Big Sky Conference Logo PNG
The Big Sky Conference logo draws on the beauty of the region’s natural landscapes, conveying athletes’ patriotic feelings, their desire to represent their homeland, and their desire to win for it. The emblem incorporates an element of conquest and ascent, associated with the theme of rigorous training.
The Big Sky Conference was announced in Spokane on February 25, 1963, and began operations on July 1. Sportswriter Harry Missildine proposed the name after A. B. Guthrie Jr.’s 1947 novel The Big Sky. The founding members were Idaho, Idaho State, Gonzaga, Montana, Montana State, and Weber State. Washington State basketball coach Jack Friel became the first commissioner, while the league focused on basketball and regional scheduling.
Montana State won the first basketball championship in 1963-64, and Idaho State took the opening football title. Most sports entered the NCAA University Division in 1968, while football moved into Division I-AA in 1978. Northern Arizona University joined in 1970. Financial pressure led the league to remove baseball, swimming, golf, and tennis in 1974. Nevada replaced Gonzaga in 1979 after the latter failed to restore football.
Eastern Washington entered in 1987. The women’s Mountain West Athletic Conference merged with Big Sky in 1988, creating one organization for men’s and women’s sports. Portland State University and Sacramento State joined in 1996, followed by Northern Colorado in 2006, Southern Utah and North Dakota in 2012, and Idaho’s full return in 2018.
Montana won FCS national titles in 1995 and 2001, while Eastern Washington claimed the 2010 championship. An ESPN agreement in 2018 expanded coverage of football and basketball. By 2026, the league included 14 institutions, sponsored 16 sports, and represented over 3,000 student-athletes.
Meaning and History
What is the Big Sky Conference?
It is an association of educational institutions in the western United States, covering the territory from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast. The conference is known for FCS football programs and basketball competitions. Sports programs include cross-country running, athletics, and volleyball. Schools compete in places with various natural conditions, including mountainous and desert regions.
1970 – 1996
One of the oldest conferences was officially established in 1963. Its first emblem resembled a seal or a view through a spyglass. The central composition featured an image associated with the Oregon Trail, the famous route used by settlers to reach the Montana Territory for development.
The conference name was placed on a white rim surrounding the central image. This design alludes to the first book in A. B. Guthrie Jr.’s trilogy, which is dedicated to the history of the settlement and development of the American West. Thus, the logo has historical depth and context.
A sports columnist from the Spokesman-Review proposed the design idea and suggested a suitable name for the organization. This name was tied to the fact that the conference initially united representatives from four Western states.
1996 – 2012
The logo design concept changed after the 1996 transformations, prompted by the addition of two new teams. The new design retained its connection to nature and the sky but adopted a modern format. The emblem features a blue inscription on a white background framed by a thin green line.
A significant element is the dot above the letter “i,” transformed into a star reaching toward the sky. This symbol, hovering above the last letter, inspires the conference to strive for new heights and achievements.
At the bottom, on a green background, the word “conference” is displayed in a thin white font. The green base connects to the earth, while the blue font with white accents above evokes the sky, filled with light and clouds.
The logo creates an impression of open space and opportunities available to the union’s participants.
2012 – today
As part of the rebranding, an emblem resembling a business card set into mountain peaks, as if placed on a stand, was introduced. This approach emphasizes the scale of the conference, whose membership had grown to nine full members, doubling its original size.
The logo is designed with a half-turn, creating a sense of movement toward the viewer. The conference name is placed on a dark blue background, symbolizing the sky. The color scheme of the name provides contrast: the word Big is rendered in light blue, while Sky is white. These shades evoke open skies and clouds, reinforcing the connection to heights.
At the bottom, snowy mountain peaks are depicted, with their edges extending beyond the visible area. This effect creates a sense of infinity and grandeur. The symbol visually rests on the rocks, emphasizing the conference’s solid foundation and stability.
The image hints at the Cordillera mountain range, one of the largest in the Americas. The design aligns with the themes characteristic of all conference emblems.