programs, & local partnerships. And that the Saskatoon Mamba becomes something that feels just as ours as the Rattlers once did. What do you think? Are you excited about the Saskatoon Mamba rebrand, or mourning the Rattlers era? Please, keeping it respectful, share your thoughts in the comments.

Maygen