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Wisconsin, Washburn wrangling over ?W? logos


Ez Street

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According to the article today in the Cap-Journal, a new logo is supposed to be released next week. that was fast.

The "W" logo is mainly used by Washburn's football and basketball team and is on the university's basketball court and football field. Farley said a new logo will be released early next week, likely incorporating changes to the W's shape and the university name.

Time to replace a lot of stuff....

They just installed this field a few years ago.

washburn_stadium_4.jpg

Even these will have to change in Yager Stadium.

washburn_stadium_5.jpg

It will be time for a new floor at Lee Arena.

leearena2006.jpg

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The high school I do play-by-play for (Bemidji, MN) opened their football season against Willmar HS (MN), and they used the "Motion W" (they had it on their helmets, and I was told they have it on most of their sports uniforms). I commented on my broadcast that Wisconsin has gone after schools that use their logo, and I wouldn't be surprised if WHS gets a call down the line...

Moose

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Timeline set for Washburn University to clear trademarked symbol from campus.

Here's a look at the exit strategy for the "W":

Football field

Use of the " W" marked on the football field must end by Jan. 1, 2015. The only surviving "W's" will be those permanently marked on a surface, such as inscribed in metal fixtures.

Football helmet

The "W" can't be used on helmets next school year. As of Aug. 31, 2010, it is to be removed from team uniforms. WU's football and basketball teams were the primary users of the "W".

Lee Arena

"W's" on the basketball court must be changed by Jan. 1, 2014.

Any other "W's" painted on campus surfaces must be removed by Jan. 1, 2012.

Bookstore items

Washburn has six months to sell off its current "W" inventory of more than 3,000 items of apparel and other goods.

After that, the inventory must be destroyed.

Enjoy that curvy "W" while it lasts.

Over the next five and a half years, the "W" that gently slopes like the rolling Flint Hills will gradually be banished from campus as part of a lawsuit settlement with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which complained that the "Washburn W" looked too much like its "Motion W."

To avoid any future confusion, the thick "Washburn W" used by some sports teams will be straightened on top and bottom and "rise at an angle no greater than nine degrees above plane." And just in case people are still confused, the "W" won't be allowed to stand alone, so expect it to be accompanied by the word "Washburn" or that top-hat-wearing Ichabod. President Jerry Farley said he expects to unveil a new "W" next week.

The universities have been wrangling over the letter for at least six years with Washburn making previous changes. Now, removing the letter logo will cost $200,000 to $500,000, said Washburn spokeswoman Dena Anson.

Before the settlement, the university had spent $132,000 on litigation, and Farley on Tuesday said the university faced a far bigger bill if it had decided to take the case to trial.

Under the settlement, Washburn will pay nothing to UW-Madison.

"The situation I was facing was the cost of litigation for a trial was going to be very, very high," he said.

Washburn is to stop using any "W" that could be confused with the "Motion W" on new products or promotions, but it has time to make the "W's" extinction final.

The settlement document called for the agreement to remain confidential. However, the settlement was obtained by The Capital-Journal on Wednesday through a Kansas Open Records Act request.

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Can we wrap up this excellent discussion with one more mention about how much the "motion W" blows? :D

I'll bite.

It blows. :D

Different tastes I guess - I happen to love how it looks on their helmet.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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How bad can it be? Others keep lifting it for themselves. Even backwards, the motion W works OK for a helmet. If they would restrict the use to football, I think it is fine. All other uses seems a bit forced.

shysters_sm.jpg

"One of my concerns is shysters show up and take advantage of people's good will and generosity".

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How bad can it be? Others keep lifting it for themselves. Even backwards, the motion W works OK for a helmet. If they would restrict the use to football, I think it is fine. All other uses seems a bit forced.

I'd say so long as they restrict to the helmet alone, it's fine.

But even something as simple as moving it to a coach's polo shirt, and it's bad.

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How bad can it be? Others keep lifting it for themselves. Even backwards, the motion W works OK for a helmet. If they would restrict the use to football, I think it is fine. All other uses seems a bit forced.

I'd say so long as they restrict to the helmet alone, it's fine.

But even something as simple as moving it to a coach's polo shirt, and it's bad.

There's that, of course, but I also hate it because it doesn't work without the black, and black is not one of their colors. More specifically, even if you say black trim can work anywhere (and a lot of sports teams seem to think so), why does it only appear in that one place? To me, that's just lazy design.

Design a "W" without black (that would be my preference) or add black trim to the uniform (a cheap solution, but there you go).

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I think it could work as well without the black drop-shadow, but you're right. It's the Kansas City Chiefs problem in the NFL.

Wisconsin did try to give the numbers the same effect, but the experiment was short-lived.

967363307_1fa08d389f_o.jpg

But as for Washburn, I think either of these versions would look pretty good on a football helmet:

Wshbrn-Fader-S-S-Grey_1317015.jpg

Washburn-Play-Hard-White-ss_14851206.jpg

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