toronto raptors logo history

Here's what the Toronto Raptors branding could have looked like with different names

It’s unimaginable now, but the Toronto Terriers could have been playing the Golden State Warriors tonight.

Or, the Scorpions.

Or, the Beavers.

Or, the Tarantulas.

When Toronto applied to create an NBA team back in 1993, they asked fans to choose the team name the following year. There were 10 options: Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs, Scorpions, T-Rex, Tarantulas, Terriers and Raptors.

Thankfully, Jurassic Park swayed our name toward dinosaur territory.

If Steven Spielberg’s science-fiction film wasn’t popular at the time, the Toronto Raptors might have never existed.

The team colours were red, purple, black and “Naismith silver” to honour James Naismith, the Almonte, Ont. native who invented basketball in 1891.

Art and Mechanical, a Toronto-based brand design company, took the creative liberty to create mock-ups of what our team logo could have looked like if we went in a different direction all those years ago.

This is how they imagined the different team logos. 

Thanks to Jurassic Park, we'll never be known as the Tarantulas, Beavers or Scorpions. We will always remain the Toronto Raptors. 

Lead photo by

Art & Mechanical


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Sports & Play

The water park at Canada's Wonderland opens for the season this week

Here are all the sunken ships in Toronto

Abandoned quarry is an epic swimming hole one hour from Toronto

There's a secret trail in Ontario that takes you to abandoned ruins

Scotiabank Arena is getting brand-new seats after 25 years

Tributes pour in from sports and media worlds for passing of TSN host Darren Dutchyshen

Longtime TSN host Darren Dutchyshen has passed away at age 57

The top 5 fireworks stores in Toronto