The Big Ten Conference, one of the oldest and most prestigious conferences in NCAA Division I, has a rich history dating back to the late 19th century. Initially founded with just a handful of universities, it has grown to include 14 schools that compete across 28 different sports. Headquartered in Illinois, USA, the Big Ten is known for its competitive athletic programs and strong academic reputation.

Evolution of the Big Ten Logo

The Big Ten logo has evolved over time to reflect the changing number of member schools. Early logos were marked by circular designs featuring the names of the participating schools, encircling a central map showing the geographic locations of the teams. The roundel-style logo remained the same for many years, until the conference’s expansion in the 1990s, when Pennsylvania State joined, increasing the number of teams to 11. To reflect this new reality, the logo was adapted to incorporate the number "11" within the negative space of the wordmark, even though the name "Big Ten" remained unchanged.

2007-2011: Big Ten Network Logo

The Big Ten Network, launched in 2007, introduced its own distinct logo, which stayed in use for several years. This logo combined elegance with a sense of movement. The design featured a bold, slanted wordmark in a custom font with both straight and arched lines, outlined in thick black. Below the wordmark, a light blue banner displayed the word "Network" in a clean, serif font. A line of eleven solid, five-pointed stars in blue was added, a nod to the eleven schools initially represented by the conference.

2011-2020: New Emblem and a Larger “10”

In 2011, with the inclusion of the University of Nebraska, the Big Ten Conference expanded to 12 members. As a result, the logo underwent another redesign. The new emblem, created by international design consultancy Pentagram, introduced a more subtle, yet innovative, design element. The word "BIG" and the number "10" were combined in a unique way, using the shape of the letter "I" to resemble the numeral "1" and the closed "G" to suggest the number "0." This clever design embedded the "10" seamlessly into the wordmark.

2020-Present: Simplified and Modern

In 2020, the Big Ten Conference logo was redesigned again to adopt a cleaner, more minimalist approach. The new logo features two lines of text: the top line, which spells out “BIG” in black and blue, and the bottom line, which contains the word “Network” in medium gray. The updated design offers a modern, professional look with the enlarged "BIG" creating a sense of boldness and stability, while the subtle gray color of the word “Network” evokes a sense of professionalism and trustworthiness.

Font and Design Details

The Big Ten logo uses a custom-designed typeface that allows for the integration of the number "10" into the word "BIG." This clever design ensures that the numeral "10" is part of the logo without disrupting the readability of the wordmark. The font is clean and modern, perfectly aligning with the contemporary feel of the logo.

Color Palette

The Big Ten Conference logo primarily uses two dominant colors: black and sky blue. The contrast between the boldness of the black and the calming effect of the blue gives the logo a professional, balanced appearance. White serves as the background color, keeping the design clean and easy to read.

Today, the Big Ten Conference continues to represent one of the most prestigious athletic conferences in the country, with its logo symbolizing both its rich history and modern outlook. The design reflects its strong presence in college athletics while maintaining a sense of sophistication and forward-thinking progress.