Complete History Of The Michigan Wolverines Logo

The Block 'M' is practically synonymous with the University of Michigan, and the football team is no exception. When tasked with choosing between the simple and the flashy, the Wolverines will almost always choose the former. Thus, Michigan's main logo (the Block 'M') is one that is simple and identifiable.

While occasionally used in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s, the Block 'M' became all-but officially branded onto the University on Nov. 16, 1907. At a football game, hundreds of fans raised maize and blue flags to form the Block 'M'. Following the display, the logo continued to gain popularity, and its use within athletics steadily rose.

In 1968, Michigan hired Don Canham as its athletic director, and he launched the branding to the next level. The 'M' was placed on the shoulder pads of football uniforms, on merchandise, on pamphlets. It still wasn't the official University logo, and it wouldn't be until 2013, but it became instantly recognizable, especially within the athletics sphere.

Canham's marketing scheme for the logo was revolutionary for its time, as detailed in a 1975 feature in Sports Illustrated by Frank Deford. Most athletic departments were losing money, and the future of college sports was in the balance. Canham, however, was determined to "sell the spectacle." He pushed merchandising and attendance, trying to get as many people involved with Michigan athletics as he could. In his tenure, he raised average football game attendance from 67,000 to over 100,000, and the number hasn't dipped below six digits since.

As Michigan athletics grew, so did the Block 'M'. It wasn't just Michigan growing, either. The popularity of college athletics as a whole had erupted in the 1980s with large TV deals, and the Block 'M' was at the front of it all.

Until 2013, the Block 'M' was exclusively an athletics logo, as the University seal remained Michigan's primary logo. But in 2013, the University officially recognized the Block 'M' as the primary logo for everything, not just athletics.

While the Block 'M' has been the de facto logo of Michigan athletics for more than a century, there have been plenty of alternative or secondary logos that have caught fans' attention. 

One that has seen quite a resurgence recently is affectionately known as "Wolverbear." The Wolverine wearing a sailor hat with a Block 'M' branded on it was originally created by Arthur Evans. The logo was worn as a patch by a small group of players known as the "Raiders" in 1962. The idea came from assistant coach Bob Hollway, who was inspired by the Army's patches for different platoon units. It was never an official logo, but the retro appeal and uniqueness have made it a staple of merchandise in the 2000s.

Over the years, there has also been a "split 'M'" used. The split 'M' uses the standard Block 'M', but another rectangle reading "Michigan" splits it horizontally. Michigan owns the trademark on this logo and its color variations, but it is used sparingly. Most of its use is on merchandise, not in the official capacity.

From colored flags in 1907 to becoming the official logo of the University in 2013, the Block 'M' has been the face of Michigan athletics for more than 100 years. The Block 'M' has gone through very few changes in that span, and it seems as though that trend will continue for a long time.