Grand Rapids Drive Announce New Name And Logo

GRAND RAPIDS, MI (July 7, 2021) – The Grand Rapids Drive, presented by Metro Health - University of Michigan Health (becoming University of Michigan Health-West), announced today the team will be known as the Grand Rapids Gold beginning with the 2021-22 season. The new name and logo honor the Gold’s new affiliation with the Denver Nuggets, which was announced earlier this year. “This new affiliation and corresponding name change is one of the biggest moves we’ve made as a franchise,” shared Steve Jbara, president of the Grand Rapids Gold. “Aligning ourselves further with the Denver Nuggets, a team that recently advanced past the first round of the NBA playoffs for the third consecutive season, further elevates the professional basketball experience here in Grand Rapids, and we couldn’t be more excited to get back on the court this fall.” https://twitter.com/grdrive/status/1412834303235571725 The Grand Rapids Gold name celebrates Colorado’s world class mining heritage, while the colors incorporated are those used by the Denver Nuggets since 2018. The Gold’s new primary and secondary logos include a small river within each “R” to honor one of Grand Rapids’ famous nicknames, River City. “We are extremely excited about the new name and logo of the Grand Rapid Gold,” said Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly. “We feel the new look aligns well with both the Nuggets and Grand Rapids organizations and are excited to see it in action on the court next season.” The Grand Rapids Gold have been a pivotal NBA G League franchise since their founding in 2006. The team moved to Grand Rapids in 2014 after being purchased by SSJ Group, a market touted as the best in America for minor league sports by Sports Business Journal. The Gold have ranked in the top 5 in NBA G League attendance, drawing more than 3,000 fans per game. This will be the organization’s seventh season in Grand Rapids, playing at the DeltaPlex Arena.