Cincinnati fans will find a feistier looking Bearcat trolling the sidelines at UC games from now on. The Bearcat mascot underwent a few cosmetic alterations this summer and emerged less a teddy bear and more of a beast. The change to UC's furry figure was in response to feedback from open forums led by the athletics branding task force and the design firm LPK. One of the key charges of the task force was to settle on a caricature that will match the figure on licensed merchandise.

"College fans want to buy merchandise that accurately resembles on-field icons and trademarks, " says John Christie, vice president of university services for The Collegiate Licensing Company, the university's licensing agent. "We look forward to participating in Cincinnati's efforts to reinforce its Bearcat brand."

Other changes at UC have included a "bolder and stronger" C-paw, introduced in 2005, and a change in apparel/shoe provider for athletes from Nike to Addidas. Fans got their first look at the new basketball uniforms during the preseason game against NKU.

Links:

UC athletics logo timeline

History of the Bearcat mascot