The NCAA yesterday unveiled the logo for the 2024 Women's Final Four, which will come to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland next spring.
The city was a great host in 2007, NCAA vice president of women's basketball Lynn Holzman said in a release, noting everyone was excited to get back here.
“Thanks to our hosts, the Mid-American Conference and Greater Cleveland Sports Commission," she said, "for all the work they have done to date and for their commitment to continue to build a memorable experience for all involved.”
Thankfully, designers at Section 127 in Indianapolis avoided creating a guitar logo for the occassion, though they couldn't help themselves entirely. Guitars, after all, have become visually synonymous with Cleveland since the opening of the Rock Hall in 1995 — at least to outsiders — reigning almost undefeated as de facto design option for artists creating work for major events in the city, from MLB and NBA All-Star Games to the 2016 RNC.
So, it's not a guitar, but it is a guitar pick. We'll take it in lieu of the alternative.
There are more Cleveland and Ohio ties, both subtle and not, included in the design. Here's the explanation from the NCAA:
The 2024 Women’s Final Four logo includes numerous Cleveland landmarks and Ohio tributes in the logo design. The color palette includes different shades of red, white, blue and orange enclosed in a guitar pick shaped badge paying homage to the rock and roll capital city. The orange circle on the logo is meant to resemble a basketball rim, with the orange drop shadow under "FOUR" like that of the Women's March Madness logo. The blue color represents Cleveland’s position to Lake Erie with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s architectural design prominently featured above "FINAL." The slab serif detail added to the Final Four text mirrors the current “Long Live Rock” life-sized letters outside the Rock Hall. The circle within a circle on top of the triangular background received its inspiration from the Ohio flag, with the Main Avenue Bridge, which crosses over the Cuyahoga River and Cleveland’s iconic “The Flats” neighborhood, included under "FOUR" on the logo.Logo aside, there's nothing but excitement for the event.
“As the popularity of women’s hoops continues to surge, it is a tremendous honor to host the top intercollegiate women’s basketball teams in the country at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse,” Nic Barlage, Cleveland Cavaliers, Rock Entertainment Group and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO said. “Not only will this draw basketball fans from across the country to Cleveland, but it will also capture the interest of fans from across the globe as millions tune in to catch the action from home. We couldn’t be more proud to help showcase these incredible athletes at the top of their game and to shine a spotlight on the athletic excellence of female athletes around the world.”
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