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Big Ten Conference releases new 'Maps' commercial after official expansion

On3 imageby:Andrew Graham•08/02/24•

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(Screenshot via Big Ten on X/Twitter)

Across the Midwest — and now West Coast — hearts were surely warmed at the Big Ten releasing an updated version of it’s iconic “Maps” commercial. Now featured: The four new teams on the West Coast.

And it’s not just new campuses getting shown off in the video, along with the stadiums for their respective teams. Some key local landmarks also get featured.

As the view glides south into the Pacific Northwest, a float plane buzzes by in front of the Seattle Space Needle before Puddles, Oregon’s duck mascot, leaps through the yellow and green “O” logo. When Los Angeles comes into the frame, the Hollywood sign, Santa Monica Pier and the L.A. skyline get some shine.

From there, the commercial continues as it had through the league, going from Lincoln, Nebraska, all the way to East Coast outposts of Piscataway, New Jersey and College Park, Maryland.

And the song is the ever-familiar “Silver Lining” by Guard.

The Big Ten officially welcomed the four West Coast schools — Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA — to the league on Friday, Aug. 2.

New teams means a new mascot in the Big Ten: Puddles the Duck

For some reason, the Oregon Duck mascot, Puddles, mascot made an appearance at a Nebraska press conference Tuesday.

You can’t say the Ducks haven’t embraced the Big Ten culture at this point. Remember that giant inflatable duck at media days?

Anyway, you can see the duck trying to ask a question at the presser below.

This might be an early candidate for mascot of the year. Congrats to Puddles. Okay, we joke but this is still pretty funny, for whatever reason.

And Puddles’ antics are well worn, from riding on the back of a motorcycle onto the field for a football game at Autzen to shrinking himself to keep fans entertained during a TV timeout.

Head coach Dan Lanning is a big fan of Oregon’s innovations and risk-taking in market. 

“I’ve said it a few times, but it’s kind of like the first day of school, you don’t want to just walk in with new shoes, right,” Lanning said. “We certainly want to come in and make a splash and I think our marketing team does an unbelievable job of making sure that Oregon’s recognized nationally. They’ve always done a good job from a branding standpoint.

”But we have to go out there and win games that has very little to do with that but it creates excitement for our fans and certainly excitement for the Big Ten and Oregon joining that.”