Fanshawe’s Esports community, formerly known as FUEL (Fanshawe Ultimate Esports League) has recently undergone a major rebrand as it ushers in a new era of gaming at Fanshawe.

FUEL will now be going by a new name: Fuel Esports. The new name also comes with a new logo and an updated identity, spearheaded by Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) Esports Coordinator Tyler Hetherington.

“This strategic change not only broadens the appeal to a wider audience, including potential sponsors and fans outside the college community, but also emphasizes the team's focus on Esports as a primary aspect of its identity,” Hetherington said. “The concise and impactful name ‘Fuel Esports’ is memorable and distinct, making it easier for fans to connect with the team across various platforms and media.”

The new logo features two distinct shapes, the flame and the falcon. The flame, according to Hetherington, “serves as a powerful symbol that ignites the fuel, passion and competitive spirit of players representing the team and the community around it.” The flame also links the new logo to the original FUEL logo, establishing what Hetherington called a “meaningful” connection to the team’s visual identity.

The falcon, meanwhile, was included to draw a connection between Esports and traditional sports branding at Fanshawe College.

“Fuel Esports not only aligns itself with the storied tradition of the college's traditional sports programs but also reinforces a sense of continuity and pride among students and alumni,” Hetherington said. “The falcon embodies the high-flying aspirations and strategic prowess required in Esports, creating a cohesive brand identity that honors the college's heritage while embracing the future of competitive gaming.”

Embedded in the new logo are also the letters “F” and “E,” which Hetherington cited as another important piece of brand recognition.

FSU Graphic Designer Darla Stratton was behind the design for the updated logo.

“[Hetherington] made the rebrand request and gave me some specific guidelines to follow,” Stratton explained. “He wanted a minimalistic, pro logo that incorporated certain elements based on how the Fuel Esports community relates to what Fuel symbolizes to them.”

Stratton said she’s proud of how the logo turned out and thrilled that the response has been so positive.

“[Hetherington] was my client, but in reality, so were the 3,000 members of Fuel Esports! This new branding will be their badge of honour for years to come and the general consensus is they love it so I’m very happy!”

For students like Marie “AngelHa1o” Sengupta, the rebrand points to the overall growth of Esports at Fanshawe.

“I’m super excited,” she said. “When we first opened [the gaming room], it was pretty small. But now that we’ve been advertising it more and getting people to join our Discord, I feel like it’s grown so much.”

Sengupta has been involved with Fuel since 2022, when she would regularly visit the games room to play on a PC.

“I used to not have a PC,” she laughed. “So I would come here a lot. I was one of the top people to come here.”

Today, Sengupta works as part of Fuel’s content team and also plays Valorant with Fuel’s Game Changers (GC) team.

“[The GC team] is for female and non-binary people, and it’s our first semester with a team like this because before we didn’t have enough players. So I’m super excited to play.”

As Esports at Fanshawe continues to evolve, Hetherington said he is looking forward to the future, confident that the rebrand is the next step in Fuel’s growth and visibility.

To keep up with all things Fuel Esports, check out the Fuel Discord server.