Big Ten Scraps Pinwheel, Unveils New Basketball Tournament Logo

After briefly reviving its iconic pinwheel logo last season, the Big Ten recently revealed a new logo for its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The pinwheel logo featured the colour schemes of all 14 Big Ten institutions, but with the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington this season, it simply needed to be expanded or replaced.

It wouldn’t be the first time the pinwheel logo has expanded since it was initially introduced for 11 teams in 2007-08, as the conference added Nebraska in 2011-12 and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014-15.

The pinwheel was scrapped in 2022-23 as the conference unveiled a new look that matched its branding. However, it was given one last spin last year, which we can now only assume was a farewell of sorts.

The new logo, meanwhile, leans back into the Big Ten’s branding. The “B1G” is flanked by checkered flags, an obvious nod to the host city, famously known as the “Racing Capital of the World.”

It's about that time…⏰#B1GWBBall pic.twitter.com/8fuRCE3ibN
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) March 5, 2025

There is a basketball with the year at the bottom, with protruding wings that remind me of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway logo, and a TIAA logo at the top for the tournament’s presenting sponsor.

The women’s tournament tipped off on Wednesday and runs through Sunday, while the men’s tournament begins on March 12 and culminates with the championship game on March 16.

That said, it’s likely a one-time use for the men’s logo, though the women could get a second use next year, as their tournament will remain in Indianapolis in 2026 before moving to Las Vegas in 2027 and Detroit in 2028.

The men’s tournament, meanwhile, will be played in Chicago in 2026, return to Indianapolis in 2027 and head to Las Vegas in 2027 – the third time it will be held outside of the Midwest (Washington D.C. in 2016-17 and New York City 2017-18).

Photos courtesy of @bigten on X/Twitter.