Indiana Football to Include Social Justice Logo on Gameday Uniforms, Warm-ups
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Since the summer, head coach Tom Allen has been thinking of ways to incorporate a social justice message during Indiana football games this season.
On Monday, five days before the season-opener, Allen announced that the Hoosiers would be wearing an equity fist on their uniforms and helmets, as well as their pregame warm-ups.
Allen said his players are excited about displaying this sign of unity. Later in the day, the program unveiled the symbol that will be etched on the Hoosiers' attire this season.
Below is the full press release regarding the symbol:
As Indiana battles Penn State Saturday at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, fans will see that the Hoosiers are fighting for more than a win on the playing field.
IU head football coach Tom Allen announced Monday that the Hoosiers football uniforms will include a new social justice patch for the duration of the 2020 season (see attachment). The logo will be located in the upper right chest of the players’ uniforms. In addition, it will be displayed on the back of the players’ helmets.
The logo was imagined by the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology staff in consultation with the Athletic Director’s Council for Diversity and Inclusivity. Allen’s Senior Leadership team, meanwhile, played an integral role is deciding how to incorporate it into the Hoosier football team’s gameday uniforms.
“The players are excited about it as a sign of unity, as a sign of togetherness, peace and love that we want to promote,” said Allen. “I want us to be a beacon of what it looks like to love each other and care about one another, no matter where you are from, and no matter whether you have differences or not. We have to be able to work together to make the world a better place, make Bloomington a better city, make the state of Indiana a better state, and have that impact across the country.”
The creation and adoption of the logo as part of IU’s 2020-21 gameday uniforms is the most recent example of IU Athletics’ efforts to highlight its concerns over racial injustice and inequality and to promote positive change. Among the many other steps that the department has already taken are:
- Annual, mandatory, in-person racial inclusivity training for all staff and students;
- Election Day as a mandatory day off for students for all athletically-related activities;
- Major new Excellence Academy programs on civics, citizenship, and voter education;
- Establishment of the “Indiana University Athletics Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition;
- Instituting staff-wide and student-wide conversations at least once every semester on issues related to race.
“IU Athletics has a powerful voice, and our department is committed to being an outspoken advocate for positive change in the areas of racial injustice and inequality in not only our words, but our actions,” said IU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson. “This logo highlights attitudes and characteristics that we should all believe in.”
In addition to the IU Football team, Indiana University’s other athletic teams will incorporate the logo into their gameday uniforms and/or pregame warm-up apparel during their 2020-21 seasons.
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- PENN STATE GAME PERSONAL FOR WHOP PHILYOR: Whop Philyor was taken out of last year's Penn State game on a helmet-to-helmet hit. This year's season-opener means more to the Indiana receiver. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA 7-POINT UNDERDOGS TO PENN STATE: Penn State is favored to win by seven in the season-opener against Indiana. CLICK HERE
- GAME TIME ANNOUNCED FOR INDIANA, PENN STATE: Indiana will take on Penn State at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 on FS1. CLICK HERE
