What are our thoughts on how JMU is referenced in infographics and announcers? I understand a school’s sports information director has some control over this.

Most of us refer to JMU by its initials, but we’ve all seen the abbreviations ‘JMAD’, ‘Madison’, ‘J.Madison’, etc. Initially, I would get annoyed with anything other than JMU, but I am starting to lean towards using the schools full name and therefore abbreviations like JMad or J.Madison are growing on me. I grew up a Terps fan. I thought back and recall seeing ‘Maryland’ in infographics rather than UMD. Now I live in South Carolina. I believe the Game Cocks get use ‘S.Carolina’. These may be the exception and not the rule. UNC, WVU, and UVA immediately come to mind as examples of initialism.

For our data loving members, any idea what the breakdown of FBS school using initialism vs abbreviation?

As far as the announcers, there is a good mix of ‘James Madison’, ‘JMU’, with only the occasional ‘Madison’.

Who cares as long as they are talking about us.

Seems they are spelling it fully more frequently

What doesn't work is our logo for the ESPN+ marquee / score ribbon.... Pretty ridiculous to see the J and U truncated - gotta get a square logo that works

When there are enough letters available, I prefer to see it all spelled out. Seems like ESPN has been doing that recently. In years past they I think they used something like James Mad, which I hated. When there are not enough letters, then just use JMU. There aren't any other JMUs out there (at least any that I know of) that we'd be confused with (unlike South Carolina or the myriad of ASUs).

I prefer JMU first then Madison but I think some associate Madison with Wisconsin as in Madison Wisconsin

(11-15-2022 08:47 AM)Purplehazed Wrote:  I prefer JMU first then Madison but I think some associate Madison with Wisconsin as in Madison Wisconsin

I get that too, but on the other hand, I get a lot of "oh hey, didn't you go to the final four a few years ago?"

I really prefer JMU. The branding is all about "JMU", hell that intent is the whole reason it isn't still Madison College. I'd really like to hear more talking heads say JMU whenever we're mentioned and I hope they do as we become more and more known. Even now though, if someone is gonna hear them say JMU and go "who's JMU?" then they're gonna do the same thing when they hear James Madison. I'd rather they put the name JMU out there from the start, the general public follows their lead and right now when college football fans talk about us on social media or anything it's all "James Madison" not JMU.

You don't see them do that with LSU, TCU, USC, UCF, UTSA, WKU, FAU, FIU, BYU, and on and on. It's a little bit of a small time feel to me having others say James Madison when JMU is what we all call it.

It needs to be JMU. End of story.

(11-15-2022 12:23 PM)14SemesterDuke Wrote:  It needs to be JMU. End of story.

Agreed.

It’s on the helmets, and center of the field and basketball arena.

J - M - U

JMU.

I think back in ‘94, when men’s hoops won the CAA and were set to play Florida in the first round, a Florida newspaper provided a headline among the lines of “Gators to meet Dolly Madison.”

When Va Tech hit it big in football, ESPN announcers and commentators started calling them “Vah Tech.” Nobody in Virginia calls them Vah Tech.

(11-15-2022 08:20 AM)bcp_jmu Wrote:  Seems they are spelling it fully more frequently

What doesn't work is our logo for the ESPN+ marquee / score ribbon.... Pretty ridiculous to see the J and U truncated - gotta get a square logo that works

I somewhat jokingly called this out earlier in the year when the "JMU" logo was being included in the "remaining undefeated teams" and "top 25" tweets. The fact our logo is rectangular means there is empty space on graphics with square constraints (seem to be very common) and the actual lettering shrinks.

It's an "issue" for all three letter logo teams (see LSU below). IMHO, it's better than a giant "M" or something that nobody will recognize. It seems that to combat that same issue, some teams include their name/nickname in logo but then its small and not helpful IMHO (App St "Mountaineers" and Marshall "The Herd"). A mix of three letters with a logo seems to work nicely for some (ODU and "aTm"). I think spelling out full words is a mistake ("Huskies" and "Georgia Southern") as I'm just squinting to read them. Bottom line, it's a minor thing but also something that could be (somewhat) easily fixed.

What logos were your eyes immediately drawn too? Its honestly pretty easy for the eyes to scan from ODU directly to GA Southern. LSU is basically nonexistent.

In my official survey of asking 4 colleagues to name the first logo their eyes keyed in on, nobody said JMU, the WMU bronco, or LSU.

