Professor Adam Weekley brought his passion for design, community, and inclusivity to the national stage through his creation of the Buffalo Sabres Pride Night Crest. Drawing inspiration from his love of Sabres hockey, his artistic background, and his own lived experiences, Weekley created a design that reflects both the energy of sports and the spirit of Pride.
Central to Weekley’s creative process was reimagining the traditional Sabres’ imagery. “The design in its traditional state is very flat,” said Weekley. “Part of what I wanted to do is bring some volume and mass to it. Think about it almost like taking these flat images and trying to make them a little more three-dimensional and dynamic.”
“I decided to take the sabres and redraw them in an illustrative style to add that dimension,” continued Weekley. “Draping the flag over them — there’s a regality to it. After that, my first idea was to shift the buffalo forward and have him moving across.”
Weekley’s final addition to the logo was the disco ball. “I wanted there to be some whimsy in here, so I dropped that disco ball in as a subtle backdrop,” he continued. “That’s when it came more alive.”
Photo from www.nhl.com/sabres
At its core, the project was about inclusivity. “The whole point of this initiative is to welcoming and embracing every part of the fandom,” Weekley said. “You can’t understate how significant it is to feel welcomed and celebrated.”
His hope was to create a crest that fans from all backgrounds could connect with—perhaps even inspiring new audiences to engage with the Sabres. “If some folks get to see this and it brings them to the Sabres, that’s a pretty awesome thing to have been a part of.”
According to the Buffalo Sabres, Weekley created the perfect crest for their 2026 Pride Night.” Weekley’s design will be featured on a set of Sabres practice jerseys and displayed at KeyBank Center during the Pride Night game. The jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds directly benefiting the LGBTQIA+ community.
Weekley became involved with the project through a partnership between the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Together, the two organizations created the “Community Artist Series,” commissioning unique designs for three community-based theme nights during the 2025-26 season.
Photo from www.nhl.com/sabres
Photo from www.nhl.com/sabres
Photo from www.nhl.com/sabres
