Welcome to the Uni Watch 2025 Canadian Football League Uniform Preview, Part II. If you missed Part I, or want a quick refresher, click here.
And now, here’s Wade.
2025 CFL Uniform Preview (Part II)
by Wade Heidt
West Division
BC LIONS
The BC Lions had a longstanding primary logo. Introduced in 1978 during the club’s orange-and-brown era. Recoloured in 1990 and basically untouched since then (except for removal of the three dots representing whiskers in 2005). The logo untouched despite a few significant uniform redesigns.
Untouched until now. The opposite is occurring with the Leos compared to recent history. The uniform design is not changing but the primary logo has.
Old:
New:
The Lions didn’t even make a formal announcement. Quietly, the new primary logo started to emerge in communications posted by the Lions. It became apparent leading up to the season the primary logo change was happening on the West Coast.
The new primary logo was introduced last season to appear on the new alternate gunmetal jerseys. It has been promoted. The new primary logo uses a different font for the BC lettering.
Here is a look at the Lions in the preseason wearing their home uniforms with the new logo on the helmet and sleeves. The primary logo, though the new version, returns back to the helmet.
Ever since the BC Lions redesigned the uniforms in 2023, they can’t seem to quit fiddling with it on a yearly basis. The Interlocking BC monogram secondary logo became the primary helmet logo in 2024. They didn’t make a formal announcement about that either. In hindsight, you could feel this was a move to begin phasing out the primary logo. The logo being relegated from the helmet to only appear on the jersey sleeves.
Maybe it will take some time to get used to because we are so familiar with the other logo. I am having trouble adjusting. Sure, the old primary logo lettering had a 1970s vibe, but it had unique lettering. The old logo looked more balanced. It was a classic.
No word from the Lions officially if the gunmetal alternates are back this year. Expect they likely will be.
The Red and White had the big uniform overhaul in 2023. There are no new uniforms but concerns are brewing at Uni Watch Canadian Football Headquarters.
The concern has to do with the preseason media shoot. The Stampeders are wearing red over red for the photos. They wore red over red in the preseason. The concern is this might be the new primary home look instead of superior looking wearing red over white combo.
We’re almost there 🙏
🎟️ got your tickets yet? https://t.co/Z221fRP78r#TogetherWeRide pic.twitter.com/1mCcQAKwY2
— Calgary Stampeders (@calstampeders) June 3, 2025
I don’t need to see another mono-colour team as the primary look. Then again, I guess this would be a bit of a throwback nod for the Stamps. These uniforms are influenced by the original red and white uniforms introduced in 1948. You guessed it, the Stampeders wore red jerseys over red pants in 1948.
Calgary’s McMahon Stadium has new turf and field upgrades. Now a moment of silence as we look at the new goal posts.
3 THOUGHTS:
1. Demetries Ford, JJ Laap, Cole Snyder stood out in a brutal game.
2. That final drive was the most exciting EE football of the game.
3. Cuts were made easy by those penalties.
Big week, big decisions coming up for the Edmonton Elks.#SecX #GoElks #CFL #JoinTheHerd pic.twitter.com/7vEFxDXvIx— The Elks Herd (@TheElksHerd) May 25, 2025
Why am I sad you ask? The new uprights are yellow starting this year. The Stampeders were the last team to have their goal posts in their team colours. This used to be really common in the CFL, even into the 1980s and 1990s. An aesthetic aspect I absolutely loved in the league. Now finally it is now extinct as every team has the yellow uprights now.
The black Outlaw alternates of course will be back. Destined to be worn for the Labour Day Classic. They will never go away. Calgary was one of the first pro football teams in the modern era to wear a regular alternate jersey. They have worn a black alternate jersey since 1994.
During the 2024 season, the Elks shifted from being a community-owned team to private ownership for the first time in the team’s 75-year history. New owner Larry Thompson has been a long time Edmonton football fan. His plans became apparent right away that the team will be changing their look in 2025. The look being a modern take on a traditional look.
The Double E re-emerges as the primary logo for the Green and Gold in 2025. Though it has been on the helmets, it was technically a secondary logo. A version of the Double E was last used as a primary logo under the team’s old name.
The new jerseys were unveiled on June 5.
The new jerseys have components that were present on Edmonton jerseys in the past. The yellow numbers are back. This had to happen. It is proper and a signature look for the franchise. The Elks just didn’t look right with the white numbers on the green jerseys since 2021. The TV numbers are back. The sleeve stripes use a combination of elements that were present on the jersey sleeves for decades. Combining elements when it was just sleeve stripes and when the stripes had the Double E logo with past uniforms.
