1999 men’s basketball Final Four
When I look at the beautiful 1999 men’s basketball Final Four logo, it’s pretty much impossible to say that this isn’t a fantastic design. Not only did they use a perfect font to characterize the sunny features of Tampa Bay, but they also added waves underneath the letters, a palm tree and an orange basketball to represent the sun. Unlike current day logos that in my opinion have become quite simplistic and boring, this stands as a unique and timeless design that has aged like fine wine. While the logos from 2003 and 2008 are also great in their own right, they simply don’t evoke the same energy as 1999. Aside from the intense competition of that year’s Final Four, from which Jim Calhoun and the UConn Huskies would emerge victorious over Duke, 77-74, this illustration was a perfect complement to Connecticut’s historical win.
Stratton Stave
Sports Editor
he/him/his
2005 men’s Final Four
I’m going to go with 2005, mainly because of the nice touches within it. It may not have the symmetry and pop that some of the others do, but it’s simple and visually appealing. I like a logo that doesn’t try to do too much or isn’t too “in your face,” kind of like how the logos from 2019-2022 are. Additionally, it’s nice to have the aspect of paying homage to the actual city it’s in. Many other logos seem to try to have a muted aspect of character, but not 2005. The logo pays respect to the signature landmark of St. Louis, the Gateway Arch, which is the star of the show right alongside the wide “Final Four” lettering. It has a classy look and feel to it, maybe a little less crisp than it could be, but still great. The logo does a great job managing the white space and is really pleasant to look at.
Nahum Valiente
Campus Correspondent
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2023 men’s basketball Final Four
In recent years, it felt like the designs of the Final Four logo were following a bland template that felt unoriginal and none stood out to highlight the uniqueness that each Final Four brought to the table. However, last year’s edition changed that by creating a logo that makes that specific edition of the tournament stand out, as every logo should. The logo highlights a space theme that is accompanied by stars with rings surrounding the words “Final Four” alongside smaller details such as a basketball and of course a bracket to make it clear this is a logo for the NCAA Tournament. This logo compliments a rather overlooked characteristic of Houston, which was the host city for the 2023 Final Four. Instead of going with a basic cowboy or desert theme, this theme went in a different direction with the interstellar theme. Not to mention the history behind this final, as UConn brought back home a championship after a nine-year absence from the final.
Ava Inesta
Staff Writer
she/her/hers
2024 men’s basketball Final Four
I know the simplest answer could be this year’s Final Four logo, but there are reasons why. The UConn men’s basketball team has already had such a historic year thus far and they have the potential to make it more special. This logo is something that UConn fans and the team themselves have been studying since the release as their biggest goal of the season. Looking at it from a non-UConn perspective, it has some really cool design factors as well. The color scheme works perfectly with the colors of the desert in Arizona and the shape of the logo representing the shape of the state is a great design choice. The geometric shapes within the logo add a super cool texture tone to the whole design. This logo could be more meaningful to UConn fans after this weekend, but for right now I think the unique design choices make it one of the best logos to date.
Cole Stefan
Senior Columnist
He/Him/His
2010 women’s basketball Final Four
Since the turn of the century, logos for the Final Four in Texas have generally gone hard. The 2008 men’s Final Four logo featured a cowboy hat (an instant attention-getter), and last year’s women’s Final Four logo included a signature star. What makes the 2010 women’s Final Four logo stand out is how simple it is. It is a nod to the Texas state flag, albeit with a lighter shade of blue. What I like the most about this design is how the flag’s lone star fills the hole in the “o” of “four.” Not making the “o” a basketball like some of the Final Four logos from the early 2010s is a really creative addition to this logo’s uniqueness. While it may be plain in comparison to more recent Final Four logos, this design acknowledges a staple of Texas’ culture. This logo is aesthetically pleasing, especially to UConn fans who witnessed Maya Moore and the women’s team bring home their seventh national championship.
Tyler Pruneau
Campus Correspondent
He/Him/His
2023 NCAA men’s Final Four logo
There is only one right answer for the best Final Four logo and that is the 2023 men’s basketball Final Four logo. The 2023 logo is space-themed, and while people can say that there is not really any color that would allow it to stand out, the color is not needed. People today style themselves to look clean. An outfit might be basic and not colorful, but it looks clean. This can also be said for the 2023 logo which is simple but looks clean. The space theme has been used before in the 2011 and the 2016 logos and neither of them look as good as the 2023 logo. Another reason why this logo is the best is because it is especially special to every UConn fan because the UConn men’s basketball team proved why they are the best in the 2023 tournament after losing in the first round in the 2022 tournament.