High school sports logos

An interesting article on high schools who use logos similar to college and pro teams. I remember that one of the high schools I attended used the pointed-C logo like that of the Chicago Bears (and also seen on other C teams). However, I wonder just how much one can trademark a pair of interlocked letters in a particular font.

I particularly like the arrangement Kansas State has made:

Dilley had Healy Awards adapt Kansas State's Wildcat and brought it to athletic director Grant Nesbit. Nesbit contacted the university and signed a two-year contract for $1 that allows Lawrence North to use the logo on uniforms, stationary, signs and equipment. A scholarship program at Kansas State receives 8 percent of the wholesale price from any apparel that Lawrence North sells with the logo.

"We're proud to have our mark in other states," said Tami Breymeyer, Kansas State's associate director of licenses, who noted that Lawrence North is one of 63 schools in 22 states using the logo, including South Vermillion in Clinton, Ind., and Kankakee Valley in Wheatfield, Ind. All told, KSU makes approximately $2,000 a year from the program.

"Our philosophy is, we don't want to be the big, bad bully. It's very costly to change a logo; we don't want to create a hardship on a program and it's a great mark," Breymeyer said.

It's a win-win situation.