The Big Ten’s expansion into twelve teams is not without controversy. After all, the Big Ten is now twelve teams and the Big 12 is now ten teams, yet they are retaining their names. However, the name is about the only thing that will remain. The Big Ten conference has unveiled sweeping new changes to its layout, trophy names, conference alignment, and even a new logo.
“Our foundation is our history, and so we want to honor that history and tradition,” said Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany during the show on the Big Ten Network. “Going forward, if you really look at our mission, and our mission is about the competition for future leaders, and many have learned to lead through their interface with intercollegiate athletics. Our goal, if we are to sustain this enterprise, is to continue to focus on the building of future leadership through education and competition.”
Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Northwestern are in the Legends division. Meanwhile, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin are in the Leaders division. Eighteen of the Big Ten’s awards trophies are getting revamped names, most of which are adding a second modern player to the names of the founding lights whom the trophies are currently named after, like in the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year award, named for Minnesota legend Bronko Nagurski and Michigan modern legend Charles Woodson. The updated trophies I like; Legends and Leaders not so much.
As for the new logo, it looks awful. It’s basically B1g Ten, but played out in the worst, plainest font imaginable (which is perfect for the Big Ten’s style of plain basketball). Looks like they learned nothing from The Gap’s epic logo redesign fail.
Tags: Big Ten, B1g Ten, Legends, Leaders, Jim Delaney, Big Ten splits into two divisions, Big Ten new logo, Big 10 new logo, Big 10 renames trophies, Big Ten unveils new look, Big Ten terrible new logo, Big Ten conferences, new-look Big Ten, college sports, college football
