this is fascinating.

the university of tennessee will be making the licensing switch from adidas to nike this year. nike has proposed to unite all programs, both athletic and academic, under one brand. this includes making the power-T the official logo and doing away with the "lady vols" brand for women's teams. all in the name of "one tennessee".

the lady vols, however, object. and it's mixing up my feelings about feminism and gender-quality and brand strategy and pat summitt. 

On Nov. 10, 2014 the university announced plans to transition all men’s and women’s athletic teams under the “Power T.” The decision coincided with a dual-rebrand between academics and athletics that would make the “Power T” the universal logo for the University of Tennessee, not just its athletic department. Under the new plan, which coincides with a shift from Adidas to Nike in athletic apparel, all sports programs except women’s basketball will be known as “Volunteers,” the nickname that’s defined the men’s side for decades. The change will be official on July 1.

UT first formed its women’s athletic department prior to the 1976-77 academic year, and the school had separate athletic departments until 2009. During that span the Lady Vols grew into one of the most impactful women’s brands in college sports. Lady Vols teams have won 11 national championships, including eight in women’s basketball, and 68 conference titles. The basketball team is the only program to play in all 33 NCAA tournaments since the NCAA began sanctioning women’s sports in 1981-82. An average of 11,038 fans attended Lady Vols home basketball games during the 2013-14 season, the highest average in the country.

But that success hasn’t been relegated to basketball. The Lady Vols softball team has reached six Women’s College World Series in the last 10 years. The women’s swim team has finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships in a school-record nine consecutive seasons. Tennessee won two women’s indoor track and field national championships (2005, 2009) within the last decade. That’s why many former student-athletes view the Lady Vols decision as a blow to a historic brand.

“Former Lady Vols always look after current Lady Vols,” Mansson said. “I got really upset because it felt like they took away my, and others’, identity.” (via)

in the end, the university has decided to let only the women's basketball program retain the lady vols logo, out of respect for the program's storied success under pat summitt, which seems like the worst possible solution.

meanwhile, deadspin's trying try to find a tennessee resident to request emails between nike and the university, if anyone feels like helping...