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They may have been in and out of the Canadian Football League<\/a> over the past 80 years, but the Montreal Alouettes<\/a> are still taking the opportunity to celebrate their history during the 2026 season.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, May 20 \u2014 the 80th anniversary of the team\u2019s founding in 1946 \u2014 the Alouettes unveiled a special commemorative logo on their social media channels. It features a white block numeral 80 on a navy blue field with red and navy blue outlines. The team\u2019s current primary logo<\/a> sits at the bottom, overlapping the numeral and with its tail protruding from the bottom.<\/p>\n On this day in 1946, the Montreal Alouettes were born \u269c\ufe0f<\/p>\n This team has made Montr\u00e9al come alive through generations of fans, unforgettable moments, fierce rivalries and historic championships. A legacy built by iconic players, passionate supporters and a city proud of its\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/QKxAHlbfYn<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Alouettes de Montr\u00e9al (@MTLAlouettes) May 20, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n The Alouettes didn\u2019t specify in their social media posts how the logo would be used, but possible applications include helmet decals and jersey patches. They did, however, say that in 2026 they would be \u201ccelebrating the players, moments, and icons who helped shape our history and inspire generations of fans.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 1946, countless legends have worn the Montreal jersey \u269c\ufe0f This season, we\u2019re celebrating the players, moments, and icons who helped shape our history and inspire generations of fans.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s your all-time favourite Alouette? \ud83c\udfc8 pic.twitter.com\/SwXVb3SizM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Alouettes de Montr\u00e9al (@MTLAlouettes) May 20, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n The original Montreal Alouettes franchise was founded in 1946 and played until 1982, when owner Nelson Skalbania was forced to return the team to the CFL after his own finances collapsed. The league quickly replaced the Alouettes with the Montreal Concordes<\/a>, who were owned by businessman Charles Bronfman and inherited the history and records of the previous franchise. The name was changed, though, because despite giving up the team, Skalbania still claimed to own the Alouettes\u2019 intellectual property.<\/p>\n In 1986, the team\u2019s ownership came to an agreement with Skalbania and changed their name back to the Alouettes. But, with dwindling attendance and the collapse of the CFL\u2019s television deal, Bronfman folded the franchise one day before the 1987 regular season began.<\/p>\n Nine years later, in 1996, the Alouettes returned when the Baltimore Stallions<\/a> were sold to Robert Wetenhall and relocated to Montreal, ending the CFL\u2019s American expansion experiment. The team wasn\u2019t drawing big crowds to Olympic Stadium at first, but when a U2 concert conflicted with a home playoff game in November 1997, the game was moved to Molson Stadium on the campus of McGill University. This sparked interest in the team and the playoff game sold out. The team relocated permanently to Molson Stadium in 1998, and they still play \u201cSunday Bloody Sunday\u201d before every Sunday home game in tribute to the band that inadvertently turned the team\u2019s fortunes around.<\/p>\n Playing as the Alouettes, the team has won eight Grey Cups<\/a>: 1949, 1970, 1974, 1977, 2002, 2009, 2010 and 2023.<\/p>\n The Alouettes begin their 2026 CFL regular season on the road against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats<\/a> on Thursday, June 4. Their home opener at Molson Stadium is eight days later (Friday, June 12) against the Toronto Argonauts<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/logo-history-20260520-cfl-canadian-football-league-2026-montreal-alouettes-80-80th-anniversary-logo-.jpeg\"){kind=logo}
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