Big Ten, the brand

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — In June, the Big Ten Conference switched out the conference's old football championship trophies for the new model, a distinctive silver football that sits atop a silver cylinder with a black base.

One June day in Iowa's Hansen Performance Center, the silver trophies arrived and immediately lit up the giant glass trophy case in what serves as the center's great room.

'One of the things the Big Ten has done a tremendous job of over the long haul is standing for the right things, creating a set of values,' Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said. 'I know there is criticism or snickering that we're still called the Big Ten even though there are 14 universitives, but there's something about that logo, something about that brand.'

The trophy has been front and center this week. During Friday's news conference with Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio, the trophy wasn't brought out until the last minute. It wasn't NHL Stanley Cup level, no white gloves to keep fingers from smudging the silver, but there was considerable discussion on where to place the trophy.

Ferentz and Dantonio flanked it and awkwardly. Ferentz wore a tie and looked CEOish. Dantonio went with a jacket and no tie and looked like a hip, suburban dad.

Yes, it was an awkward but necessary moment. Bowl games always have the pregame photo opp with coaches and the trophy. Apparently, conference championship games do, too.

From there, the trophy went into hiding. It wasn't on the field for pregame warmups. The Big Ten did 'Big Ten' up the Lucas Oil Stadium field. B1G banners lined the field. The Big Ten championship game logo filled two premium spots on the giant video boards. Iowa and Michigan State logos flashed brightly on the ribbon scorebards.

The 'FS1' you saw? That's Fox Sports 1. As an Iowa and Big Ten fan, you might want to file away that logo with impending TV negotions.

What happened to the old trophies? The two Ferentz has laid claim to are featured proudly in his office (one presented to the Hawkeyes in the visitor's lockerroom at the Metrodome and the other was first touched in 2004 after a victory over Wisconsin at Kinnick Stadium). They have an old-school charm about them, wood grain and a big, golden football on top.

Get used to the silver football. Brands demand uniformity.

'You have to carry it through when you brand, make sure everything is just right and just so,' Barta said. 'At the end of the day, having the right logo or the right name isn't what makes it, but the foundation underneath that you want to make sure stays consistent.'

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com