ADVERTISEMENT

New NLWC logo

98lberEating2Lunches

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2018
1,870
2,431
1
First I noticed this.



Maybe it's a precursor of NLWC merchandise sales.

I like it. I guess it relegates my cornhole board design to "classic" logo (for comparison:

).
 
Last edited:
where the heck did that come from? I'm familiar with this login screen....
 
Now that I can actually see it, I'll say that it's cleverly reminiscent of the Penn State lion logo inasmuch as it uses negative space very effectively. You could flip the blue and white and the integrity of the logo would remain intact, which isn't the case with the current logo, which is merely a step above clip art. This is sleek, a bit meaner, more iconic, more professional.
 
Now that I can actually see it, I'll say that it's cleverly reminiscent of the Penn State lion logo inasmuch as it uses negative space very effectively. You could flip the blue and white and the integrity of the logo would remain intact, which isn't the case with the current logo, which is merely a step above clip art. This is sleek, a bit meaner, more iconic, more professional.
This all sounds good to me, but I still can't help wondering who owned the TM for the old one, and whether that had anything to do with the lack of a NLWC merchandise store. 🤞 now that there's a new one.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Shot of Espresso
This all sounds good to me, but I still can't help wondering who owned the TM for the old one, and whether that had anything to do with the lack of an NLWC merchandise store. 🤞 now that there's a new one.
PSU owns the old one, and in all likelihood PSU owns the new one too, I can't find it but that could be because it's not yet registered (as indicated by the ™ symbol as opposed to the ®). It could be that the reason there's never been merch available online is that the NLWC and PSU couldn't agree on a licensing deal. The old logo predates the existence of the NLWC (and thus has broader use), so perhaps this logo is intended to only apply to the NLWC.
 
First I noticed this.



Maybe it's a precursor of NLWC merchandise sales.

I like it. I guess it relegates my cornhole board design to "classic" logo (for comparison:

I like it... More chiseled look
 
I think they should give it some blue hair or a more pronounced chin.............

Maybe have 2 logos....one for red and one for blue matches

We are here to kick some butt....yet also know how to have some f**
 
  • Like
Reactions: Str8DBLz
This thread led me down a procrastination rabbit hole to see how aggressively PSU defends their TMs, and it turns out ... quite aggressive. This 2019 federal complaint finds PSU suing a website--GOPSURV.com--which you can probably guess from the domain rents RVs for football games and has done so for 10 years. The basis for the infringement claim is that they use "PSU" in the domain name and the site's logo, and that the lion's head logo incidentally appears within the photos of the RVs for rent (e.g., wall decorations, refrigerator magnets, etc.).

It'd be actual work to competently analyze these claims, so I'll just say they range from thin to crazy. Looking at that website, there's simply no way any consumer is confused as to whether PSU is responsible for it. Moreover, PSU doesn't offer a competing service, pointing only to its transportation.psu.edu page, which just isn't in the same ballpark. That's not to say those are the only concerns, but they're key unfavorable facts for PSU.

The case is still in litigation, probably slowed somewhat by the pandemic. In December a judge rejected a discovery attempt by the defendant to depose James Franklin over some he-said/she-said nonsense, but I'm unaware of whether the case survived a motion to dismiss.

Months prior to filing the 2019 complaint, PSU lost a UDRP decision as to the goPSUrv.com domain name. (The UDRP is an ICANN mechanism--effectively international law--to decide trademark claims as to only domain names themselves.)

Anyway, my only point was really that the University is pretty aggressive about trademark enforcement because I think most other entities let marginal things like this slip by. In PSU's defense, TM law incentivizes aggressive enforcement, probably too much IMO, inasmuch as you can weaken or dilute your TM (and thus future arguments) by allowing minor infringements.
 
a procrastination rabbit hole to see how aggressively PSU defends their TMs
I appreciate your research efforts.
my only point was really that the University is pretty aggressive about trademark enforcement because I think most other entities let marginal things like this slip by
So this would seem consistent with an organization with ties to PSU wishing to operate without creating any kerfuffle. We know the old logo appears on NLWC singlets. And we know there's no NLWC store for merchandise with the old logo and NLWC together. So I have hope until I see this logo used outside the NLWC.

Is there someone we can directly ask, who is likely to have firsthand knowledge of the logo's creator and its intended future use (especially as NLWC merchandise might be concerned)?
 
I appreciate your research efforts.

So this would seem consistent with an organization with ties to PSU wishing to operate without creating any kerfuffle. We know the old logo appears on NLWC singlets. And we know there's no NLWC store for merchandise with the old logo and NLWC together. So I have hope until I see this logo used outside the NLWC.

Is there someone we can directly ask, who is likely to have firsthand knowledge of the logo's creator and its intended future use (especially as NLWC merchandise might be concerned)?
Well, it's a little bit apples and oranges, because NLWC is obviously affiliated with PSU and operates with their blessing/permission. So I can't imagine PSU not already owning any marks used by the NLWC, to whom it would license the use. That's admittedly speculation on my part, but it's informed by experience. But I can imagine the NLWC wanting to come up with something new, PSU making them jump through hoops or dragging their feet, and then finally approving and taking over registration from there. As to the logo creator's identity, someone at the NLWC would have to know more, but I can easily imagine an apparel maker like, say, Nike or Adidas, coming up with the comp in order to stir business. But I doubt anyone at the NLWC would freely offer that information up just for asking.
 
I doubt anyone at the NLWC would freely offer that information up just for asking
It never hurts to ask, so I did as a NLWC donor via its website. I didn't ask who created the logo. I only asked whether it was NLWC-specific and whether merchandise might follow. I expect I will eventually receive some kind of answer.

