Redbirds Primary Logo

The Illinois State Redbirds are one of the most iconic college teams in the NCAA, and their primary logo has a long and storied history. From its inception in 1874 to today, this logo has become synonymous with success on the field and off.

The first iteration of this logo was designed by John Clementson, who had been hired as head coach at Illinois State University (ISU) that same year. He wanted to create something unique for his team that would represent them both on and off the field. The original design featured a cardinal perched atop an “I” shaped shield surrounded by 13 stars representing each state in America at that time—a nod to ISU's position as part of what is now known as Big Ten Country. Clementson also included two crossed swords beneath it all which were meant to symbolize strength through unity among players—an idea still embraced today by many collegiate sports teams across America!

Over time there have been several variations on this classic theme but they all maintained certain elements from their predecessor: namely those red feathers associated with cardinals; stars representing states; shields featuring an "I" shape; plus some form or another of crossed swords underneath it all – making sure everyone knows just how strong these Redbirds really are! Today’s version features vibrant colors with sharp lines giving us yet another example of why ISU remains one of college sports' premier programs year after year no matter what conference they may call home!