B1G sticking with Leaders and Legends - ScarletBuckeye

Arapahoe · 02-05-2012, 02:31 PM

Big Ten reassess Legends, Leaders names - ESPN

Quote:

It took two words, Legends and Leaders, to humble one of the most powerful men in college sports.

Actually, it took tens of thousands of words written and spoken about Legends and Leaders to make Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany think twice about what his league had done.

The reaction to Legends and Leaders, the names the Big Ten selected for its new football divisions in December 2010, was, with a few exceptions, scathing. Legends and Leaders became national punch lines for a conference that had already absorbed more than a few body blows.

Chosen to "reflect Big Ten traditions and values" and acknowledge the league's past (Legends) and future (Leaders), the division names instead were called confusing, arrogant, too similar-sounding, ambiguous and, yes, lame.

"We've had enough experience with names and expansion and development of divisions that we know that you rarely get a 90 percent approval rating," Delany told WGN Radio in Chicago shortly after the announcement. "But to get a 90 percent non-approval rating was really surprising. It showed that we didn't connect with our fans in a way that we wanted to. It's humbling, to say the least."

Despite the initial backlash and concerns about sustainability, the Big Ten decided to hold off on changing the names. Delany wanted to let them "breathe a bit" and reassess after the 2011 season.

The league hired an independent market research firm to survey Big Ten football fans about Legends and Leaders during the season. The goal was not only to see who liked the names and who didn't, but whether the names could connect with fans and, ultimately, if the names would remain.

Surveys were distributed on game weekends at 10 Big Ten stadiums this past fall, as well as at the league's inaugural football championship in Indianapolis. Fans completed the surveys online.

The results are in, and ESPN.com got the first chance to see them.

Bottom line: Legends and Leaders will remain through the 2012 football season.

Here's the part that will surprise some folks: Many Big Ten fans seem to want it that way.

Of the 516 fans surveyed, 57 percent either liked the division names "somewhat" or "very much." About 35 percent disliked the names somewhat or very much, while only 8 percent were neutral.

What are your thoughts now on the division names? Have they changed since they were first released?

SanDiegoBuckeye · 02-05-2012, 02:39 PM

Such stupid names. I also hate how every trophy in the conference has two names on it. One of those names is Brian Griese. How awful is that?

Killer Nut91 · 02-05-2012, 04:57 PM

You don't need statistics and graphs to know that your conference division names are stupid

hollis · 02-06-2012, 09:11 AM

The logo system eventually won everyone over... but I don't think the names will ever get majority support.

BuckeyeFan824 · 02-07-2012, 01:21 PM

Ugh, keep the names, but put Michigan and Ohio State in the same damn division at least!

SanDiegoBuckeye · 02-07-2012, 01:30 PM

The B1G will kill The Game by having OSU and Michigan in seperate divisions.

AZBuckeye · 02-07-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiegoBuckeye

The B1G will kill The Game by having OSU and Michigan in seperate divisions.

How? I don't see that happening...

McKraut · 02-07-2012, 03:45 PM

I agree with AZ.... with the tradition of how many times The Game has decided the B1G champion, and both schools returning to dominance in the conference, it will still decide at least the road to the CC Game if not again in the CC Game itself. I don't think OSU Mich will wane, in fact... the hatred between the two schools will grow. Should either or both teams enter The Game undefeated, it means they're playing to see who for a shot to try for the NC Game, not just the B1G Champs. And the loser gets the likely opportunity to spoil the NC bid a week later, and gets to play the Rose Bowl as a reward. If anything, the next few years will only strengthen the staying power of The Game. The rest of the B1G can catch up or shut up.

Block "O" · 02-07-2012, 03:48 PM

The names suck, but everyone knew as arrogant as Delaney is once the names came out they weren't changing again.

McKraut · 02-07-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Block "O"

The names suck, but everyone knew as arrogant as Delaney is once the names came out they weren't changing again.

Unfortunately, you're spot on with this one.... We need a counter to see how long it takes from the announcing of the names to the day that Delaney is voted out and replaced by the ADs.