Rebels unveil refreshed logo

UNLV athletics has undergone a lot of change in the past year or so — a new AD, a revamped basketball program, a new football stadium deal — and on Wednesday, the university continued the revamping process by unveiling a new logo.

The previous “spirit logo," which featured a caricature of the Rebels’ prospector mascot Hey Reb!, has been replaced by a sideways-facing silhouette of Hey Reb! set against a background in the shape of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign:

At Wednesday's announcement, UNLV president Len Jessup said a redesign committee and a graphic design firm spent almost a year brainstorming, researching and finalizing the new look.

Initial reaction to the new logo was mixed, with Rebels fans chiming in for and against it on social media.

Jessup pegged the total cost of the redesign between $50,000-$60,000, and said the funds came from "private money."

The new logo will be used immediately in all digital spaces and on some ticketing. Jessup said the physical rollout could be more gradual, but that he expects both the football and men's basketball teams to play in uniforms featuring the new logo at some point during the upcoming seasons.

The Hey Reb! character has been the subject of some controversy in the past, but according to Jessup, the redesign committee never seriously considered completely dropping the "Rebels" moniker.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.