KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Over the past year, the Western Michigan Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has undergone a subtle yet sophisticated design evolution, committed to the growth and evolution of our brand. An updated Primary Logo, as well as typography and other elements have been enhanced to create a consistent look which also aim to strengthen connections between Athletics and Academics. As part of the refresh, the University Athletic website wmubroncos.com also recently has undergone a complete redesign with SidearmSports, the nation's leading provider of college athletics websites.

The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics is extremely proud of the heritage and history of the University as a cornerstone of the Kalamazoo community. The refreshed Athletic Brand reflects our University pride by incorporating a traditional mark of the University (the Block W) with current trends and modern design characteristics of sport.

At the foundation of the Athletic Brand Mission is our goal to expand the footprint of the University and our programs, continuing to grow awareness and affinity for Bronco Athletics by staying modern, consistent, and by appealing to the next generation of Broncos.

"Over the past year we have undertaken an extensive process to evaluate our current marks and elements and have worked towards establishing new guidelines/standards to represent our Broncos," said WMU Athletic Director Kathy Beauregard. "We reflected on our traditions, incorporated pieces of the University-wide branding initiative and took into consideration the current market and trends within the sports industry."

First introduced last fall with the refurbish of the hardwood floor in University Arena, the updated Primary Logo is made up of the Block W and the traditional Bronco head, with no wordmarks used along with it. The mark is modern, powerful, and immediately recognizable and is emphasized by a bold font and use of accent colors around the entire logo.

The inclusion of the modernized Block W in the new Primary Logo was extremely important, as it signifies the strong connection between Western Michigan University academics and athletics. Honoring the storied tradition of the University, the new Block W is a modern representation of the bold and strong foundation of Western Michigan University. The Bronco head continues to be one of the most vibrant and iconic modern logos in collegiate athletics and remains the consistent center-point of WMU Athletics. "Onward for the Brown & Gold" will forever fuel our fight song, while the inclusion of the colors black, gray, and white allows WMU Athletics to represent current trends in design and apparel, and appeals to future Broncos worldwide.

"In our brand refresh, we have aligned ourselves more closely with the University's use of the Block W while still keeping us uniquely Athletics," said Senior Associate Athletic Director Monty Porter. "We have continued to take advantage of a horse head mark that is still viewed as fresh, aggressive and relevant. By updating our fonts, we have adopted a stronger, bolder presence and retired the previous 'script' font that was no longer viewed as favorable."

In addition to the Primary Logo for Bronco Athletics,  Western Michigan University also uses a set of customized marks for the football program. As part of the culture infused by head coach PJ Fleck, the WMU Football program is represented by the Ghost Bronco logo, a leaner, yet recognizable, version of the traditional Bronco head. The Ghost Bronco serves as the primary mark for WMU Football. As the current mantra of WMU Football, the "Row The Boat" logo also represents the football program and is specifically intended to represent the culture of everyone working together, in unison, striving for one common goal, success.

The logos and elements of the new branding initiative can be seen throughout the updated wmubroncos.com website, as well as in merchandise, apparel and promotional materials. As the website continues to evolve leading up to the fall sports seasons, fans will be excited to see several new and improved enhancements that help grow and further the reach of the Bronco brand.