How to Embrace Texas Tech’s New Double T Logo
Lubbock, Texas — October 7, 2025 — In a bold move to redefine its athletic identity, Texas Tech Athletics today revealed a newly modernized Double T logo, along with a suite of secondary and tertiary marks, that will serve as the centerpiece of the department’s branding moving forward. The revamped visual identity is slated for full adoption across uniforms, facilities, and merchandise beginning with the 2026–27 academic year.
This change marks one of the most significant visual overhauls in Texas Tech’s athletics history, marrying tradition with modern design sensibilities. The announcement coincides with Homecoming festivities, offering the university a high-visibility moment to engage alumni, fans, and stakeholders in the transition.
A Fresh Look Rooted in Tradition
The new Double T retains many hallmarks of the original mark but undergoes a deliberate simplification. The updated version departs from bevels and three-dimensional effects, opting instead for a clean, flat aesthetic. Proportional refinements and revised color palettes give it a modern edge while preserving its recognizable character.
Already, the modernized Double T has appeared in prominent spaces around campus: on the turf field at the Dustin R. Womble Football Center and integrated into the court design at United Supermarkets Arena. Over the coming months, the mark will be introduced gradually across athletic facilities and branding vectors, culminating in a full rollout in spring 2026.
As Kirby Hocutt, Director of Athletics, stated,
Red Raiders take great pride in their Double T logo. We are delighted to present our new branding, which will reaffirm our history and define Texas Tech Athletics in the future.
This rebrand isn’t about discarding heritage; it’s about evolving the visual voice of Texas Tech Athletics for a new era.
The Strategy Behind the Redesign
A comprehensive brand audit was conducted by LDWW, a Dallas-Fort Worth marketing and creative agency. In 2024, LDWW engaged hundreds of Texas Tech stakeholders, including donors, season ticket holders, board members, student-athletes, and coaches. Analysis of fan sentiment, visual direction, and identity alignment.
Simultaneously, in July 2024, Texas Tech entered a 10-year partnership with adidas as its exclusive provider of footwear, uniforms, apparel, and accessories. Because of the timing overlap, adidas played a leading role in the design and development process. Together with LDWW, their design team crafted three new proprietary fonts—“Pumpjack,” “Techsans,” and “Matador”—drawing inspiration from West Texas culture, early Texas Tech football teams, and even alumnus Patrick Mahomes II and his “Gladiator” brand identity.
Beyond the core Double T, Texas Tech engaged Torch Creative, a brand agency with experience across professional and collegiate sports, to help generate additional marks, secondary identifiers, and mascot refreshes.
Expanded Identity: Marks, Mascots & More
The rebrand extends far beyond a single logo. Here’s what’s coming:
Secondary & Tertiary Marks
- A reinvented rearing Masked Rider mark will serve as a secondary logo, hearkening back to the beloved depiction of Texas Tech’s spirit leader.
- That Masked Rider can pair with the modern Double T, forming a tertiary mark used for special branding moments.
- The second tertiary mark uses a stylized outline of Texas, overlaid with the modern Double T in various color configurations.
Mascot Refresh: Raider Red
Torch Creative is creating Raider Red caricatures in various athletic poses, such as throwing a football, dribbling a basketball, and swinging a golf club. Collaboration with spirit squads and athletics staff aimed to modernize the mascot without losing its iconic identity.
Style & Branding Guide
An updated branding and style guide is underway, crafted in partnership with adidas, Torch Creative, LDWW, and the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC). When released next spring, it will govern the consistent application of marks across digital, print, apparel, facilities, and co-branding.
Phased Deployment & Merchandising Plans
Texas Tech plans a phased rollout of the new athletics identity:
- Infrastructure & Facilities: The modern Double T is already in place at key athletic venues. Over the next months, signage, wayfinding, and facility branding will be updated gradually.
- Uniforms & On-Field Use: The new mark will officially debut on athletic uniforms in the 2026–27 academic year. Until then, transitional usage will occur at select events.
- Merchandise Launch:
It’s important to note that the new marks will be restricted to Texas Tech Athletics usage only. The university’s academic and administrative departments will continue to use the more traditional, beveled three-dimensional Double T for campus branding.
Public Reaction & Branding Conversations
Public reaction to rebrands is always a mix—some skeptics worried about losing depth, while design advocates praised the clarity and adaptability of a flat mark. Heartland College Sports One Reddit user summed it up succinctly:
“If they keep putting up winning seasons, the ‘new’ logo will be ingrained for the fans …”
Media outlets also noted the shift’s alignment with current branding trends. Sports Illustrated observed that Texas Tech is returning to a retro-inspired “flat T” reminiscent of the identity used from 1963 to 1999, before the metallic bevel look became dominant.
As athletics branding becomes increasingly important to fan engagement and revenue strategies, Texas Tech devotes itself to flat, scalable design.
Why This Rebrand Matters
Unification of Athletics Identity
A single, coherent mark across all sports helps spin up brand strength, boosts recognition, and simplifies marketing efforts.
Modern Brand Adaptability
Flat logos scale better across digital media, signage, and apparel. They’re easier to animate, recolor, and adapt for emerging platforms.
Fan Engagement & Memorable Moments
Rebrands often help revive enthusiasm, especially when launched during a major event (like Homecoming) that captures alumni, donors, and media attention.
Merchandising & Licensing Growth
New, clean visual assets present fresh product opportunities. Limited-edition drops, modernized apparel, and enhanced co-branding options can boost revenue.
Strategic Positioning in Collegiate Athletics
As the sport landscape evolves—with name/image/likeness (NIL) deals, digital content, and enhanced media presence—strong, consistent branding becomes a competitive asset.
Looking Ahead: What to Watch
- Fan Adoption: Will long-time supporters embrace the new Double T? How vocal will reactions be on social media, fan forums, and boosters’ circles?
- Merchandise Success: Will the early adidas exclusive drop generate buzz and demand? How will licensed partners adopt the new identity?
- Rollout Cohesion: Smooth transitions across facilities, signage, and uniforms will be key. Inconsistent execution could dilute impact.
- Comparisons to Peer Schools: Observers will compare Texas Tech’s rebrand to contemporaries in the Big 12 and beyond—especially how well visual identity underscores institutional ethos.
- Legacy Integration: The balance between honoring tradition and pushing forward will be delicate. Keeping ties to the past while embracing innovation is the storytelling challenge.
The new Double T and expanded athletics family signal a purposeful step forward for Texas Tech. Adidas, LDWW, Torch Creative, and the Collegiate Licensing Company support the rebrand. Ultimately, its execution, fan reception, and ability to galvanize will measure the new identity. As Texas Tech Athletics enters a new era, the refreshed brand blends heritage and forward motion.
Classic and clean. Welcome to the new look of Texas Tech Athletics, coming in 2026.