New Athletics Director Samantha Huge strikes again — and this time, we’ve got new logos! Fans will remember the Tribe’s most recent change to the cursive Tribe logo, but today’s announced changes are far more significant. With added emphasis on the use of a fiercer Griffin, William & Mary Tribe Athletics is undergoing its most significant visual update in several years, perhaps since the change away from the W&M feathers logo.

Check out the new logos, along with our analysis below, and let us know what you think on social media and in the comments section!

New Logos

 

The moment of truth: these are the main logos that Tribe Athletics will now use. So take a long, hard look! At the top, you’ll note the new “W&M” logos; we could do without the highlighter yellow (it’s never good when we’re reminded of Kaplan’s blindingly ugly yellow seats), but the green logo should certainly suffice. We suppose the yellow W&M logo will be used with a green backdrop, which should hopefully make it more visually appealing — but the use of gold would have been far more welcome to yellow in our humble opinion.

The logo toward the top-right titled “full primary mark” (feel free to click on it for a better look) will serve as one of Tribe Athletics’ primary logos, and includes “W&M,” “Tribe,” as well as the new Griffin, combining all three of William & Mary Tribe Athletics’ main brands.

On the bottom right, you’ll see a secondary Griffin logo. A vast difference between the softer, “nicer” Griffin logo that we’re all used to; it’ll be interesting to see how Huge and the staff incorporate this more intimidating Griffin logo on fields, signage, etc.

Lastly, the new green “William & Mary” and “Tribe” logos hearken back to the Griffin, with a pointed, feathery look that makes it look as though it will fly off the page. Fairly plain and simple, not much wrong with these.

Additional Info (via Kris Sears, Tribe Athletics)

According to the official press release, the “William and Mary” logo and “Tribe” logo will be for uniform and team apparel use. The “William & Mary” logo will primarily be used when William & Mary needs to be prominent, such as on away jerseys. The “Tribe” logo will primarily be used when Tribe needs to be prominent, such as on home jerseys.

So what other ones will be used on jerseys? Via the release: “Athletics will have two primary logos, or marks. Both feature “W&M” and one incorporates the school’s mascot, the Griffin, into the design. Further, the Griffin graphics have been revised to have a bolder, more ferocious look.

The Griffin illustrations expand upon the original mascot by introducing new ferocity to the logo. The re-energized Griffin represents W&M’s aggressive pursuit of excellence in competition, the classroom, and the community.”

But what about the “Tribe” nickname we’ve all come to embrace? Via the school’s official press release: “While the Tribe script logo will become de-emphasized, William & Mary Athletics remains committed to the nickname Tribe. The Tribe is a significant part of the ethos and culture both on campus and in athletics. It stands for community and a group with common interests. The Tribe was first referenced at W&M to describe its athletics program in the 1920s and became the exclusive nickname in the early 1980s.”

NEW JERSEYS/GEAR

Photos via Tribeathletics.com

 

We have to admit that we were a bit weary when we thought of significant changes to the football and basketball uniforms, and specifically the football helmet. However, the sleek new “W&M” logo on the helmet looks good. I think this is something we can certainly get used to. Via Kris Sears, “The revitalized logo harkens to the use of the W&M in the traditional university colors. The interlocked “W&M” is the most prevalent logo historically for athletics, dating all the way back to 1899. The primary suite of revised logos also features a more aggressive Griffin with the word Tribe.”

Coach Tony Shaver also made a great point about the new logos, describing how they will bolster W&M’s brand in recruiting and across the country in general (via W&M’s press release): “As a basketball coach, I’m really excited about it,” men’s basketball coach Tony Shaver said. “I think, in a nutshell, it’s going to help make our program and our university more easily recognizable across the country, and I think it’s going to help us take the next step, I really do. People in California or Wisconsin or Michigan may not know what Tribe is, but they know William & Mary.”

Old Logos?

 

We’d be remiss if we didn’t remind everyone of Tribe logos from years past. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t also remember Ebirt Og, the alligator, or the dog(s) that used to serve as W&M’s mascot, but we digress. Of course, we’ll always yearn for the school’s famed feathers, but it seems that time has certainly passed. Since the feathers were removed, W&M has only undergone minor visual identity changes — until today.

The most recent update to the cursive Tribe logo (top right of the above) 1-2 years ago was a welcome, clean change. But naturally, there will surely be older members of the Tribe who won’t be pleased with the changes announced today. For us at the Blog, we’re willing to give them a real chance, as William & Mary launches into an ew era under the direction of new Athletics Director, Samantha Huge.

We’ll leave you with a couple quotes from the official press release: “Having a strong and recognizable brand is important as we pursue excellence as a department,” stated Huge.  “While we remain the Tribe, the new logo provides us with a more powerful connection to the university and will allow us to more seamlessly elevate the entire institution’s visibility on a national scale.”

“Brand is essential in any organization,” Huge said. “We are very proud of the William & Mary brand, and our job is to promote and celebrate the brand more consistently and broadly.”

LET’S GO TRIBE!!!