In ‘unacceptable misstep,’ UConn uses N.C. State logo in promotion

UConn’s plan to launch a new, coordinated effort for its student section during basketball games will need a new, reinvented logo after it was learned that the image used as the campaign’s centerpiece was a slightly altered version of N.C. State’s logo.

UConn launched the campaign Wednesday that called for students to join together in “enhancing the campus spirit.” The section would include a planning committee as the athletic department looks to ramp up student support. While there was plenty of support for the effort on social media, some pointed out Thursday morning that the logo is an alternate logo used sometimes by the N.C. State Wolfpack.

The N.C. State logo features three wolves standing over a cliff with the wolf in the middle howling and “NC STATE WOLFPACK” written underneath. UConn’s logo had the same three wolves (passed off as Huskies) in the same positions with evergreen trees behind them. “UCONN” is written above the wolves while “THE PACK,” the name being used for the student section, is written underneath. It also features an elongated outline of Connecticut below.

The logo was created by a UConn undergrad, according to a UConn athletic department spokesman.

“We committed an unacceptable misstep by using an NC State mark as a centerpiece of this logo,” he said. “As soon as the mistake came to light, we removed the logo from all our digital platforms and reached out to NC State to apologize. The apology was accepted in generous fashion by NC State and we will be taking corrective actions internally to ensure something of this nature never happens again.”

A news release about UConn’s student section has been removed from the athletic department’s website and a tweet about it has been deleted.

NEW YORK — The Giants have canceled coach Pat Shurmur’s weekly Monday segment with WFAN afternoon host Mike Francesa, a move that Newsday first reported on Thursday morning and Shurmur later confirmed to reporters.

“I think that was an organizational decision not to do that,” Shurmur said. “Most people aren’t aware of this, but I wasn’t contractually obligated to do that spot.

“We did it as a courtesy and out of respect for our relationship with the radio station. We just felt like for a while here, we’ll put that to bed for a while, and just not do it and move forward.”

Francesa addressed the matter at the top of his show and adopted a measured tone, although he did say, “The Giants have, unfortunately, from at least my estimation, become very good at hiding, and very good at losing.”

“I didn’t say anything that I thought was in any way personal,” Francesa said of his interview with Shurmur on Monday.