Baylor officials back off decision to change logo on football helmets

Thursday, May 01, 2008

By Tim Woods

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Amid outcry from the extended Baylor University family, school president John Lilley and his administration have backed off a decision to change the interlocking “BU” logo on the school’s football helmets.

The move was originally planned after Baylor enlisted a national branding consultant who encouraged the school to push the Baylor name on a national level, according to Lilley.

“We have heard from a number of members of the Baylor family, however, and, as a result, we have concluded that while this suggestion makes sense from a branding perspective, we acknowledge the value of our traditional symbols,” Lilley wrote in a message to the university’s constituents. “We will honor our past by retaining our current football colors and our interlocking ‘BU’ logo.”

Public reaction to the initial decision ranged far and wide, with some speculating that it was due to Lilley being concerned that people would mistake Baylor for Boston University. School spokeswoman Lori Fogleman said that was never the case, adding that such rumors were “almost at urban legend level.”

Fogleman said the consultant’s report never mentioned Boston University, and Lilley told the Tribune-Herald last fall that the consideration was not related to concerns about people confusing the university.

Baylor officials say they aren’t sure the extent to which “Baylor” will replace the interlocking “BU” elsewhere in university materials.

“Right now, it would be extremely premature to discuss these recommendations, because we are just now in the process of sharing them internally with university audiences — deans, other university communicators, faculty senate, student groups, etc. — and soliciting feedback on these recommendations,” Fogleman said.

Some Baylor graduates still are concerned about logo changes.

“I think it’s an important part of Baylor’s (tradition),” said Trey Cavezza, who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baylor. “It’s an icon of Baylor. I understand their branding argument, but you brand with icons, too. Texas brands with the longhorns and those horns are the University of Texas, not Longhorn U.”

Cavezza said he would be OK with seeing more of the Baylor name out there, as long as the school uses discretion.

“It depends on the circumstance,” Cavezza said. “They’ve had ‘Baylor’ on the basketball uniforms forever, but I’d be pretty upset if they changed the baseball hats (with the interlocking ‘BU’). If all I see everywhere is just Baylor, Baylor, Baylor, it’d make me want to jump out of the window.”

twoods@wacotrib.com

757-5721

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Comments

By hjames

Jul 24, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this

The best way to brand BAYLOR or BU is to start winning on the football field and continue winning in the basketball floor, the baseball field, softball field, track and field, the tennis court, the barn (equestrian), and all other areas where BAYLOR/BU competes in athletics. It can be done!!!

BAYLOR/BU needs to develop a $1 billion athletic endowment and a growing $2 billion plus academic endowment and win in both athletics and academics. 2012 is a great plan and needs to be implemented across the board but alumni giving, especially in Texas, is stimulated by winning major sports teams, especially football. It can be done!!!

By hjames

Jul 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

By hjames

Jul 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

By BU Alum

May 4, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this

Bill -

WHOA. Such unnecessary hostility and rudeness. I thought I would comment on here to give the alternative perspective of a Boston University alum since almost all of the commenters are from Baylor. If you read my post, I was actually complimentary of Baylor. I think it's a great school with nice, smart, accomplished alumni(with one apparent exception).

I never claimed anything about BU, other than it's known nationally as "BU" more than Baylor is. Believe me, I'm fully aware of both the positive and negative aspects of my alma mater.

While I should take the high road and ignore your last comment, I can't resist telling you that I DID get into Harvard but chose BU because I recieved a full academic scholarship. I didn't apply to MIT, so I guess we'll never know about that one.

By Bill

May 2, 2008 5:00 PM | Link to this

Yes, Boston University should certainly retain the title of BU. After all, when people mention the best academic universities which also produce national powerhouses in a variety of athletics, Boston University is certainly mentioned every time. OH WAIT...THAT'S RIGHT! THEY AREN'T MENTIONED! And remember: You couldn't get into Harvard or MIT. Enjoy.

By BU Alum

May 2, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this

As a Boston University alum living in Texas and working in branding, I realize I'm already in the minority, but I have to disagree with most of the posters here - referring to Baylor as "BU" on collateral dilutes the Baylor brand since NO ONE ever refers (verbally) to Baylor as "BU."

If Baylor wants a national presence, it should consistently reinforce the excellent reputation it has as "Baylor" and let BU be BU.

You see the same kind of thing with UT and Tennessee, and the same logic applies - on the national level, Tennessee is Tennessee and the University of Texas is UT.

I can understand the value of tradition (though we don't have much of it at BU), but it's a matter of Baylor alum deciding how important it is that their university is a major player in the national stage - not just in athletics, but as a whole.

By BU Fan

May 1, 2008 11:10 PM | Link to this

From the looks of it Baylor isn't done trying to "rebrand" itself. As much as people were upset about the BU logo and how it affected the football uniforms, it seems that with these new round of changes, which include removing individual logos for departments - Truett, Mayborn and the Business School for example - Baylor is really tried to tick off their own employees and mess with the academic reputations that each of these schools and programs have worked hard to build up. I find the timing of all of this a little convenient. There's a large post about a recent meeting to BU leaders on Baylor Fans.

http://baylorfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149604

By SG

May 1, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this

Look, at this particular time in the national arena, BU equals Boston University. That's fine. I've never said that I went to BU. I always say Baylor. But when we're talking about logos, an interlocking green BU tipped in gold is the way to go. It is classic collegiate sporty. Both Texas and Tennessee use the "T" on their baseball caps, and their colors are similar, certainly more similar than Baylor and BU's colors. Theirs are red and white. So, I say get over it. Let's hold onto our traditional BU with confidence. They'll know who we are by our colors. BU doesn't even have football. And Baylor doesn't have hockey. Do you think Michigan is at all unnerved by having the same football helmets as Delaware?? Stop worrying about the packaging, Baylor, and start looking at what's going on in the bubble. There is a time to look inward, and this is it, Baylor.

By Ben

May 1, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

Instead of worrying about national recognition, perhaps we can begin with some good marketing here in Texas. Just visited 3 Academy stores in Houston and did not find one Baylor item in it. They sure had a lot of UT / A&M stuff though.

Let's get our house in order in the state of Texas before we try to push it out nationwide

By ekg

May 1, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this

We have never lived in Big12 country. When my wife puts/wears anything that has a BU on it, all our neighbors think she went to Boston University. This was true in D.C. and is now the same in Florida. Therefore, she only buys stuff with "Baylor" on it.

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