After the Flo vs Willie trial when Martin Floreano made a point of saying he wasn't in discussions with Penn State about streaming a wrestling event, the degree the NLWC is legally tied to PSU became murkier in my mind.

The NLWC has used the 'old' PSU owned logo on its website. But now there is the recent NCAA proposal concerning university RTCs. Preparing for greater formal segregation of ties between the NLWC and PSU could be part of some contingency plan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Psalm 1 guy
...very similar to the "Posner Lion" of old, which was abandoned by Penn State when they couldn't broker an agreement with the artist...
...the NLWC must have been given permission when it first appeared as their logo...🤷🏽‍♂️
 
This could be the answer to where this new logo came from.


You can see there that a "JakeCL" (perhaps Jake Varner?) conducted a logo contest for the NLWC using this third party, and the winner looks very similar to the one included above. This logo differs in key respects--e.g., the eyes, and smoother edges--but it's hard to imagine they were created independently. NLWC probably worked with the contest winner to refine the design. I think the new version's eyes are an improvement, but I prefer the smoother lines in this one.
attachment_112917174
 
conducted a logo contest for the NLWC using this third party, and the winner looks very similar to the one included above.
attachment_112917174
Thanks for the additional research.

Based on the info, it looks to be a NLWC-specific logo, with likely NLWC unlimited use rights. I assume the latter would be addressed by the terms of the contest.

The contest brief's notes state:

"We have a logo but looking to get a new one so that we own our own logo. Right now we pay to use our current…"

and deliverable as:

"Full copyright with production-ready files for digital and/or print."
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: El-Jefe and tikk10
Good for NLWC for doing this, and I suspect that NLWC does own rights to it.

From my alumni chapter experience, guessing the refinements were primarily ensuring the new logo wasn't too similar to any existing PSU logos. PSU has a Terra Cotta Warriors sized set of logos, each with detailed rules about allowable usage. And much like in Xian, PSU keeps unearthing logos at every turn. It's really too much for a small or volunteer organization to track, thus so much better to not have to deal with that even before getting into licensing rights.

Also likely refined for color -- the contest color appears to be a slightly darker shade than the actual logo. PSU has rules about RGB ratio as well. I understand why, still go figure.
 
I noticed that the contest logo has curved lines and the final logo's lines are all straight. I am glad they went with straight lines. The curved lines, especially in the mouth area, made it look like a mustache, and the final product has a "fiercer" look to it, which I prefer. On a side note, this Board never ceases to amaze me with the depth and breadth of knowledgeable posts!
 
  • Like
Reactions: tikk10 and hlstone
Part of an email that I received after inquiring about gear from April 2021..

"The clothing to sell is something the Club has been working on. The current logo that we use was bought by Penn State a couple of years ago, and selling stuff on-line has become complicated for some reason. We are currently working through this and hope to have some items to sell at some point."
 
It looks less friendly than the old one, and seems to have moved to the lighter blue of PSU's newer logo.

To quote my past self:

Why can’t Nike make wrestling shoes in PSU blue instead of royal blue.

Actually, the official Penn State Blue IS a royal blue, not a navy blue. (PSU Visual Identity Standards: Colors)

Remember when PSU redesigned their official mark a few years ago and people flipped out because they thought they were using the wrong shade of blue. The fact is that the new design was actually using the correct, official shade of blue.

psuoldvsnewlogo.png


People seem to forget that Paterno was responsible for the most drastic change to the uniform. He changed the color from a royal blue to a navy blue in the late 60s.

Here's a Nov 2, 1968 picture taken for Sports Illustrated. Notice the Royal blue jersey, but the helmet stripe and numbers are navy blue.

PSUUniNov02-1968SportsIllustrated.jpg



Here's a Oct 25, 1969 picture taken for Sports Illustrated with the entire uni in navy blue.
PSUUniOct25-1969SportsIllustrated.jpg


Since all PSU teams have switched to navy blue over the years, people mistakenly believe that navy is the official university color.
Code:
HTML:
 
Last edited:
shade of blue.

psuoldvsnewlogo.png
Exactly what I was referring to in terms of logo alignment. The blue of new NLWC logo moved to align with the lighter blue of new Penn State logo (on the right above). Thanks.

Also details in the logo contest include a color inspiration palette.
 
Last edited:
Exactly what I was referring to in terms of logo alignment. The blue of new NLWC logo moved to align with the lighter blue of new Penn State logo (on the right above). Thanks.

Also details in the logo contest include a color inspiration palate.

New Penn State logo, but it was a reversion to the old, original Penn State blue.
 
I'm going to untangle the above posts with respect to color. The darker blue in this logo, which is the school's primary logo, is pantone 287 C.

WdCJXXC.jpg

The dark blue in the school's athletic logo is different, and darker. Specifically, it's pantone 282 C.

II05HN0.jpg


This info can all be found on the Penn State site, but the athletic logo info isn't in the same section that others have linked to above.
 
I used to think this board had a bunch of food addicts with wrestling problems...

But it's threads like this that continue to display the depth of the poster pool.
 
The old logo was owned by Penn State and thus it was difficult to sell merchandise. You had to be "in" the program or build a deck for coach Cael to get the gear.

The new logo will allow for the NLWC to have full reign on selling apparel. The coaching staff and logo creator have been hashing out the logo for a while now.
 
Bottom line up front:
We've most likely something nice in store for 2022.​

I received answers from the NLWC. Here are a few highlights.
  1. The NLWC has complete ownership of the logo, so related clothing can be sold.
  2. The NLWC planned to use the new logo for a few months before selling any related merchandise.
  3. Assuming everything goes smoothly, the NLWC is likely to start selling some related merchandise later this year.
 
ADVERTISEMENT