As if the fuzzy math inherent in its conference name wasn’t bad enough, the Big Ten — after literally months of thought and consideration by its, uh, braintrust — today revealed a new logo and division names that are in the process of being universally mocked, ridiculed, and generally snarked into oblivion by the Twitter hordes. And with good reason, as you can see at right.
Seriously, Jim Delany? Seriously? You’re supposed to be the Dark Lord of college football, and that’s the best you could do? “Legends” and “Leaders”?!? It makes the ACC “Atlantic” and “Coastal” divisions seems like a branding triumph by comparison! And that logo? Did you hire a graphic-design consulting firm of third graders? WTF!!
As they say on Twitter: Graphic Design #FAIL … Branding #FAIL … Overall #EPICFAIL.
P.S. A lot of the entries under Twitter hashtag #BigTenDivisionNames are pretty funny… and better than the actual Big Ten Division Names!
UPDATE: Karl Benson has announced that the WAC hired the same firm as the Big Ten to design its new logo. Here’s the result:
UPDATE 2: The Big XII has also unveiled its new logo.
Heh.
The Big-10 teams go far enough in getting their conference universally mocked, but the creativity in division break-downs is a breath of fresh air. Finally a conference with the cojones to pick embarrassing names instead o going with the standard East/West, North/South. We need a Norris and Campbell conference in football. However, what is the relevance in the division names? Indiana and Purdue are not leaders, and Minnie and NW are not legends. Now that I think about it, isn’t it insulting for Ohio St. and Penn St. to NOT be in the Legends division? And what’s with the #1 in the “Big”, I was looking for the 2 subliminally in there somewhere, but can’t find it. Truly, the division break down should be the “Has-beens” and “Over-rated”, but there’s no truth in marketing.
I don’t mind the logo that much. Aside from the stupid “1”, it looks OK, but nowhere near as awesome as the new Pac-12 logo. The division names are ridiculous…
Why not at least got with Heros and Legends? Then at least you have different initials. I really don’t think they could have done worse if they tried.
They initally had the divisions listed as X and O when they revealed them, why not just stick with that?? Great football metaphor!
How about some alternative names for the Big Ten(welve).
Flyover Country 12
Can’t Beat the SEC in a BCS Bowl 12
Can’t Beat USC 12
The Why Doesn’t ND Want to Join Us? 12
Also, instead of their lame division names, they should have had two “belts”: Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Nebraska should have been the “Farm Belt” and IL, Michigan, Michigan State, NW, PSU, and Minnesota could have been the “Rust Belt”.
I saw a picture of the logo earlier, but I had no idea that Legends and Leaders were the names of the divisions. I thought it was just a marketing slogan. Wow, that is stupid.
I agree that the 1 is stupid as well, because there’s no 2 in there.
I like Cartman’s idea of the Farm Belt and the Rust Belt.
You don’t like us here at the Big Numerically Challenged?
I liked the suggestion of someone on Twitter who said the six-team divisions should be called the Big 5 and the Big 7. Heh.