ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- At the conclusion of nearly a year-long process, Eastern University Athletics revealed a new visual identity package and an agreement to make Under Armour the official outfitter for the entire department. With the four-year agreement, Eastern becomes one of the first Division III schools in the nation to sign an all-sport agreement with Under Armour, joining only a handful of Division III schools with exclusive all-sport deals.
“I am excited about our new partnership with Under Armour," said Eastern Athletic Director Brad Fields, "as one of the world’s fastest growing, and most recognizable brands, UA is a company that continues to turn heads with its growth and success, and thus we felt was a good match for where we are heading.”
The decision for Under Armour became clear as the department explored options of companies that would be able to serve the needs of all teams and provide a level of service and availability that would equip Eastern programs to succeed at the next level. Fields cited the quality of the product, the exciting growth potential of the brand, and the ability to work with local vendor, Wayne Sporting Goods, as primary reasons that the department ultimately decided to complete the Under Armour partnership.
A new visual identity package was a primary goal for Fields in his first year at the helm of the department. "As we talk about unity and the desire to be a cohesive, family-like athletic department," Fields related, "it was clear to me that we needed an outward expression of that—a visual identity.”
The process of creating the new brand was a lengthy one. The eight-member committee worked closely with Francis Santaquilani of FS Designs over a six-month period to identify goals of the visual identity program and to work out the details of the package. The committee sought to build a family of logos that would be distinctive and project the qualities of integrity, focus, determination, passion, purpose and excellence.
The committee spent considerable time developing an Eagle head that was both classic and forward-thinking and merging it with a distinctive font that combined traditional elements with subtle changes that would set the font apart. The new package presents a variety of graphic options to represent the teams and programs within the department.
Fields presented key elements of the design at the department's end-of-the-year honors banquet. The response from the nearly 300 student-athletes was overwhelmingly positive. Fields thanked the members of the committee, Brandon Childs, Mark Birtwistle, Mark Wagner, Nate Davis, Camrin Azzarano, Jim Henderson, and Dan Mouw for their work on the design.
The goal of both initiatives was to bring about cohesiveness and unity within the department, and Fields believes that the uniformity across the department will lead to a strengthening of all programs in the department.