FIU Panthers Logo

FIU Panthers Logo PNG

Since 1987, the sports interests of Florida International University have been protected by the FIU Panthers, whose logo reflects the essence of the name and features. The identity subtly emphasizes the power, speed, and flexibility characteristic of the talisman.

Meaning and History

The FIU Panthers were known as the Golden Panthers until 2011 and the Sunblazers until 1987. The teams got their current name after the endangered North American Cougar from Florida. It was also the inspiration for a series of logos depicting the crouching predator against a globe, in front of the crest or next to the acronym “FIU. Over the years, the FIU Panthers have been successful in many sports, including soccer, baseball, basketball, and volleyball. Their emblem has become a symbol of the university’s continued victories and accomplishments and part of an overall image campaign that aims to attract new students.

What is FIU Panthers?

FIU Panthers is an athletic department within Florida International University, located in Miami, Florida. It consists of 18 student teams competing at the Division I level in the NCAA, representing Conference USA. Some teams are also members of the American Athletic Conference.

1973 – 1987

The old logo has a yellow sun that is shaped like a blooming dandelion. Across it is the blue diagonal lettering “Sunblazers” (the name the teams used while playing in NCAA Division II). The word is in a neatly handwritten font and underlined by a long line extending from the last letter “s.” A line separates the abbreviation “FIU,” in straight, bold, sans-serif type. The emblem reflects the original concept of the university, which focused on sunny Florida and its potential. The sun symbolizes the source of energy for education and sports.

1987 – 1996

In 1987, the FIU Panthers moved to NCAA Division I and soon introduced a new logo with a stylized panther head. Artists depicted a snarling predator with sharp fangs, squinted eyes, and a wrinkled nose. The main part of the drawing is orange, but the shadows, outlines, whiskers, and other details had to be made dark blue to make them stand out in contrast. The rectangular base is also blue.

At the top is “Golden Panthers,” the name of the university teams received in 1987. The words are split into two lines and centered. The italics with sharp serifs create a sense of movement because the letters are very much slanted to the right. The sliding font resembles Neftali Bold Italic by TipoType or Garamond Nova Pro Bold Italic by SoftMaker.

1996 – 2001

In the 1990s, the logo appeared, featuring a panther half-lying the “FIU” inscription. The designers emphasized the muscular paws of the animal, as well as sharp teeth and claws. This was to show aggression and the desire to win. The bloodshot eyes and pressed ears indicated the readiness of the predator to attack the enemy at any moment. The back of the beast is stylized as a lightning bolt, which reflects the speed and energy of the team.

The abbreviation covers the globe’s upper half, consisting of a circle with a grid of parallels and meridians. The image of the globe emphasizes the university’s prestige and the FIU Panthers’ global competitiveness. A half-ring with the inscription “GOLDEN PANTHERS” surrounds the bottom of the emblem. The color scheme contains orange, blue, red, and white in balanced proportions.

2001 – 2008

The designers created a three-dimensional logo depicting a panther emerging from a triangular heraldic shield. It strides forward, crouching to the ground as if it were stalking its prey. Judging by the surrounding grass, the animal has set up an ambush and is now ready to attack the one it is watching intently. This version’s style is more relaxed: the predator looks not aggressive but concentrated.

The sports teams’ names are written above the panther’s head and divided into two lines. The first word consists of bold letters without serifs, and the second – consists of large glyphs with short and sharp serifs. As for the colors, they are dark and understated. The usual combination of gold, navy blue, and white were added to green, used for grass.

2008 – 2010

The logo features the silhouette of a panther darting forward. The image of the panther has become more aggressive: the animal is now grinning predatorily, showing its sharp teeth. On top is the inscription “FIU” in dark blue. Each letter is additionally outlined in gold. The bold font used, with rectangular serifs, is considered traditional in the world of sports.

2010 – today

In the 2010-2011 school year, the teams officially changed their name to the FIU Panthers. But their logo remained the same, as the panther is still at the core of the concept, reflecting the athletes’ strength, energy, and determination. There is only a slight change in the pattern’s colors and lettering.

The men’s team won the TAAC tournament and took part in the 1995 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Since 2013, she has been trained by Anthony Evans. The women’s team won six tournaments at two conferences: one at the Sun Belt Conference and five more at the Trans America Athletic Conference.

Baseball players at Florida International University first entered the playing field in 1973. Since then, the team has reached the postseason fourteen times, having won the right to be called one of the most successful in the educational institution.

Font and Colors

The branding guidelines state that the official fonts of the university teams are Helvetica and Adobe Garamond. However, the word “FIU” on the logo has a very different style. It consists of solid letters with wide strokes and rectangular serifs. The headset resembles the Breakers Slab Ultra from Kostic Type Foundry but without the roundings.

Traditional FIU Panthers colors:

• gold (#B6862C);
• dark blue (#081E3F).

The 2010 logo is complemented by white, which is used for the predator’s claws, teeth, and eyes.

FIU Panthers color codes