B10 to reconsider division names?
"We've had enough experience with names and expansion and development of divisions that we know that you rarely get a 90 percent approval rating," Delany told WGN AM-720. "But to get a 90 percent non-approval rating was really surprising. It showed that we didn’t connect with our fans in a way that we wanted to. It’s humbling, to say the least, because we’re trying to build fan bases, not push them away." - Delaney
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/21173/big-ten-to-reconsider-division-names
Now, about that logo...
December 17th, 2010 at 9:26 AM ^
a really good leader or legend can admit when they are not right
December 17th, 2010 at 9:45 AM ^
Now I don't know if they're leaders or legends, but Roger Goodell and the people who work for the NCAA can learn a thing or two from our leader or legend. I'm proud to be a leader [or legend].
December 17th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^
The way you wrote this makes it seem as if Goodell works for the NCAA.
I'd be more proud if we didn't have crappy divisional names and a shitty logo.
Oh well - I work in an office of big ten alums from various schools and at least we could all agree on the fact that Delany fucking blew it.
December 17th, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^
Whoa, Roger Goodell pooped in someone's cereal.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^
no public opinion polling before the final decision? what type of amaturish mktg firm did he hire? hell, even movie makers show preliminary versions of movies to the public before they finalize them.
it's just amazing to me how people get to big positions with big salaries and throw away big money to make stupid decisions. (cue the gov't here).
December 17th, 2010 at 10:48 AM ^
hell, even movie makers show preliminary versions of movies to the public before they finalize them.
Precisely why some movies go straight to DVD.
December 17th, 2010 at 6:46 PM ^
not easy to admit a mistake. how about this for divisions:
Great Lakes and Plains
December 17th, 2010 at 8:30 PM ^
they don't make sense considering the divisions, you know with Michigan and Nebraska in the same one.
December 17th, 2010 at 9:27 AM ^
That's a start. Can they address the awful new logo while they're at it?
December 17th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
I agree! I can't believe the logo! What were they thinking???? We're already behind the "makes sense curve" with having 12 teams. At least incorporate something in the logo that reflects the 12 teams.
Regarding the division names...Not really sure what else makes sense. At least it is not North/South or East/West. To geographically separate the divisions does not make sense. I feel it is best to keep competition balanced versus geographically balanced. If we did that become the conferences from the South...Lopsided! Still like BO and Woody! But definitely understand the opposing arguments.
December 17th, 2010 at 1:41 PM ^
I would prefer East/West or North/South, knowing that it can't be perfect geographically. But since we're already taking a leap by calling a conference with 12 teams the Big 10, I'm not going too worried if Wisconsin has to play in the East division. Trying to get cutesy with Legends/Leaders or some other combination of titles that have no bearing at all to the schools involved is just asking for ridicule.
December 17th, 2010 at 1:47 PM ^
I'm not going too worried if Wisconsin has to play in the East division.
It doesn't seem to hurt the Dallas Cowboys.
December 17th, 2010 at 7:52 PM ^
Blood & Guts
December 17th, 2010 at 9:28 AM ^
and fix it. Quickly.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
I'll always remember the closing of every G.I. Joe cartoon: "Knowing is half of the battle." Delaney now knows so, like you said, fix the damn things!
December 17th, 2010 at 10:59 AM ^
you sir an american and mgoblog hero
December 17th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
knowing IS only half the battle... and the other half?
December 17th, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
The mob has spoken. The emporer will acquiesce to their will or face their wrath.
December 17th, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^
If they change to a better logo, I can deal with the names.
December 17th, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^
If they change to better names, I can deal with the logo.
December 17th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^
If they change to better names and a better logo I can deal with all the coaching change posts.
December 17th, 2010 at 9:59 AM ^
The logo is going to be painted on every basketball court and probably most of the football fields. The division names are terrible, but they probably aren't something that you'll hear very often.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:08 AM ^
With you. The logo is 90% of the exposure. I don't hate the division names, but I do hate the logo.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:22 AM ^
I agree that the logo is going to get a lot more exposure. But, I do hate the division names a lot more. They both need to be changed.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:30 AM ^
Can someone from the Big 10 please admit that both were terrible and a HUGE waste of money?
Delany is slooooooowly coming to that conclusion. I can only imagine how much they paid for those.
A better solution... gather a team of design students from the Big 10 and have them design the logo and pay them in scholarship money.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:41 AM ^
have a contest. it happens all the time. how much does that cost? how did the palace of auburn hills get named?
