In spite of its seeming simplicity, the USC Upstate Spartans logo is recognizable and unique. The design is dominated by a large italicized “U” in green. At the forefront, the word “Upstate” can be seen. It has a modern feel, which can be partly explained by the unusual letter “p.”
Meaning and history
2004 – 2011
The USC Upstate Spartans visual identity, introduced in 2003, stayed unchanged for five years. It was a badge with only one graphical element — the Spartan helmet, placed in profile, and executed in the black and green color palette. The dark green shade of the logo looked sleek and evoked a sense of professionalism and reliability, while black details were adding strength and a sense of fighting spirit to the concept.
2011 – 2021
The previous two logotypes, which were introduced in 2003 and 2009, alluded to the Spartan theme. Both depicted the side view of a Spartan helmet decorated with the black-and-white hackle. The two logos looked almost identical, yet the older one had several black shades, which were removed from the newer logo.
2021 – Today
USC Upstate Spartans Colors
GREEN
PANTONE: PMS 349 C
HEX COLOR: #00703C;
RGB: (0, 112, 60)
CMYK: (100, 0, 91, 42)
BLACK
PANTONE: PMS BLACK 6 C
HEX COLOR: #000000;
RGB: (0,0,0)
CMYK: (0,0,0,100)
WHITE
PANTONE: P 1-1 C
HEX COLOR: #FFFFFF;
RGB: (255, 255, 255)
CMYK: (0, 0, 0, 0)”