It appears it is just the jerseys changing. The players were wearing the same yellow pants and green pants from 2024 in this video and the helmet remains the same. Looks like we will see some mix-and-match with the pants.
The wait is over 🔥#GoElks pic.twitter.com/sT28hZ1w93
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) June 6, 2025
This is an upgrade based on the yellow numbers alone. It is also a nod to the past to what Edmonton looked like when they had a powerhouse team, on the field and at the box office, which has not been the case in recent years.
The alternate Icon uniform will be back and worn three times this season.
Interesting to see the uniform evolution. The team changed the name to Elks in 2021 with a new primary elk logo and antlers on the helmet. It has quickly evolved into a modern version of an old uniform worn under the old team name. Elk imagery completely removed from the uniform with this jersey redesign. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Elks scrape the Icon alternate for an alternate using elk imagery a bit more. Maybe giving the antlers a better try again on an alternate uniform.
No redesign uniform news coming out of Regina. Which is a shame. These primary uniforms introduced in 2016 during the adidas era have become stale. The Riders can look better than this and a revamp is long overdue. Side panels are so played out. The white primary pants have noticeably been shelved last season for green pants on the road most all the time.
The Roughrider have released a uniform schedule. Unusual to see the Retro alternate will only be worn one time this season (Labour Day Classic of course). It usually appears more.
The Green and White will dress as the Triple Green two times when they wear the Rider Nation alternates. The new Obsidian, Emerald, and Rider green became really popular with the fans. Team president Craig Reynolds comments here about the process working with New Era to get the shade of green right.
Saskatchewan ended up wearing the Obsidian green more than scheduled when they wore it at home for the Western Semi-Final.
No uniform redesign to announce for the defending Western champs.
We cannot ignore how aspects of the alternate uniform have seeped into the primary uniforms. I feel It’s not for the better.
The alternate uniform helmet stripe was adopted for the primary uniforms. Messing up the traditional look of a Bombers helmet and the pant stripe doesn’t match the helmet stripe anymore. The blue pants that originated with the alternate uniform being used more often. The Blue Bombers wore blue over blue for the Western Final and Grey Cup, when the blue over gold is a vastly better uniform.
Still, I can’t complain, but this uniform is like a fancy sports car with dents in the bumper. Those dent could be easily fixed if they were more inclined to renovate this uniform with details from the 1970s to 1990s.
Unfortunately, I am not going to the Grey Cup in person this year. Though pretty pumped about attending the BC Lions home opener on June 7. Will get to see the new BC and Edmonton uniforms changes in action! Well, it will be more exciting as there is expected to be a sellout crowd of over 50,000 because Snoop Dogg will be playing a pregame concert.
Also, I already have plans to travel to my OG hometown in mid-September to see the Saskatchewan Roughriders play at home. Let the fun begin!
Readers? What say you?
Looks like a random mess….just like the NFL and college football (and NBA and MLB). Thank the style gods for the NHL.
I hate the Elks alternate, but I love that they brought the yellow numbers back.
Calgary with the shoulder stripes is one of my favorite jerseys at all levels of football, but I’d rather not see them with red pants.
Saskatchewan needs to use the throwbacks as their main uni set. The side panels are indeed played out.
Thanks for the previews!
LOL, I was just about to make the exact same comments! Particularly re the Roughriders’ throwback set. Love those. Great minds, and all…
The Retro would be better than the current primaries for the Riders.
I wouldn’t mind seeing another retro become the primary uniform again, too. A modern version of 1985-89 uniform. The current primary shield logo was designed that way to accommodate a wraparound helmet logo. I will take a little silver and black back as trim colours if we can get the excellent wraparound helmet logo back.
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Totally forgot about those. I like them too!
I preferred when the BC Lions emphasized orange over black. The logo would stand out better on a white helmet. Pair it with an orange primary jersey and you’re cooking with gas.
Overall the CFL does a very nice job with the unis.
I feel the BC Lions uniforms have been a downgrade since the beauties they wore last in 2015. White helmets/orange jerseys/white pants. Orange pants with white jerseys on the road. The Lions really embraced orange as their colour that they own in the league. That uniform was fantastic.
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I agree. I think it’s very odd that in a league of only 9 teams, 3 of them have black as a primary color.
The Lions’ new logo is going to irritate me every time I see it, and make ol’ grandpa sound like a cranky relic. What a needless change, and a definite downgrade.
