Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott is on a mission to raise awareness for his expanding athletic conference. In a recent edition of Sports Illustrated, he makes it clear that if the Pac-10 wants to increase its earning power—say, to the same level as the Big Ten and the SEC—then rebranding is in order.
Scott’s idea was sparked by another Sports Illustrated article that ran last year. Under the headline “SEC Football” read “Nobody Does It Better: The Nation’s Toughest Conference.” Ouch! Seems this particular story touched a nerve with the new commish, who promptly sent copies of the article to folks around the Pac-10 while telling them “if you don’t think conferences are brands, pay attention to this.”
I’ve never met Larry Scott, but I like him already. The recently unveiled Pac-10 logo (in the near future the “10” will be replaced with a “12”) will be seen on uniforms, playing surfaces, and school merchandise. Even conference TV spots will be revamped. But perhaps what I’m most impressed by is Mr. Scott’s understanding of identity and that a new logo, albeit important, won’t solve all their problems. He knows that a new Pac-10 identity can only be defined by the conference schools, athletes, and staff, wisely stating that “a logo is just a logo, unless you back it up with actions.”
I don’t advocate betting on college athletics, but I’m willing to wager that the Pac-10’s brand refresh will help improve their bottom line.
