The Belfast Giants are a professional ice hockey club based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, founded in 2000 and competing in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).[1] The club’s visual identity centres on Finn McCool, the mythic Irish giant, whose name and legend are tied to the Giant’s Causeway on Northern Ireland’s north coast.
Design and History
The Belfast Giants’ original logo, used from the club’s founding in 2000, depicted Finn McCool with a hockey stick.[2] The club’s official history describes this as the “original Belfast Giants logo” with “Celtic styling.”[1]
In September 2021, after 18 months away from the ice due to the pandemic, the Giants unveiled a new brand at a season ticket holder event marking the club’s 21st anniversary.[3] The rebrand was developed by the club’s in-house design team following months of research into sports team branding, which the club noted was “increasingly moving toward simple, clean design.”[3]
The new identity features two main elements: a primary logo described as “a modern, refined version of the team’s mascot and mythic legend Finn McCool,” and a separate Belfast Giants wordmark in which the word “Belfast” mirrors the arc of The SSE Arena roof, the team’s home venue.[3] Subtle use of hexagons on jerseys and marketing materials nods to the legend of Finn McCool and the club’s “giant history.”[3]
Speaking at the launch, Head of Hockey Operations Steve Thornton explained the rationale: “Whilst our old logo will always be an important part of our history, we need branding that will be fit for the future and how we communicate in a digital-first age.”[4]
For the club’s 25th season in 2024/25, commemorative jerseys incorporated the former logo on the front and back “as a tribute to the club’s founding aesthetic.”[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The club’s official brand guidelines describe the current logo as “Finn McCool is a Giant Reborn,” noting that the design “kept the best bits of our original and alternate logos to create a fresh look that pays homage to our history.”[1] Following the rebrand, the club enhanced “Finn’s golden locks and angular jaw” and added “his signature warrior mark and a grimace, ready for battle.”[1]
The club’s official colours are teal, white, black, red and gold. According to the club: teal reflects how far the team has come, black (named “Causeway Black”) is inspired by the landscapes of the land of Giants, red is described as “Finn McCool’s red warrior mark” representing strength and determination, and gold symbolises “a higher standard” and the club’s history of championship wins.[1]
Typography and Design
The 2021 wordmark features a subtle decorative stroke and angled cuts, described by the club as “a nod to the Celtic styling of the original Belfast Giants logo” in the new wordmark and brand font.[1] The word “Belfast” in the wordmark mirrors the arc of The SSE Arena roof.[3]
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