Won’t be just you. I will be sounding like a cranky relic and many others will as well. Not sure how popular this change is. I have heard it referred to by a Lions fan as the Temu logo. Looks like a knock-off fake of the original when just changing the BC font.
The signage around the outside of BC Place still has the old logo. Not sure many casual BC Lions fans know the primary logo is different now.
Should have concentrated on getting an orange jersey instead, at least an alternate.
I can’t possibly be the only one who sees the shape of South Carolina in the lions head logo for the BC Lions? It’s eerily accurate.
The plural of elk is elk.
Just like deer, the word elk stays the same in both singular and plural form. For example:
• Singular: I saw an elk in the forest.
• Plural: We saw five elk near the river.
I’m glad Edmonton went back to a uniform style that’s closer to their old look.
Edmonton And Hamilton):
I know it’s yellow, you know it’s yellow, people with eyeballs know it’s yellow on their uniforms. But the team and certain website purveyors will insist that it’s “gold.”
Yellow is brighter.
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The plural of elk is elk.
Just like deer, the word elk stays the same in both singular and plural form. For example:
• Singular: I saw an elk in the forest.
• Plural: We saw five elk near the river.
I’m glad Edmonton went back to a uniform style that’s closer to their old look.
The plural of “leaf” is “leaves”
And yet, we have the Toronto Maple Leafs. Do you have an issue with that too?
Whenever I see the “Lazy S” on Saskatchewan’s helmets, I think of Studebaker.
Not at all, the same as a Mammoth or Mammoths.
Pains me to say this, but my least-favorite team is the best looking in the West. Congrats, Winnipeg.
The new BC logo doesn’t bother me, but the gunmetal gray does. Bring back the brown!
Thanks, Wade!
Thanks Jim! CFL did league-wide 1960s throwbacks in 2009. They did league-wide 1970s throwbacks in 2010. It’s time for league-wide 1980s throwbacks. The glorious orange and brown BC Lions uniform could return to the field if/when this happens.
Winnipeg = University of Washington
I once got confused flipping the channel & wondering why college football was on in the summer! Turns out it was Canadian football… Winnipeg vs someone!
Thanks Wade! The CFL has had some of the best and some of the cheesiest unis in football. Your coverage really highlights the great and almost great. Sorry the obsession with black has hurt your Lions’ look. I too am pro-orange with white helmets (with the iconic old ‘BC’). I’ll always pine for Saskatchewan’s classics. Ditch the side panels already! I’ll always love the Argos’ colors and hate the OOP (oar on pants). And Edmonton’s stripe pattern. Good job! It was the name you had to change, not the logo and unis!
I post this concept somewhere every year, and this seems like as good of a spot as any. How hard can it be for a 9 team league (maybe 10 one day?) to have 9 different coloured helmets? Currently 3 in black. Open to to discussion, but here is my easy solution:
BC – orange / Calgary – red / Edmonton – yellow / Saskatchewan – green / Winnipeg – gold / Toronto – light blue / Ottawa – White / Hamilton – Black / Montreal – navy. That leaves silver or purple for the Halifax or Atlantic Schooners. It really isn’t that out there, and CAN be done!
If you look back at 2010 (not counting throwbacks) for example, in that era all 8 teams (before Ottawa rejoined) did have different, individual helmet colours for their primary uniforms.
BC – white
Edm – yellow
Cal – red
Ssk – green
Wpg – gold
Ham – black
Tor – navy (Oxford)
Mtl – silver
Of course, when I think of purple in the CFL, I think of 1 team. We had the 2 seasons with the Shreveport Pirates!
I’d rather have Montreal with a white helmet and Ottawa in black.
Both the Alouettes and Concordes have a history of white helmets.
I can certainly buy Montreal in white (or even silver), but putting Ottawa in black, means they and the Ticats are in the same colour. Can’t move Hamilton to yellow, because Edmonton owns that. So, BC can go from black to orange (or white), and that gets rid of one of the black teams, but then who of the two Eastern black teams switch, and to what colour?
The Lion on the BC helmet looks like it’s laughing. Not very ferocious!
Edmonton Eskimos were always a favorite of mine. I don’t watch a lot of CFL, but if the Eskimos were playing, it was a game to watch.
I prefer the old BC logo as well, I do not care for football jerseys with side panels and I miss the Elks deer logo which looked clever. Too many mono uniform combinations but that is simply following the trend in the US. The Argos still have the best set in the CFL, I think, but New Era has not disappointed in the overall quality of their on field uniforms as a hat maker.