The Mountain West Conference unveiled its new logo Monday…
and a slogan to go along with it — “This is our time.” The conference is rebranding as it prepares to lose Utah to the Pac-12 and BYU to conference independence while adding former WAC team Boise State.
The new logo is a block MW in purple and gray featuring a 3-D look. It reportedly even has its own nickname: “The Rock.” Commissioner Craig Thompson said the logo is supposed to be strong and bold and the league wanted to have fun with it and make it stand out.
The old slogan was “Above the rest,” and the change may reflect the conference’s desire to be selected automatic qualification for the lucrative Bowl Championship Series in football. With the teams they are adding and their recent history in crashing BCS bowls, they may have a point.
Next year, the Mountain West will lose TCU and gain Hawaii in football only, and Nevada and Fresno State in all sports. This means that all 7 non-automatic qualifying teams that have played in BCS bowl games were from the Mountain West or will play in the Mountain West. Utah, Boise State and TCU each have made two BCS appearances, and Hawaii, one.