I’d like to talk about this font. The one in the picture above.
Or the one on Penn State women’s basketball’s jersey.
Yes. Please. Keep it.
I want to speak to you today about the massively important issue facing Penn State. That’s right. It’s the fact that Penn State doesn’t appear to be selling anything with this font on it. And I am extremely upset about it.
I would like to purchase things with this font on it. I’m obsessed with it. Typified by Penn State men’s hockey’s new jerseys that it likely will only wear once, I want to buy things with this font. Better yet, I want Penn State to lean into this font across all of its branding.
Look, there have been a lot of fonts at Penn State over the years. But this slightly cursive, swoopy, kind of retro font is the best branding Penn State has done in quite some time.
A quick cursory glance of Fanatics – particularly the Nike section – yields no results. Same with Family Clothesline. Yet there’s Penn State shoving the font right in my face yet again. On jerseys. On skates. On James Franklin’s vest.
What do we want? The font. When do we want it? Preferably soon but I know these things take time. (Also, the jerseys will be up for auction supporting State College Coyotes Sled Hockey.)
There have been many fonts and logos and even colors to showcase Penn State pride over the years. There of course was the original pink and black that’s still making its return here and there through Penn State sports – especially this season with wrestling. My childhood was filled with memories of playing NCAA video games and scoring in the italic tennis ball font.
There was the return to the basic helvetica in the end zones, still used to this day.
But man, oh man, is this new font good.
I think the font first showed up thanks to Penn State women’s basketball’s jerseys. And it’s a clean, yet sophisticated look that has the sense of class that won’t upset the most ardent traditionalists.
Penn State is full of them too. Remember how people were very opinionated when Bill O’Brien put names on the back of the football jerseys? And remember how excited they were when they came off of the jerseys under Franklin?
Even for the simple, subtle classic that is Penn State football’s branding, this font would work. Think about it in the end zones. Think about it on the front helmet tag that says “Penn State”. Better yet, think about it on the side of the Generations of Greatness helmets, a uniform that desperately needs a refresh soon.
But most of all, think about the font in my closet. Or your closet. And what’s one more item of Penn State clothing when more than half of your wardrobe is just that?
I’m not quite sure why I like this font so much. In fact I haven’t been this obsessed with a font since I was a big Copperplate Gothic fan back in sixth grade. This font is unique enough that Penn State can refresh its identity with.
I don’t understand why it hasn’t been rolled out for other teams either. I’m tired of looking at the Penn State men’s basketball jerseys with just the regular logo on it. They look like practice jerseys.
The women’s jersey – especially the ones with the font – look elevated and unique.
There are other touches that I’ve enjoyed with this new Penn State men’s hockey jersey that I’d like to see in other places. I’ve never understood Penn State’s avoidance with the state shape for whatever reason. Yes, I know the school has a mascot that’s a lion head but it’s also a logo that’s colloquially referred to as a chipmunk logo. That’s not the strongest of branding. But the state shape, or even the keystone, is a part of Pennsylvania’s identity – moreover the state university’s identity. So it was nice to see on the back of these new sweaters but it isn’t the first time in recent memory the idea has popped up.
A few years ago, Penn State baseball added the state outline to their hats. I went out and bought one from the Medlar Park store that day. It was refreshing and unique. Refreshing is something Penn State baseball has always done. It was of course Penn State baseball who lobbied for the switch from pink and black to blue and white in the late 1800s because of the way the pink and black faded.
A few decades later, Penn State baseball leaned into even more different but good ideas by adding the We Are jerseys to their lineup last season.
They also added a similar jersey featuring the font you’ve now read more than 600 words about.
Look, Penn State isn’t going to change its colors like it did with its baseball team more than 100 years ago. I’m not asking them to either. And it’s likely not going to get away from the chipmunk logo either. I’m also fine with that. But this subtle font change that will be on display from Penn State men’s hockey and has been on display from Penn State women’s basketball is very welcomed in my opinion.
It would also be welcomed by my wallet, too.
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