Club Teams Prohibited From SU Logo Usage

By John Perik

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – On Tuesday, the Syracuse University club hockey team posted on their Instagram announcing they could no longer use the ‘Block S’ logo on social media. “The ‘marketing materials, banners, websites’ does not permit the use of the Block S; however, it does provide the ability to say ‘At Syracuse’ or ‘At Syracuse University,’” Syracuse University’s office of trademark licensing said in an email to the team last Tuesday. 

This is one of many changes club sports teams are having to face entering the semester. But captains of the Syracuse Club Hockey team said that this one is the worst. 

“This by far is the toughest because it makes us feel that we aren’t Syracuse,” Tim Kalinowski said. “I want to represent this school and just because I’m not an NCAA athlete should not mean that I can’t have an S on me.” 

Despite the captain’s frustration, this has served as an opportunity to gain attention for their team. “It’s good publicity for us because we have created this attention and more people are putting their eyes on us,” Mackenzie Murphy said. “We’re looking at this as an opportunity to break away from the pack.” 

The club hockey team is currently working on a new logo that will be released on Monday. “We’re working on getting a new logo. This is kind of a rebrand for Syracuse hockey,” according to Mackenzie Murphy. 

Syracuse University’s office of trademark licensing is yet to reach out to any other club sports team, Murphy said. Club sports are also not the only ones being asked not to use the “Block S” logo. The “Block S” logo trademark guidelines apply for any student organization on campus, according to Murphy.