DePaul nickname change almost happened in 1998

[Boyee]

Chicago Tribune

It's Demonic! Depaul Can Have Its Marketing--and Tradition Too
September 30, 1998|By Michael Rosenberg, Tribune Staff Writer.

Put down the placards. Quit picketing. Stop with the screams.

The DePaul Blue Demons are still the DePaul Blue Demons. Not the Blues or the Wildcats or the Fighting Hyenas. The Blue Demons. Period.

A month after announcing that the university might change its nickname, DePaul's administration did an about-face Tuesday after Blue Demons old and young expressed outrage at the proposed change.

"I asked for input and it was clear that both students and alumni of several generations found common ground in the Blue Demons," the Rev. John P. Minogue, DePaul's president, said in a statement.

DePaul conducted various on-line polls and determined that at least 80 percent of those responding wanted to keep the Blue Demons name. The concern about having a demon as a mascot for a Catholic university apparently was assuaged by the fact that the nickname came from the days when DePaul's athletes wore letter sweaters and were called D-men.

So the nickname--and school colors--will stay. The logo, however, is probably history.

Jim Doyle, DePaul's vice president for student affairs, will lead the effort to find a new logo and mascot. By doing so, DePaul may accomplish two goals.

First, it can appease the people who remain loyal to the nickname. Second, it will accomplish the goal behind wanting the nickname changed: to increase licensing revenue. With the right logo and mascot, and maybe a few more victories from its basketball team, DePaul merchandise sales would increase.

To that end, Doyle will search for a new logo for the Blue Demons.

"Fans took ownership of the Blue Demons and said it was their team," he said. "We are in an enviable position."

[ivet]

I'm not a fan of Blue Demons. We should change it to Demon Deacons or Blue Devils... wait both are taken- Blue Deacons! Demon Devils! Devil Dogs. Actually, the way we've been the past 20 years we should be The DePaul Doormats.

[billyjack]

I'm not a fan of Blue Demons. We should change it to Demon Deacons or Blue Devils... wait both are taken- Blue Deacons! Demon Devils! Devil Dogs. Actually, the way we've been the past 20 years we should be The DePaul Doormats.

I think they should go back to that old logo of the little demon sitting on the hoop.

[ivet]

I'm not a fan of Blue Demons. We should change it to Demon Deacons or Blue Devils... wait both are taken- Blue Deacons! Demon Devils! Devil Dogs. Actually, the way we've been the past 20 years we should be The DePaul Doormats.

I think they should go back to that old logo of the little demon sitting on the hoop.

No. I hate that logo. So Cartoony. Looks like he's about to drop off the kids at the "pool."

I do kinda like Creighton's old logo of that grumpy bird telling the kids to get off his lawn-or should I say...stop storming the court.

[gmoser1210]

Yeah, I like Creighton's old bluejay more than Toronto's current one.

[gmoser1210]

Yeah, I like Creighton's old bluejay more than Toronto's current one.

Oops, I meant Creighton's current one. Easy to get them mixed up, I guess.

[Demon22]

I'm not a fan of Blue Demons. We should change it to Demon Deacons or Blue Devils...

Stephen Bardo thinks we did change our name to Blue Devils.

[ElDonBDon]

I'm not a fan of Blue Demons. We should change it to Demon Deacons or Blue Devils... wait both are taken- Blue Deacons! Demon Devils! Devil Dogs. Actually, the way we've been the past 20 years we should be The DePaul Doormats.

I think they should go back to that old logo of the little demon sitting on the hoop.

No. I hate that logo. So Cartoony. Looks like he's about to drop off the kids at the "pool."

I do kinda like Creighton's old logo of that grumpy bird telling the kids to get off his lawn-or should I say...stop storming the court.

Lmao. It sure does look like he's droppin a deuce.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I'll give DePaul credit - they didn't give into the demands of political correctness and pressure to change their team name. Marquette and St. Johns were not as fortunate.

Personally, I love the logo DePaul has now. The Demon on the basket logo, while nostalgic, was outdated and gimmicky.

Slightly off-topic, but I think it would be great if select Big East rivalry games (MU-DePaul, Providence-Seton Hall, Georgetown-Nova, etc.) wore throwback uniforms for big games. NBA makes huge $$$ selling throwback jerseys, why couldn't the Big East?

[friars321]

Throwback jerseys would be a great idea.
We could brand it as a big east thing and pay tribute to each team's history.
Maybe do it mid-season with all the teams playing on a Monday holiday.

As far as the depaul nickname.
The Big East is comprised of CATHOLIC- somewhat religious schools. Most schools have a reverend and priests walking about on campus.
I do not really care about the name itself...but I understand why it would make sense for people to want to change the nickname.

A question out of curiosity- Who came up with the name initially. A catholic school came up with blue demons as their unique name? Doesn't make sense.