Big 12 Logo PNG
The Big 12 logo is as sharp as a blade and as elegant as a jeweler’s fine creation. The emblem demonstrates the unity of the teams, their equal rights, and the transparency of relationships within the association. United they are ready to stand up to any competitors.
Big 12: Brand overview
In 1994, a significant transformation occurred in college athletics with the creation of the Big 12 Conference, a union forged from four Southwest Conference teams joining forces with the existing Big 8 Conference. This new alliance brought together prominent universities such as Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas A&M, and Missouri, setting the stage for a powerful collegiate sports conference.
With the inaugural season kicking off in 1996, the Big 12 showcased its prowess in football, basketball, baseball, and other sports, marking the culmination of efforts to enhance competitive edge and financial stability in response to the shifting dynamics of conference alignments.
Throughout its formative years, the conference distinguished itself by claiming numerous national titles in key sports, with member institutions like Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas consistently achieving top national rankings and securing their spots in postseason competitions.
The landscape of the Big 12 underwent significant shifts in the 2010s, marked by the departure of Nebraska and Colorado, followed by Texas A&M and Missouri in 2012. These movements underscored a period of adjustment and realignment, ultimately leading to the inclusion of TCU and West Virginia, which helped reestablish the conference’s composition.
In a move towards further expansion, the Big 12 announced plans to welcome Houston, UCF, BYU, and Cincinnati, aiming to increase its membership to 16 teams by 2024. This decision highlights the conference’s ongoing adaptation and growth, nearly three decades after its inception, ensuring its continued relevance and competitiveness in the collegiate sports arena.
Meaning and History
Originally, the conference was founded as the Big 8 and was a union of Missouri Valley colleges. In 1994, four more teams from Texas, which left the SWAC conference, joined them. The emblem of the new association was built by analogy with the previous Big Eight sign. Subsequent rebrandings revolved around the number 12, although the number of teams in the group continued to change.
What is Big 12?
An association of university sports teams. It consists of 10 universities from Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas, Texas, Virginia, and Utah. It is part of the first division of the NCAA. The organization’s headquarters is located in Texas, as 5 out of 10 teams are based in this state. It consisted of the North and South Divisions until 2011. It includes participants in 13 women’s and ten men’s sports.
1994 – 1996
The first emblem of the conference was a transformed logo of Big 8, where the number 8 was replaced by 12. The image resembles a sports scoreboard with a rectangle in the center, like a prototype of a screen. The figure is similar to a sports field for games like football, basketball, volleyball, and many others.
In the center of the screen is written Big 12. The font of the inscription is narrow and thin enough to focus attention on the large and massive number 12.
Around the field is a white border, in which “Conference” is written at the bottom. American college sports consist of the main National Association NCAA, including three divisions or levels. The first division consists of 33 conferences (groups of teams). One of them is Big 12.
The image is surrounded by a clear black border, reminiscent of the lines of a playing field. The closed perimeter indicates unity. Internal competitions are held between members of each conference, and the winner advances to national games. Therefore, teams are linked not only territorially but also as competitors.
1996 – 2003
In 1996, the Big Eight ceased to exist legally. Until then, it was considered that the eight had simply expanded by including four members of the Southwest Conference. In ’96, all 12 teams, leaving their previous groups, legally formed a new one.
The logo of the young association was transformed to remove the connection with the past unions. The emblem became a large Roman numeral XII. Straight lines emphasized the strength and stability of the group. Elements resembled various sports equipment: bars, parallel bars, hockey, and golf sticks.
Each number in Roman numerals was formed compositionally, using various combinations of I, X, and V. Therefore, the choice of this format underscored the theme of merging and joining teams.
Another reason for the Roman numeration is the analogy with the strength and preparation of the conference’s athletes, similar to Roman wrestlers. In ancient Rome, there was a culture of sports. Athletic competitions, fistfights, and gladiator battles took place. The life of military legionnaires consisted of a harsh system of training. The famous Olympic Games also received Roman numeration. Therefore, these numbers became the foundation of the sport’s emblem.
A red inscription with the full name “Big 12 Conference” runs through the center of XII.
2003 – 2014
The 2003 logo shows designer work. The voluminous gray numbers look very stylish. The sign appears to be made of metal, demonstrating the strength of the participants and their achievements. The image is crowned with a red winner’s ribbon, on which the name of the association is written in white capital letters. The logo creates an atmosphere of celebration and award-giving.
2014 – today
The conference underwent a major reorganization in 2010-2013. Two participants, Colorado and Nebraska, left, and some teams were considering joining Pac-10. After lengthy turmoil, the members were able to agree and preserve the group, albeit in a smaller composition.
The changes were reflected in the new 2014 logo. The white number 12 indicated the renewal of participants and entirely new rules. North and South Divisions were annulled, and the distribution of revenue and television contracts changed. Texas A&M was replaced by Christian University TCU, and West Virginia University replaced the Missouri team.
The inward bend of the number demonstrated the reduction of member participants to 10 and the association’s flexibility, ready to change depending on circumstances.
The bold red outline of the number indicated a fighting spirit and aspiration for expansion.
Font and Colors
The basis of the logo includes red and white shades.
- White indicates fair play and adherence to competition rules. The shade also underscores fair financial distribution, which was initially a stumbling block for the conference.
- Red emphasizes the athletic qualities of the participants: speed, strength, and endurance. The color conveys emotions and the intensity of passion that players demonstrate on the field. Participants are ready to fight fiercely and tirelessly for victory.
The font of the inscription has some solemnity and elegance.
