Wearing your school colors, and what being a Sun Devil means


Like most people, I enjoy wearing my school colors. I graduated from Arizona State University, and that makes me a Sun Devil. The term "Sun Devil" by the way, refers to the Sun Angel Foundation, which has supported ASU Athletics for over fifty years now.

But being a Sun Devil, and wearing my school colors, means much more to me than whatever game is being played at my old Alma Mater. I never played football, and I really can't tell you the names of people who did. I recall going to a game or two, but I never considered the term "Sun Devil" as meaning only people who played sports at my school. It was everyone who went there, including me. I still feel that way.

I'm an old Marketing guy (my degree was in Graphic Design with a minor in Advertising) so I understand the importance of promoting the sale of tickets to sporting events at colleges. It's big business, and it brings in a LOT of much-needed money to schools, much more than people would just donate. And from a Marketing point of view, having people walking around wearing their school colors is great free advertising for the sale of these tickets. Of course, all of the money doesn't go to my school, but a big chunk does. There are always going to be people profiting from these things, and that's how it all works (I learned that in Economics class at ASU).

I'm proud of my school. The degree I earned that has served me well. I visit the Tempe campus as much as I can, and am always proud to show it off, especially the amazing arboretum (which is the entire campus). ASU does some awesome state-of-the-art stuff, and it helps to preserve historical buildings, such as the ones in downtown Phoenix.

I stopped wearing my school colors for many years, when I got tired of people asking me if I "knew the score of the game" just because I was wearing an ASU sweatshirt. I resented the thought that people considered my school to just be a football team. It's so much more than that. If that's all you see, I understand, it's Marketing. But if you see more, you're with me.

Go Devils!

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