The Pick Six

[dmksioux]

I find it interesting that people think that you have to have a nickname to brand the university. University of North Dakota is a brand the same as GM or Apple. The University of North Dakota Football team is a product under this brand (the same as iPod is a product under the Apple brand) the same as the University of North Dakota men's hockey team, etc. The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux or any other nickname is redundant. As such, the nickname can be marketed separately but doesn't necessarily add value whereas there is always value in the brand name (University of North Dakota).

I would simply go with the University of North Dakota without a nickname. It is marketable with it unique logo. It is not as hard as people are making it out to market the name. In the end, the most important factor will be the alumni who support the school, not a name, and winning teams. Everybody wants to be with a winner so a winning team, or at least competitive, is important.

As others have eluded to in other threads/posts, if we don't choose a nickname, one will be chosen for us by other schools/media/etc. Then we may end up with something like "Nodaks", Big Green, etc.

I believe a certain poster on here kind of sums it up best when they say "Control what is yours to control."

[The Sicatoka]

University of North Dakota is a brand the same as GM or Apple.

In the "market segment" (athletics) UND is in the competition markets the "logo" and "moniker" as much as the "brand". You have to have something to go up against that.

Even Michigan, which has its block M logo, and is most identified by really ugly helmet stripes, still has the tag-line "Wolverines".

Pick something (control what's yours to control) or someone will stick you with one that's only half complimentary.

Personally, I believe UND should make more use of the logo I'm using as an avatar.

[Goon]

Not a bad name...but what would we use as a logo or a mascot? I don't know that I would get excited about a UAV as a logo

I know what you mean but I would rather see that than some stupid name like sun dogs.

[Goon]

As others have eluded to in other threads/posts, if we don't choose a nickname, one will be chosen for us by other schools/media/etc. Then we may end up with something like "Nodaks", Big Green, etc.

I believe a certain poster on here kind of sums it up best when they say "Control what is yours to control."

Copy Right Sicatoka

[Shawn-O]

Anything where we can work Thunder the Bleacher Creature back into the mix is fine by me.

[SiouxMD]

Reapers sounds like something out of Marvel Comics, no thanks.

I envision fans looking like Eddie at a Iron Maiden concert...or Raider fans at the Oakland Coliseum.

[gjw007]

As others have eluded to in other threads/posts, if we don't choose a nickname, one will be chosen for us by other schools/media/etc. Then we may end up with something like "Nodaks", Big Green, etc.

I believe a certain poster on here kind of sums it up best when they say "Control what is yours to control."

One will be chosen for you only if you don't market. Bisonville refers to UND as firetrucks so even if you have one, another will be chosen for you. It all comes down to marketing. Choosing to go with a nickname is easier but not necessarily better. Michagan and Wolverines are interchangable because of marketing.

[SiouxMD]

I was at the open house for the UAV's and those things are an impressive site. Global Hawk or Predator "B".

UAV's are pretty cool...***looks outside***...but if we want to use military aircraft I think we should use:

***

UH-60 (BLACKHAWK)

***

AH-64 (APACHE)

***

OH-13 (SIOUX...

...oh wait...nevermind.

[Goon]

Even Michigan, which has its block M logo, and is most identified by really ugly helmet stripes, still has the tag-line "Wolverines".

I really like that line.

[Fetch]

Like Sprig I could live with ND Mallards

[Blackheart]

Well, I'm looking into my crystal ball and seeing a "diverse" committee of "stakeholders" coming out with <number> final round recommendations for a new moniker for UND in mid-2011.

Thus, I'll put mine out. Feel free to join in. Please include the moniker/genre and the why/why not it'll succeed.

Why eat !@#$ when you can have filet mignon...I'll stay with Sioux, thank you very much...

[Big A HG]

Like Sprig I could live with ND Mallards

You are evil and sexist. What about the females? Surely they would be offended by a male oriented nickname....

[siouxforeverbaby]

You are evil and sexist. What about the females? Surely they would be offended by a male oriented nickname....

Mallardettes?

[SiouxMD]

You are evil and sexist. What about the females? Surely they would be offended by a male oriented nickname....

Mallard is the common name for Anas platyrhynchos. The male mallard is called a drake and the female a hen.

[UND Fan]

One will be chosen for you only if you don't market. Bisonville refers to UND as firetrucks so even if you have one, another will be chosen for you. It all comes down to marketing. Choosing to go with a nickname is easier but not necessarily better. Michagan and Wolverines are interchangable because of marketing.

I agree with some of the points you make in your last two posts but another reason we need a name and logo is for merchandising purposes. We need all the $ we can get by offering as many different items as possible with variations of the name and logo. If we were only the U of North Dakota, those options would be severely curtailed.

I would agree that, if we need to give up the FS name, we go without a nickname for a couple of years until everyone has calmed down a bit. There would be a lot of opposition to whatever new name or logo was chosen if the decision was made right away.

[Goon]

Like Sprig I could live with ND Mallards

Fetch what about Fighting Mallards?

[Goon]

You are evil and sexist. What about the females? Surely they would be offended by a male oriented nickname....

Now we are talking about Drakes and Hens. So how would we write that Hen's shut out Gophers?

Drakes shoot Gophers.

[The Sicatoka]

We've been sitting ducks since the August 2005 NCAA press conference.

I don't want to be a sitting duck after all this shakes out.

[Shawn-O]

Now we are talking about Drakes and Hens. So how would we write that Hen's shut out Gophers?

Drakes shoot Gophers.

I would put together a half-hour weekly telecast dedicated to UND Women's Athletics and call it The Hen Session.

[Goon]

We've been sitting ducks since the August 2005 NCAA press conference.

I don't want to be a sitting duck after all this shakes out.

Ducks on a pond.

[johndahl]

To me it's a no-brainer if we have to switch...Rough Riders! Has historical value/meaning to the state, can come up with a cool logo and mascot and most importantly it goes totally opposite of what we have now...meaning the NAs and their "heritage" in this state will become more irrelevant and obscure than they currently are, and UND and this state can move forward with a postive nickname and logo that is true to the roots of this state. Just my opinion...fire away!

I agree. ROUGHRIDERS, or perhaps CAVALRY, are among my top choices.

[CMSioux]

In Central Minnesota our high school team's nickname is the Huskys, and 20 miles away we have St. Cloud State, whose nickname is also the Huskys. Not the same town but we are a bedroom community. No one seems bothered by the sharing of the name. The schools do have different colors.

Roughriders could work, once there is healing time and it's time to move on.

[The Sicatoka]

Control what's yours to control, or guys like this will be there to "help" you.

[SiouxMeNow]

Control what's yours to control, or guys like this will be there to "help" you.

I'm sending PETA a check for 1 MILLLION DOLLARS to start a campaign to force schools to drop their ANIMAL-BASED names...we do KILL THEM for food after all! Seems like we shouldn't trivialize animals for the sake of a successful sports team - OOOPS!!! (forgot they are 1-3 and suck - sorry )

my bad...

[The Sicatoka]

I'm sending PETA a check ...

Go 'cocks.