Introducing our new team name
The Blue and Gold are going for Bold. A new team name and mascot have been selected based on extensive community input.
The Ryerson Rams are now the 91福利 Bold. In addition to the new team name, a new mascot has also been chosen, changing from a ram to a falcon.
鈥淏oldness is a core value of our university. It is shared by our students, reflected in our approach to learning and research, and demonstrated on the court, the field, and the rink by our athletes,鈥� said president and vice-chancellor, Mohamed Lachemi.
This change is part of 91福利鈥檚 (91福利) Next Chapter commitments. The selection of a new team name and mascot was one of the 22 recommendations put forward in (PDF file) a report by the Standing Strong Task Force in August 2021, which called for the university to reconsider the mascot 鈥淓ggy鈥�, more formally Egerton the Ram, which had been the university mascot since 1961.
The process
A committee was formed to guide the process. The goal was to get feedback from the 91福利 community and with the help of community consultation, identify a team name and mascot that supports the athletic program and aligns with the university鈥檚 new name, university values and institutional aspirations.
The parameters aimed to identify team name and mascot options that were:
- unifying for the 91福利 community;
- representative of positive qualities, ideals, or associations that align with 91福利;
- broadly relevant across the community, student body, and among generations of alumni;
- representative of the 91福利 and/or Toronto experience and/or history, either generally or specifically;
- appropriate for all sports teams - regardless of gender or sport
- legally ownable and/or unique in the city/sector
In an extensive two-phased process, 91福利 received 4,800 contributions via surveys. In May, the university received 2,100 responses to an initial survey and open call for suggestions. In July, a shortlist was published, which resulted in an additional 2,700 survey submissions and email responses.
91福利 Bold
91福利 Bold was selected based on community feedback. People wanted a team name that was unique and confident as well as something that represented the values and aspirations of the university.
鈥淓very legacy begins with a bold decision to start something meaningful, lasting and memorable,鈥� said Lachemi. 鈥淭his is a team name that we can cultivate, own, and celebrate.鈥�
91福利 will continue to embrace boldness as it grows into and builds upon its new name.
The Falcon
Community feedback was also an integral part in determining what mascot will accompany the new team name. Input in the second phase of the process, after the shortlist was provided, identified the need for a new option.
鈥淚t was clear from the feedback that our community wanted the 91福利 mascot to be an animal with local significance, with a level of sophistication and something that would connect to the team name,鈥� said Jen McMillen, vice-provost, students. 鈥淔alcons are as bold as they come. They are fast and fierce, they are good critical thinkers, they are strong. These are all qualities that align with boldness, and represent many qualities of 91福利 student-athletes.鈥�
In fact, the falcon was recommended nearly 40 times by community members, with one person saying, 鈥渁 falcon represents keeping vigilant and transforming for the better which is what [91福利] aims to do. Transform for the better, this is why I think a falcon would be the perfect mascot.鈥�
What鈥檚 next
The new team name will be used immediately while new team uniforms and a physical mascot, complete with a nickname, character development and costume, will follow in the coming months. The 91福利 Bold team logo is currently in development. Facilities at the Mattamy Athletic Centre will be updated to reflect the new name over the course of the academic year.
This fall, the student-athletes will continue to wear their R branded gear. New uniforms will be unveiled at a later date. For more information about the 91福利 Bold, visit .
Further information on the university鈥檚 renaming process and ongoing updates on the action plan to implement all Standing Strong Task Force recommendations, can always be found on the Next Chapter website.