After years of various designs for its uniforms, the MSU athletics department has taken a giant leap to bring every varsity athletic team into one uniform design.
MSU athletics director Mark Hollis unveiled the athletics department’s long-awaited brand and identity revamp that includes a complete overhaul for all 25 varsity sports teams uniforms. The program, after nearly two years of collaboration with Nike, includes new uniforms with consistent fonts, colors, logos and numerals that will bring unity to all MSU athletes.
A darker shade of green will be used on the uniforms along with silver and bronze to highlight the traditional white. The “State” bridge logo will be removed and replaced with “Spartans” on the men’s and women’s basketball jerseys. The traditional Spartans head logo will remain after a massive amount of negative feedback flooded in once it was discovered MSU was considering a change two months ago.
Uniforms for the varsity teams all used to be drastically different, with typography, numerals and even colors all greatly varying. The new identity program brings all of MSU to a united front and makes it easier for an outsider to instantly recognize the MSU brand.
However, the uniforms still offer more variation across the sports than the initial description of the plan had led some to believe. But the new uniforms are much more similar than they previously had been and will strengthen the bond between the university and athletic identities.
It’s a good sign the athletics department followed the guidance of the MSU community and moved away from its original plan to change the Spartans helmet logo. The athletics department further demonstrated its dedication to university unity by showing the public it would be receptive to feedback.
One of the more disappointing aspects of the new identity program is the removal of the “State” bridge logo, perhaps most recognizable from the basketball jerseys. MSU was the only school gutsy enough to label uniforms with just “State” as opposed to the full school name. People around the country identified the uniforms with MSU and it’s sad to see the uniforms move away from that design.
Football fans should be pleased with the unveiling of a new green and white “alternate” uniform, to be used during rivalry games. The MSU community might be split on the design of the uniform itself, but it will add to the excitement and buzz around rivalry games.
This plan isn’t perfect, but the MSU community will get used to it over time. There are some aspects to like and dislike about the new uniforms, but having an entire varsity athletics department under a single brand identity should be more valuable than a few aesthetic gripes.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “New branding, identity positive step for MSU ” on social media.
