The collection of independent symbols or badge used to put an identity to the sports club is known as a club crest. It is undoubtedly the most important aspect of a sports club for its fans and the community. In our previous blog, we discussed about football clubs becoming global brands. The club crest, in today’s times, can be called as the brand logo and in extension, becomes the sports club’s biggest identity.
Martyn Routledge, author of The Beautiful Badge, co-written with Elspeth Wills, says, “Football fans hate using the word brand. They really kick off if they think their club is a brand, but it is, and that’s not being offensive.”
A European football club’s crest has always been of historical relevance, either through the place of origin or something associated with the place like animal, people or even local landmarks. It is this history that is being taken forward by the crest, now increasingly redesigned to become more contemporary in the quest of becoming a global brand.
In this blog, we discuss about the crest, reasons behind its adaptations in newer versions and why it is the biggest asset of the club in global markets.
Crest or Logo
Football business is growing across. While the media rights revenue are plateauing and ticketing revenues having its own limited growth potential, it is the commercial revenue segment which is growing y-o-y for the clubs and in turn collectively for the leagues. One important part of the commercial revenue is merchandising and licensing. With increasing global reach & considerable fan following, football clubs are becoming keen on exploiting this part to the fullest.
We have seen how Paris Saint-Germain and Jordan Brand have collaborated successfully to transcend the boundaries of sport and fashion, establishing the club as a fashionable brand in global markets especially China. Similarly, Venezia FC, coming back from the brink of liquidation to becoming of a ‘fashion-forward brand’. This is not just limited to fashion but other areas too and the emerging situation is metamorphosing the club to take the shape of a brand and as such, the crest is fast becoming a ‘logo’ in itself representing it. In all accounts, club is becoming a brand and there’s nothing wrong with it and so is the crest becoming a logo.
Redesigning the Crest
As is said, life is all about changes. In the constantly changing football industry, one area which is undergoing changes is the crest design. In most of the cases, the changes being made in the existing crest design is directed towards a more minimalistic, logo-like approach. In recent times, we have seen some big clubs make the changes like Juventus and more recently Napoli. In fact, amongst the 24/25 Premier League clubs, only Manchester United, Newcastle United and Ipswich Town are clubs not to have made any alterations to their crests since 2000.
For the most recent changes in Napoli crest, it has been revamped with the traditional Napoleonic N now more minimalist and contemporary in design which is shorn of extra elements making it look cleaner, more stylish in a monochrome variant. On the other hand, there are clubs like AFC Ajax who have added more to the existing crest to focus more on their historical relevance.
We look at some of the reasons why the changes are being made:
- Growing internationalisation
- Easier reproduction to fit the prevalent smartphone screen and other digital presence and multiple other avenues for licensing & merchandising
- More contemporary & youthful appeal based on the growing appetite for simplistic design
With so much of the football business being relied on commercial appeal, such design changes often become a need of the hour. In such a scenario, it is very important to communicate & educate the need and essence of the changes to the fans and other stakeholders such as employees, investors, partners, suppliers, and media. The key is always to convert them into the biggest advocates. This involves a deep understanding of communication process.
SBI is proud to present a specialised course in this regard, the Postgraduate Diploma in Football Digital Media & Communications, which will help you gain an in-depth understanding of the global football industry, equipping you with the tools to connect with fans, build impactful campaigns, and drive the future of sports communications. You can read more about the course here
Crest is the Biggest Asset
Fact of the matter is, crest is the biggest asset a sports club can have. Within itself, the crest carries years of history, legacy and the reason-of-existence of the sports club. In this age of internationalization where the club is seeking newer territories to expand and build fans, it is the crest which can be a club’s biggest marketing asset. Take the case of NFL’s internationalization strategy or any of the European football clubs venturing into newer markets like India, China or the USA, the crest should be the centerpiece of brand communication.
We have put together some pointers as suggestions for utilizing the crest or logo as a brand and marketing asset.
In Conclusion
Irrespective of what’s it called, the club’s crest or logo, it is their biggest brand asset. The logo carries with itself, decades of history and legacy and it needs to be treated accordingly. Whether its brand marketing, fan reach-out program or establishing the club in newer markets, the crest needs to be the centerpiece of attention and deservedly so!
