The Coachella Valley Arena’s American Hockey League team will be called the Coachella Valley Firebirds, it was revealed Friday.
Friday’s announcement at the Classic Club Golf Course Constellation Ballroom in Palm Desert was hosted by the Oak View Group, which owns the team, and the Seattle Kraken National Hockey League team.
The Firebirds will be the 32nd team in the AHL and will be the minor-league affiliate of the Kraken.
According to officials, one of the reasons the Firebird was chosen was due to its similar mythical nature to the Kraken — a giant, octopus-like sea monster of Scandinavian folklore.
“Over the last two years, and after listening to fans, our leadership and partners, we’ve been heavily involved in identifying the best team name and brand to represent the nine cities of the Coachella Valley,” said Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke.
“As a proud resident of the valley, I think the Firebirds has a meaningful representation for the beauty and what people experience when they come to our great community.”
The Firebirds’ red, orange and black logo features a fierce-looking bird breathing fire. The team is expected to begin playing during 2022-2023 season.
To learn more, visit cvfirebirds.com.