Kansas State’s uniforms are about to pick up a new color, and it’s not the lavender some Wildcats fans have been hoping for.
It’s green.
The Big 12 unveiled a new branding partnership with Monster Energy during Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday, July 7, in Frisco, Texas, and the deal will bring a Monster Energy patch to football and men’s and women’s basketball uniforms across the league. The Monster logo will sit alongside the Big 12 logo, and there will also be Monster logos on the field and the court.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark announced the agreement, though he did not spell out exactly how the logos will be designed. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor offered a little more clarity on Thursday.
"I've seen versions of it," Taylor said. "It's going to have the (Monster) logo right on top of the (Big 12) logo in some way, shape or form. So it's not, I don't think it's... whether we outline our Big 12 in purple, which we can do, or leave it black... we've still gotta work through that."
The one thing that is not up for debate: the logo color.
Could Kansas State, or any other Big 12 school, adjust the Monster mark to fit a uniform palette - maybe purple, maybe white? Taylor shut that down.
"No, you cannot," Taylor said. "It's gotta be green. It has to be green."
The Big 12 says the deal will pay each school about $1 million per year, though that number is already drawing criticism for being too low.
For Kansas State, the Monster branding may not be the only change coming. Taylor said the school is getting closer to securing a local sponsor for an on-jersey logo and an on-field sponsor at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
"It would be nice to get it done before the season," Taylor said.
In Other News...
This Sunflower Showdown Just Got Personal For Kansas State Fans
The Sunflower Showdown already carries enough edge on its own, but this one has an extra layer after Dylan Edwards winding path through college football brought him back into the rivalry conversation. Edwards arrived at Kansas State with plenty of buzz, then saw his second season in Manhattan disrupted by injury before the next chapter of his career took shape elsewhere. Now the former Wildcats back is part of a Kansas offense trying to sort itself out before the season, with a crowded backfield and a quarterback competition still hanging over the preseason.
For Kansas State fans, the date on the calendar is the part that matters most. The Wildcats and Jayhawks are set to meet on October 17 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and the matchup already has the feel of one that will draw extra attention because of who Edwards used to be and where he is now. Rivalry games tend to sharpen every storyline, and this one has given both sides a fresh reason to circle it early. [Read more 🡒]
Avery Johnson Finally Addressed Kansas States Controversial Bowl Snub
Avery Johnson finally put a little more detail around one of the stranger episodes of Kansas States offseason, explaining why the Wildcats passed on last years bowl invitation. The quarterback said the decision came in a messy stretch for the program, with coaching changes swirling and players trying to sort out their futures, leaving the roster in a place where not everyone was fully on the same page.
Johnsons comments also help frame why the move drew so much attention beyond Manhattan. Kansas State was hit with a hefty fine for declining the bowl bid before the penalty was later cut in half, and the explanation now points back to the uncertainty around the roster and the transfer portal during that transition period. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Jackson Just Sent A Strong Message About K-State's Backfield
The backfield picture at Kansas State got a little more crowded this offseason, and Joe Jackson does not sound bothered by it. The Wildcats added transfers Rodney Fields from Oklahoma State and Jay Harris from Oregon, giving the running backs room more depth and more competition, but Jackson welcomed the move as something that can help the team rather than complicate his own role.
Collin Klein has already identified Jackson as the leader in the room, while also making it clear the plan is to rotate backs and keep everyone fresh over the course of the season. For Jackson, that means the job is less about protecting touches and more about setting the tone in a group that could be asked to share the load in a bigger way than before. [Read more 🡒]