Rebranding OSU Athletics

The crowd inside the Oregon State alumni center erupts when the student athletes emerge out to show case the new Nike uniforms. What a breath of fresh air they are. The new uniforms are stunning and really amazing. The football team has orange helmets for the first time since the glory days of Oregon State football.   Hopefully we can bring those days back to Corvallis with this overhaul of the athletics department.

Oregon State athletic director Bob De Carolis said before the athletes came out, "Oregon State Athletics has undergone a tremendous transformation in the last 15 years and our new brand identity is another sign that the Beavers continue to confidently move forward, ultimate goal for the rebrand is to attract high-caliber student-athletes to a contemporary brand, while respecting our heritage.”

Before



logo change

After

 The new logo is supposed to reflect the essence of the university. Which through the two year work of this rebranding Nike found that these essence's are, heritage, strength, victory, united, innovation, tenacity, dedication, and integrity. Thus is how we find ourselves with the new beaver logo. Sharp teeth, pointed nose, and a scowl, it is the angry beaver. The angry beaver is more intimidating than the logos in the past.

After being brought up to speed behind the two-year process, the new uniforms were unveiled. starting with girls cross country with two uniform combinations. Next girls and mens basketball, each with three uniforms. Then both mens and womens soccer with three uniforms each. For the big event three football players came out with three different uniforms and three helmets, drawing a huge reaction from the crowd.


football

These have been the biggest innovation in the history of Oregon State University athletics. But why all the flash you might ask? Well head football coach Mike Riley took to twitter to address this question. On twitter he said, "This rebranding is about 3 things. 1. Recruiting 2. Recruiting 3. Recruiting. Talking to you Class of 2014!"

Twitter  exploded with fan reaction to the event. Third year student Willy McLaughlin said, "This definitely gives us a great chance to make some headway across the nation, instead of being considered the little brothers in the state(inferring U of O)."

For some it took a second glance to warm up to the new branding idea. Like third year student Michael Skipper said, "At first sight I wasn't to sure, but looking at it again I really do like it. The different combinations are the best part, not just for football, but for all the sports. This is really exciting."

But it is not for everyone. Fans posting on twitter have voiced their opposition to the new logo. Criticizing the look, saying it looks like a nutria, naked mole rat, along with many others. Of course University of Oregon fans seized the opportunity to poke fun at the rebranding. But De Carolis reassured everyone that this is not the case, as he told The Oregonian, "It's not about anything that is going on in Eugene. It's about getting a consistent look for us that has a little bit of a cool factor. We're going to be plain and simple with the three uniforms. You could do different combinations, but we're going to stay true to what (Nike) gave us."

It would not be a bad thing if what happened in Eugene ends up happening in Corvallis. What that means is that when U of O started getting their ridiculous uniforms, including combinations that for some reason include their rivals colors, they became national champion contenders. Could all their success be credited to the uniforms? Maybe, maybe not, but it is a coincidence. 

No matter where you fall on the liking or not liking of the logo we all can agree on one thing, it gives the university a great head start into next years recruiting season. It definitely gives the athletic programs a huge boost of confidence heading into their next seasons, because the university has invested a lot into these uniforms for these athletes.Which means they know the university and fans are behind them . Also it brings an extra incentive for the fans to come out and support the teams in their snazzy new uniforms.

                                                                  At A Glance
The sports that will showcase their new uniforms for 2013 are: mens and womens soccer, cross country, mens and womens basketball, and football .For all things Oregon State football you can visit the official Oregon State Athletics website to find out more about the rebranding, along with all things Oregon State athletics. Want your opinion heard on the new OSU look? Comment and let us know what you think.