Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/30/17
From Press Release and Staff Report
Comcast Spectacor on Wednesday revealed the name of Philadelphia’s new National Lacrosse League franchise would be a familiar one, the Wings, as a result of an online poll that allowed fans to vote on the team’s name. The Wings received over 5,000 votes, beating out the Fire and Founders.
The actual name was revealed in style as a skydiver, dropping from a plane high above the Wells Fargo Center parking lot, unveiled a banner of the team’s name and logo.
“The Wings are clearly the favorite, and we’re happy to give the fans what they want,” said Lindsey Masciangelo, executive director of business operations for the team.
The Wings, which are set to be the 11th team in the NLL, will make their debut in the 2018-19 season and play in the Wells Fargo Center. The NLL’s season runs from December through April.
Philadelphia last had an NLL team since 2014 when the Wings moved to Connecticut and became the New England Black Wolves. The Wings were one of the four original teams in the NLL, which was founded in 1986. They played at the Spectrum and the Wells Fargo Center. The Wings won six championships and drew crowds consistently above 10,000 until struggling to meet attendance goals in their later seasons.
The Wings were one of the four original teams in the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League that began play in 1987 and the only team to reclaim its identity from the original 1974–75 National Lacrosse League.
The Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League was renamed the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1989, and again to the National Lacrosse League in 1998.
In September 2017 the National Lacrosse League announced that Comcast-Spectacor would be the owners of an expansion franchise for the 2018-19 season.