In the second quarter at Camp Randall Stadium, quarterback Ryan Colburn dropped back to pass as receiver Devon Wylie ran a fly route towards the end zone.

Wylie beat his defender and Colburn hit his receiver right in stride. As Wylie raced towards the goal line, Wisconsin defenders and the 80,000 fans in the stadium all saw one thing — the back of Wylie’s helmet and the Green “V.”

The Green “V” shows up every weekend when the football team takes the field and the sticker is clearly seen on the back of every player’s bright red helmet.

With all this exposure, most fans might think that they can purchase the sticker and join in on the pride of the school and the Valley.

But actually, the public can no longer purchase the sticker. The first year the sticker became part of the uniform, it was sold to the public.

In a phone interview, Paul Ladwig, associate athletics director, explained why fans cannot get the sticker.

“It is not a mark for the public to buy,” Ladwig said. “It is a very special trademark for athletes to wear on their uniforms to represent the Valley.”

The sticker has not been sold for about three years, but The Bulldog Shop still gets questions about where to buy the sticker. Diane Vrok, manager of The Bulldog Shop said, “Every day someone comes in and asks about it.”

The concept for the sticker came from football head coach Pat Hill about nine years ago. Just because Hill created the Green “V,” it does not mean that only football uses the sticker as a symbol of the valley.
“Every team has a Green “V” on the jersey,” Ladwig said.

The “V” stands for the Valley and has special meaning behind it. According to the Bulldog Foundation, “The Green “V” is a symbol that Fresno State uses to represent the pride of the San Joaquin Valley in being the richest agricultural region in the world.”

Not only is the “V” used for Fresno State athletics, but the Green “V” Society also uses the symbol. The Green “V” Society is part of The Bulldog Foundation. The sticker is not handed out, according to Ladwig, but businesses that are apart of the Green “V” Society can put the symbol on clothes that they wish to distribute.

Fans cannot legally make their own sticker and buying one is no longer an option. The Green “V” is a trademark.

“Anybody who wants to replicate would have to have permission,” Ladwig said.

The “V” stands for the Valley and that is where Fresno State fans work, play and root for their ’Dogs every time they take the field.