How do Montana’s license plates reflect the state’s divided football pride?

BILLINGS — On Saturday, the “Brawl of the Wild” football game between the University of Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State University Bobcats captured the attention of fans across the state. While the jersey colors filled the stands, the competition was also reflected on the streets.

With nearly 400 different sponsored license plates on offer, one of the largest in the country, Montana offers residents a wide variety of ways to show support for local causes. All proceeds from these license plates go to fund 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations statewide.

“The number is huge. There’s a lot of revenue coming in for these nonprofits, and it’s going to be put to good use,” said Mike Walker, Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Vehicle Services and Motor Vehicle Division in Montana.

Seventy-five percent of the funds must remain in Montana, but nonprofit organizations may use the funds at their own discretion.

“There are some rules about how much you have to sell within a certain period of time, which is three years, which I think is keeping your plate a non-profit,” Walker said. “Every time we inspect twice a year, there are approximately six to eight new plates applying to become sponsored plates.”

While our state offers one of the most diverse plate options in the country, the rivalry between the Grizzlies and Bobcats takes center stage. Sponsored plaques bring in approximately $300,000 a year to both universities, which goes to support scholarships.

The rivalry between the Griz and the Cats is fierce. According to Walker, there are 10,983 license plates supporting the University of Montana Grizzlies, while the Bobcats have 10,007.

“We’re barely a chestnut state according to license plates,” Walker said.

The divide between Griz and Bobcat fans isn’t just a statewide phenomenon, it’s also reflected in Montana’s counties. In Missoula County, home of the University of Montana, about 94% of specialty license plates are Griz-themed; From 2,866 Griz to 184 Bobcats. On the other hand, in Gallatin County, where Montana State University is located, Bobcat license plates dominate by a similar margin of 102 Griz to 1,780 Bobcat.

In Yellowstone County, the numbers are tipping in favor of the Bobcats; There are 1,411 Griz plates compared to 1,768 Bobcat plates. But Cascade County is the most evenly split, with 1,049 MSU plates and 1,046 UM plates.

Other districts are more divided. Silverbow County has 381 UM plates to 188 MSU plates, and Flathead County has about 1,000 UM plates compared to 500 MSUs.

Fans of both teams often request personalized license plates to represent their support, and according to Walker, those requests aren’t always easy to accommodate, especially when the messages aren’t so friendly. They usually have to decline a personalized Griz or Cat themed request once a month.

“We get requests all the time for personalized Cat and Griz plates, and they’re not always pretty, so we don’t always let them leave here, but they’re competitive,” Walker said. “‘Go Griz’ and ‘Go Cats’ have their own variations, and of course there can only be one plate with that text on it, so people are starting to get pretty creative there.”

No matter which team you support, it’s clear that Montanans have a deep-seated pride in their team and their plate.

“People take a lot of pride in the things they put on their vehicles. I’ve seen that sentiment over the years. People love their plates,” Walker said.