NORTHRIDGE COULD PAY $15,000 FOR LOGO.

Byline: Daily News

Cal State Northridge's redesigned logo, part of a long-planned and overdue marketing overhaul for the entire CSUN athletic program, could cost as little as $15,000, athletic director Paul Bubb said Thursday.

SME Design Inc. of New York - which specializes in redesigning collegiate and professional sports logos - charges between $15,000 and $88,000 for a typical project. CSUN's bill will be on the low end of that range, Bubb said, although the final cost is unknown because the work is uncompleted.

Northridge is paying for the job from a discretionary, fund-raisingaccount that includes donations from individuals and sponsorships, not from taxpayer money. The project has been planned for two years, according to Bubb, and budgeted since December.

Analysts have told athletic department officials that the school is in dire need of a modern marketing concept to enhance both its public image and income potential from the sale of officially licensed school merchandise, Bubb said.

The school is planning to introduce its new logo during its homecoming game against Sacramento State on Oct. 25. Until then, the football team will be sporting a new, secondary logo on its players' helmets.