University of Fla. to Crystal Lake South: Stop using our logo

Crystal Lake South's Gator logo known locally as the symbol of the high school's athletic programs will have to evolve.

The University of Florida, which originated the logo, recently notified the McHenry County high school that its use of the logo is a violation of the university's trademark.

Now, Crystal Lake South is working with the University of Florida to develop a plan to phase out the current logo and replace it with one that doesn't bear such a striking resemblance to the mascot of the Southeastern Conference powerhouse.

“The University of Florida doesn't have any objections to high schools being Gators,” University of Florida spokeswoman Janine Sikes said. “We only ask that schools create their own logos.”

The university notified the school in a letter dated Oct. 18 that it would have to replace its current “Gator Head” logo.

The good news for Crystal Lake South is that the school will have several years to work on a new logo and gradually phase it in, Sikes said. For example, the high school could simply replace any uniforms that bear the Florida logo when they have reached the end of their normal life cycle.

“We're not asking anyone to throw anything away,” Sikes said.

Crystal Lake South football coach Chuck Ahsmann, now in his 27th year, said students and fans are not particularly upset by the news especially as they can keep their mascot and the Gator Head is just one of several logos used at the high school.

“We have a lot of different Gator (logos) around the building,” Ahsmann said. “It's more about the mascot.”

A spokesman for Crystal Lake High School District 155 said the high school received “oral permission” to use the logo about six years ago.

“It was unexpected at this point at time,” District 155 spokesman Jeff Puma said. “The timing is unfortunate, but they do seem to be working with us on a phaseout timeline.”

Sikes said the university has been more aggressive in pursuing trademark issues at the urging of the Collegiate Licensing Company, which manages college trademarks and has noticed an increase in high schools licensing their own gear.

Among the places that bear the forbidden logo are the high school gym floor, teacher and student IDs, student handbooks and murals throughout Crystal Lake South.

“Most of those things are swapped out annually,” Puma said. “We're still working on compiling that list of where it is.”