(11-15-2022 01:36 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  It's an "issue" for all three letter logo teams (see LSU below). IMHO, it's better than a giant "M" or something that nobody will recognize. It seems that to combat that same issue, some teams include their name/nickname in logo but then its small and not helpful IMHO (App St "Mountaineers" and Marshall "The Herd"). A mix of three letters with a logo seems to work nicely for some (ODU and "aTm"). I think spelling out full words is a mistake ("Huskies" and "Georgia Southern") as I'm just squinting to read them. Bottom line, it's a minor thing but also something that could be (somewhat) easily fixed.

So, what's the fix here? Put Duke Dog back in the logo similar to what NIU has?

I guess we still have this one, even though it's not used as often:

The stacked logo is still an official JMU logo. So I imagine it's as "easy" as flipping a few slides around in the below guide, having our PR team email a bunch of folks, then hounding those folks when they screw it up. And I mean it's very easy to write the check for all the expenses incurred changing the logos on uniforms, facilities, marketing, etc.

JMU_AthIdentity_Guide

Top 100 areas that Borne/JMU should focus on:
(1) Finishing the season 2-0.
(2) Transfer QB signing in Dec.
(3) Locking down OOC games for the next few years.
(4) Adding a Challace Mcmillin statue.
(5) Exploring stadium expansion.
.....
(98) Switching to a purple turf field.
(99) Changing the logo.
(100) Scheduling Liberty.

As an aside, I remember years ago the ESPN ticker would list any of JMU's games as 'James Mad'. I never understood how they came to that decision. "Who is James, and why is he mad?"

I'd love to see the stacked logo used for that type of purpose while sticking to the current JMU on helmets, basketball/baseball/softball jerseys, etc. I'd love to see the stacked logo midcourt and maybe midfield too. Then Duke Dog head on shorts, places around the stadium/arena, the occasional different helmet, plenty of gear.

(11-15-2022 01:22 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  JMU.

I think back in ‘94, when men’s hoops won the CAA and were set to play Florida in the first round, a Florida newspaper provided a headline among the lines of “Gators to meet Dolly Madison.”

When Va Tech hit it big in football, ESPN announcers and commentators started calling them “Vah Tech.” Nobody in Virginia calls them Vah Tech.

I call the school VPI and their teams the Gobblers...just to annoy them.

(11-15-2022 04:40 PM)olddawg Wrote:  

(11-15-2022 01:22 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  JMU.

I think back in ‘94, when men’s hoops won the CAA and were set to play Florida in the first round, a Florida newspaper provided a headline among the lines of “Gators to meet Dolly Madison.”

When Va Tech hit it big in football, ESPN announcers and commentators started calling them “Vah Tech.” Nobody in Virginia calls them Vah Tech.

I call the school VPI and their teams the Gobblers...just to annoy them.

I take it a step further and call them what they are... the turkeys. They do NOT like that.

Shown in a formal setting James Madison University all other references simply JMU. A big M is stupid and gains us nothing. JMAD looks like you're going to a comedy club. Keep it simple, it will do more than anything else in getting our University recognized and become a household name.

(11-15-2022 02:08 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(11-15-2022 01:36 PM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  It's an "issue" for all three letter logo teams (see LSU below). IMHO, it's better than a giant "M" or something that nobody will recognize. It seems that to combat that same issue, some teams include their name/nickname in logo but then its small and not helpful IMHO (App St "Mountaineers" and Marshall "The Herd"). A mix of three letters with a logo seems to work nicely for some (ODU and "aTm"). I think spelling out full words is a mistake ("Huskies" and "Georgia Southern") as I'm just squinting to read them. Bottom line, it's a minor thing but also something that could be (somewhat) easily fixed.

So, what's the fix here? Put Duke Dog back in the logo similar to what NIU has?

I guess we still have this one, even though it's not used as often:

For the very sprcific use case where a small square is the space, and it cannot scale JMU down to *fit* .... We should require the stacked logo

Million x better than:

"IML"

(11-15-2022 04:40 PM)olddawg Wrote:  

(11-15-2022 01:22 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  JMU.

I think back in ‘94, when men’s hoops won the CAA and were set to play Florida in the first round, a Florida newspaper provided a headline among the lines of “Gators to meet Dolly Madison.”

When Va Tech hit it big in football, ESPN announcers and commentators started calling them “Vah Tech.” Nobody in Virginia calls them Vah Tech.

I call the school VPI and their teams the Gobblers...just to annoy them.

I remember when the front of Lane Stadium said, “VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE HOME OF THE FIGHTING GOBBLERS.”