Central Michigan Chippewas are sports teams funded by Central Michigan University. They represent the institution of higher education at the NCAA Division I. Almost everyone attends the Mid-American Conference, except the women’s lacrosse team at the Southern Conference. The school, its sports department, students, and graduates are called Chippewas in honor of the Native American people. Official permission to use this nickname has been obtained from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
Meaning and History
In earlier versions of the logo, an Indian spear was depicted. But in the 1970s, society began to react sharply to racial stereotypes, because of which the university had to get rid of ethnic drums here and there and emblems associated with the culture of Native Americans. As a result, sports teams have a new brand name, known in university circles as Flying C. Its current version was first introduced in 1997.
The central element of the logo is the italic letter “C.” Dashed lines along the contour surround it. It is written in geometric font with a large number of angles. To give the emblem dynamics, the artists depicted four horizontal lines of different lengths. One of them, the largest, underlines the letter below. The remaining three are located on the left side. It is also noteworthy that the Central Michigan Chippewas badge reflects the official colors of the university: burgundy (primary) and golden (optional).