December 17th, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^
After reading Six Zero's diary, I want to clarify my comment...
The Big Ten wasted their (and our) money because they did not connect with their audience before officially releasing the logo. If they had, we might be looking at a completely different logo, or we could just be looking at a different color.
Pentagram did what they were paid to do. They designed the logo, and maybe many others. The Big Ten (Delany) most definitely had the option to say, no we don't like any of these, keep at it. In the decision process, they could have brought in panels of Big Ten fans, shown them the logos and said, choose one or none.
I suggested gathering a team of student designers because they are most connected to the conference. They are more aware of the values and history of the conference than a major design firm. The Big Ten should still hold opinion panels before making a final decision. Pentagram, or the like, would then be hired to do all of the branding processes behind the scenes. I'm not saying the students would do a "better" job, but when you officially release the logo, your marketing becomes a lot easier when you can say "this logo was designed by a group of Big Ten students".
December 18th, 2010 at 2:24 PM ^
thats a great idea, toss it up to the art departments and let students win a scholarship if their concept is one of the finalists.
brilliant!!
December 17th, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^
I can imagine analysts saying something along the lines of...
"Michigan is the current Leader of the Legends Division."
December 17th, 2010 at 1:46 PM ^
Oh Jesus, I hadn't even considered that.
Somewhere I'm hearing Gary Danielson snidely saying something about the current "leader" in the Leader division or making a joke that Indiana is the last Leader.
God, I hate that guy.
December 17th, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^
I don't want to see that logo disgrace The Big House.
December 17th, 2010 at 4:13 PM ^
Personally, I don't have a huge problem with the logo. It's bland, and the pale blue color is bad, but it appears that they'll use different colors to fit the situation (i.e., if it's painted in Crisler, it'll be maize). And to be honest, I've never cared much for our current logo. But "Leaders" and "Legends" are awful and will be made fun of forever.
December 17th, 2010 at 9:51 AM ^
They need to blow the whole thing up. Changing the divisions may be a moral victory, but dammit, hyphenated trophies? Shitty logo design? Don't just fix one component of the axis of awful.
December 17th, 2010 at 9:53 AM ^
+1 for "the axis of awful"
December 17th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
December 17th, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^
if i remember correctly, the mob also got the UM OSU game as the last game of the regular season saved as well. the big ten is having a bit of a rough year, while torch and pitchfork suppliers in the midwest are booming.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^
of the torch and pitchfork company has seen skyrocketing growth over the past 3.5 years after a rather up and down pattern of sales in the 1998-2006 era (big shortages for supply due to unexpected demand in 2005). it all started in September of 2007 and boy has it been a huge and growing company division since!
December 17th, 2010 at 11:49 PM ^
December 17th, 2010 at 10:02 AM ^
I can live with the logo and trophy names, but the division names have to be changed. This is what happens when you don't listen to your fans and follow the suggestions of corporate marketing.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^
..the logo is 100 times worse.
December 17th, 2010 at 5:12 PM ^
December 17th, 2010 at 5:13 PM ^
December 17th, 2010 at 9:34 PM ^
No way the names are just plain stupid.
The logo can easily be cleaned up by a professional so it doesn't look so cheap. I'd do it myself but I am incredibly slow on those programs. I tried to find a good example but could only find the one below.
I can't believe they launched a logo that actually looks low resolution. The one on the design firms website is better quality. I've said this before but it should read more B 10 and less BIG
December 17th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^
I don't mind the BIG part of the logo, but the TEN is stupid.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
You either have Big Ten or the "new" B1G that looks like a 10 (even though it really doesn't.) But then it's basically the B-10.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:16 AM ^
I dont care one bit about the logo or the names. I care about Michigan and winning regardless of division names or logos.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
by simply testing a sampling of fans. Why do it the way they did? It makes no sense.
December 17th, 2010 at 10:48 AM ^
invention will never catch on! There's never any reason to ask a representative sample of a population what they think prior to rolling something out!
December 17th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
I suggested that if you were going to choose stupid names that you should at least be paid well for them. I said that he missed the boat and should take advantage of corporate sponsorships. The great taste vs the less filling divisions, the Fedex air vs Fedex ground, or Pepsi and Mt. Dew. At least the fans know that the schools are making money.
I am glad to see that he is trying to find an out. I wonder if I can get royalties from my idea.