Talk:Alaska Anchorage Seawolves

Fair use rationale for File:Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.svg

File:Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.svg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a non-free use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Non-free use rationale guideline is an easy way to ensure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

-- Marchjuly (talk) 01:31, 12 April 2017 (UTC)

Can the logo be used as non-free content per WP:LOGOS? "Many images of logos are used on Wikipedia and long standing consensus is that it is acceptable for Wikipedia to use logos belonging to others for encyclopedic purposes."— Preceding unsigned comment added by Yopienso (talk • contribs) 10:51, 12 April 2017 (UTC 9) (UTC)‎

Non-free logos are allowed to be used, but each use of the logo must satisfy all 10 of the non-free content criteria in WP:NFCCP. One of these criteria (actually one part of one of these criteria) is WP:NFCC#10c which requires that a separate specific non-free use rationale be provided for each use of the file. This particular use is lacking such a rationale as explained in the above template. Sometimes this can be a simple fix by simpling adding the necessary rationale to file's page; other times, it can be more tricky because not all non-free use is equivalent and the rationale needs to clearly demonstrate how the particular use of the file satisfies relevant policy. In this particular case and assuming that this is the mascot logo of the university's athletic teams, I think that all that needs to be done is provide a rationale for the article. However, I think there might be problems in using this particular file in the stand-alone articles about individual teams such as Alaska Anchorage Seawolves men's ice hockey because of WP:NFC#UUI17. Generally, the mascot logo is considered acceptable for athletic department logos, but something more specific to each team is required for their respective articles. The idvidual teams are considered to be child entries of the athletic department and it's typically in the athletic department's article where team branding/mascots are discussed. Usage in the individual team articles tends to be decorative which is something not really allowed by Wikipedia's non-free content use policy. Freely licensed or public domain images such as wordmark logos tend to be used in individual team articles. -- Marchjuly (talk) 02:11, 12 April 2017 (UTC)

Thanks for your explanation, which is actually above my expertise. That is indeed the logo of UAA and is widely displayed on campus and across Anchorage. I don't understand about giving rationales. I don't see how see how rules about lists apply to a child article about the hockey team. Thanks for doing your best to explain what I find a to be a byzantine system of permissions. YoPienso (talk) 04:21, 12 April 2017 (UTC)

One of the underlying fundamental principles of non-free use is that Wikipedia wants us to minimize non-free use as much as possible. This does not mean that a non-free image can only be used in one article; it just means we should strive to keep non-free usage to a minimun. When an editor wants to use a non-free image in a particlular article, they are supposed to provide a non-free use rationale which specifically shows how the particular way they want to use the file satisfies Wikpedia's non-free content use policy as explained in WP:NFCCE; otherwise, the file may be removed at anytime by someone else. So, if you think the non-free use of the file can be justified in this article and you can provide a rationale for it yourself, then feel free to do so. If you're not sure how to do that, then you can ask for help at WP:MCQ or WT:NFCC.

The other issue about NFC#UUI17 does not have to do with lists; it has to do with the use of a parent entity's logo in articles about child entities. The link I posted above is tricky, but you need to look for item No.17 right above "Non-free image use in list articles". This once again has to do with trying to keep non-free use as minimal as possible. Non-free use is not automatic and should be justified in each and every case. Individual team articles are generally considered to be child entities of athletic departments for non-free purposes, and therefore it's preferable to use a logo specific to the individual team rather than simply re-using the mascot logo over and over again. Even if an individual team does not have it's own specific branding per se, the default is not to use the mascot logo. If you want to get other feedback on this, you can ask at WT:NFCC or WP:MCQ, but in my opinion the non-free use of the file is more appropriate and easier to justify in this article than it is in the hockey team's article, unless by chance the imagery is something unique to the hockey team. -- Marchjuly (talk) 05:04, 12 April 2017 (UTC)