July 25, 2007 - Rider University Unveils New Bronc

July 25, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rider University Unveils New Bronc

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ--Eighty years after the legendary Clair Bee designed the first “Roughrider” logo, Rider University Athletics unveiled its new “Bronc” logo today.

“It is very important to establish a strong brand identity for Rider Athletics,” said Don Harnum, Rider Director of Athletics, “and the creation of the new athletics logo and word mark are definitely a positive step in that direction.”

The Rider University Marketing Committee worked closely with Phoenix Design Works of New York City and various focus groups for input. The focus groups included coaches and student-athletes, faculty and staff, alumni, administrators and the student government.

“This was a very inclusive process that was a lot of fun to work on,” said Harnum, “and I believe the end product is something of which everyone can be extremely proud. Our partners at Phoenix Design Works did a terrific job of utilizing the feedback from the various focus groups and capturing a great new look for Rider Athletics.”

This is just the fourth logo in the 80-year history of Rider varsity athletics. In 1989 Rider switched from the original Roughrider riding a bronc, designed and illustrated by Coach Bee, to an upright Bronc. The Bronc changed its sweater over the years from wearing an R on the chest to the words Rider or Broncs, and was incorporated with the U when Rider became a University in 1994.

Clair Bee was an accounting professor at Rider before founding the varsity athletics program in 1928-29. Rider’s first director of athletics, Bee coached football, basketball and baseball at Rider, and earned national prominence as a basketball innovator (invented the shot clock, the three-second rule) and author (wrote the famous Chip Hilton book series). Coach Bee won several national basketball titles at Long Island University and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. as well as being a charter member of the Rider Athletics Hall of Fame.

The evolution of the modern day Bronc: Clair Bee’s Roughrider, the original Bronc, the RU Bronc and the new Bronc logo.