The rivalry between the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University reached new heights Monday, just days before the schools tip off their annual Crosstown Shootout basketball game.
Last month, Cheatham Middle School, located about 30 miles outside Nashville, Tennessee, received a cease-and-desist letter from UC, which threatened legal action over using the university’s mascot. School officials said the letter concerned copyright and licensing infringements, as Cheatham’s mascot is a bearcat, and they call themselves the CMS Bearcats.
The school claimed it submitted a proposal to UC, agreeing to remove the logo and to create a new one. However, the school says the request was denied and that it was told it could no longer use or refer to itself as the Bearcats since UC also has a sports licensing copyright for the word.
Cheatham Middle School was “left with no reasonable choice but to rebrand” and select a new mascot. That’s when another Cincinnati university offered up its mascot free of charge.
Anthony Breen, the CEO of Synergistic, a marketing agency in Cincinnati that works with Xavier, said the company, along with Xavier, has pledged to rebrand and redesign Cheatham’s logo, mascot and wordmark. They will also provide other needed marketing support.
All the middle school had to do was agree to become the “Musketeers.”
After Breen put out his statement for the school to claim the “One for All” motto, Jeff Hobbs, athletic director for Cheatham County School District, said “Musketeers” was among the names currently being considered.
The Cincinnati Bearcats student section cheers on the team as a flag with the C-paw and Big 12 Conference logos is waved after a touchdown in the second quarter during a college football game between the Baylor Bears and the Cincinnati Bearcats, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.
The Cheatham ‘Bearcats’ become the ‘Musketeers’
After three rounds of voting, which included the public, alumni and stakeholders, the school announced Monday what its new mascot would officially be.
“We would like to announce that the transition from the Cheatham Middle Bearcats to the Cheatham Middle School Musketeers will begin immediately,” Hobbs said in a video as he put on a white that read “Musketeers.”
“I definitely feel comfortable and safe saying and speaking for [Breen] that [Synergistic] will absolutely be a part of this transition,” Hobbs told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “They are handling the rebrand package.”
Hobbs added that Synergistic will handle the school’s rebrand package that includes all the graphic designs for uniforms, banners, the school’s letterheads and multiple versions of usable graphics, and Musketeer logos that Cheatham Middle School can use.
The athletic director said he hasn’t spoken with Xavier University directly about the switch, but said the university doesn’t trademark their mascot names.
“While other universities do opt to trademark their mascot names, that is something that Xavier University has not ever done and therefore, we don’t necessarily have to seek any permission from them,” he said. “We definitely have their support and blessing on becoming ‘Musketeers.'”
Hobbs noted that by working with Breen, an XU grad, he will make sure all the new artwork and logos will be seen by the university before it’s approved for usage.
According to WTVC, a local news station in Tennessee, “Musketeers” beat out another favorite by voters; the Cubs, which is Cheatham County High School’s mascot. The other runner-ups were the Bobcats and Coyotes.
Although the school is transitioning from the “Bearcats,” one thing that won’t change is the school’s colors. While Cheatham Middle will take the “Musketeers” name, the school will keep its color scheme of red and black.
“The school colors were red, white, and black. It was important, you know, when you’re having a lot of things taken from you, it’s, ‘What can we keep?'” Hobbs said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tennessee school rebrand to Musketeers after UC wouldn’t let them be Bearcats