Established
1949
City
Edmonton
League History
1958 – Present / Canadian Football League
Team History
2021 - Present / Edmonton Elks
2021 / Edmonton Football Team
1949 - 2020 / Edmonton Eskimo
Nickname
Elks - The Edmonton Elks have been a beloved Canadian Football League (CFL) team since 1949, and their name has become synonymous with the city of Edmonton. But where did this iconic nickname come from? Let's look at the origins of the "Elks" moniker!
It all began in 1947 when local businessman Bill Hunter founded an amateur football club called The Alberta Elks. He created this unique name to honor his hometown Elk Point, Alberta – named after its large elk population in 1892. After two successful years as an amateur, Hunter decided to bring his team into the professional ranks by joining the Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU). In doing so, he also kept their original nickname: The Edmonton Elks.
Since then, these “Elks” have won several Grey Cup championships and become one of Canada’s most popular teams in terms of fan support and attendance figures! Even today, they still proudly wear their signature green-and-gold uniforms while playing under that same old moniker: The Edmonton Elks!
So next time you hear someone mention “the elk” or see those favorite colors around town – remember that it all started in 1947 thanks to one man who wanted to honor his hometown by giving them a unique identity within professional sports leagues across North America.
Championship
Grey Cup 0
2015, 2005, 2003, 1993, 1987, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1979, 1978, 1975, 1956, 1955, 1954
Stadium
1978 - Present / The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium
1949 - 1978 / Clarke Stadium
Owner
1949 - Present / Community - Widely Held
- 2019
- 2021
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New Name Coming for the Eskimos
“People who defended the Eskimos’ name only a year ago are less comfortable with it now,” board chair Janice Agrios said at a news conference. “Institutions are being renamed around the world. The change to our name is part of a sweeping societal change.” The team’s current name Eskimos has been criticized as insensitive or even racist and Agrios said ... -
Edmonton Football Team are Now the Elks
On June 1, 2021, it was formally announced that the new Edmonton team name would be the Edmonton Elks, a name used by the Edmonton football club of 1922. 2012–2015 uniform combinations as the Edmonton Eskimos The team colors, green and gold, have remained essentially the same over the years with only minor modifications to the uniform or logo until ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Elks
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian Football League (CFL) team based in Alberta, Canada. The team was established in 1949 and has been a part of the CFL since 1954. The Elks have had considerable success over their history, winning five Grey Cups – most recently in 2015 when they defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26-20 at Investors Group Field to become champions for the first time since 2005.
The Elks have produced some of the greatest players ever to play professional football, including Hall of Famers Warren Moon, Mike Pringle, and Chris Schultz, as well as current stars such as Derel Walker and Cauchy Muamba, who continue to make an impact on both offense and defense for Edmonton every week. They also boast one of the best fanbases in all sports, with passionate supporters packing Commonwealth Stadium yearly despite not having won a championship since 2015; a testament to how much this city loves its football team!
In conclusion, it is clear that while there may be other teams more successful than them currently or historically speaking - none can match up with what Edmonton's beloved Elks bring to their fans each game day: passion, pride & excitement! With another shot at glory looming on the horizon, thanks mainly to due diligence from GM Brock Sunderland & head coach Jason Maas – it’s safe to say that we should expect great things out of these proud Albertans in the future into the 2020 season & beyond!
Sports Fan Products
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history