Why Do Football Clubs Rebrand Their Logos? Tradition, Modernity, and Missteps.
Football club logos are more than just designs—they’re symbols of identity, tradition, and belonging. Changing a crest, even slightly, can ignite fierce debate among fans who feel that their club’s heritage is being tampered with. While rebranding can be a smart move for commercial or practical reasons, clubs walk a tightrope between modernisation and alienation. Done tastefully, it’s a subtle nod to progress. Done poorly, it’s a betrayal of history. Here’s a critical look at why clubs rebrand, the marketing and cost implications, and how it plays out in real-world examples.
The Juventus Problem: When Logos Lose Their Soul
In 2017, Juventus unveiled a hyper-minimal “J” logo, abandoning their traditional crest for a design that feels more tech start-up than football club. While the idea was to position Juventus as a sleek, modern lifestyle brand, the logo’s coldness alienated fans. Juventus’ crest lacks any nod to its rich history. The hyper-simplification might save on printing costs and look clean on digital platforms, but it feels detached from the heritage that makes football special. Fans felt the club prioritised appealing to global markets over staying true to its roots. It’s an example of modernisation going too far, making the club feel more corporate than cultural.
Ajax: Adding Depth, Not Stripping It Away
Ajax took the opposite approach. In 2024, the club reverted to its detailed 1990 crest to celebrate its 125th anniversary. This redesign bucked the modern trend of simplification and emphasised tradition over cost efficiency. While Ajax’s previous minimalist crest already paid homage to the club’s history, this change feels deliberate—a statement that Ajax values culture and legacy more than financial optimisation. It’s a rare case where adding complexity to a logo enhances its emotional weight. Fans loved the move, which aligns with Ajax’s reputation as a club that champions history and community.
PSG and the Jumpman Collaboration: Viral but Risky
PSG’s 2018 partnership with Jordan Brand’s Jumpman logo was a marketing masterstroke. It blurred the lines between football and fashion, making PSG the club of choice for a younger, global audience. Merchandise sales skyrocketed, and the collaboration cemented PSG’s position as a lifestyle brand. But there’s a downside. While the Jumpman aligns with PSG’s modern, opulent image, it shifts focus from football to commercial appeal. Fans see the club’s ambition to “go viral,” but at what cost? PSG risks losing its identity as a football-first institution, especially in a league that struggles to command global respect. It’s a short-term win that might hurt in the long run.
Liverpool: Modernising with Respect
Liverpool’s decision to remove the Anfield Gates from their crest and simplify it to the Liver bird was a rare example of rebranding done thoughtfully. While the gates and torches are no longer part of the crest, they remain part of the club’s identity, maintained in other digital and physical representations. This approach worked because it balanced tradition with practicality. The crest is easier to replicate across formats, but the gates and torches remain significant symbols of the club. Liverpool shows that modernising doesn’t mean abandoning history—it’s about adapting it for today’s platforms.
Why Clubs Rebrand: Marketing and Cost Implications
Rebranding is often driven by two main factors: Cost Efficiency: Simplified logos are cheaper to print on merchandise and easier to adapt to digital platforms. Global Appeal: Modern logos aim to attract a wider, often younger, audience who value clean, minimalist designs. But these benefits come at a cost. Alienating loyal fans can tarnish a club’s reputation. For historic institutions, the long-term damage of losing connection with their core supporters often outweighs the short-term gains.
The Right Way to Rebrand
Rebranding is not inherently bad. Subtle tweaks can streamline costs and modernise a club’s image without erasing its identity. But when clubs prioritise being trendy or hyper-minimal over honouring tradition, they risk severing ties with their most loyal fans. Ajax’s recent move shows that respecting history can be a marketing play in itself. Juventus, on the other hand, highlights how ignoring tradition can backfire. PSG’s Jumpman collaboration demonstrates how branding moves can generate buzz but risk undermining the club’s integrity.
The Takeaway
Rebranding a football club’s logo should be about evolution, not erasure. Historic clubs have a responsibility to their fans to maintain strong ties to their past while adapting to modern needs. Logos should embody the spirit of the club, not just streamline costs or chase fleeting trends. Done right, a rebrand can be sustainable, practical, and even lucrative. But more often than not, drastic changes leave fans feeling disconnected, turning clubs into corporations rather than communities. At its heart, football is about passion and belonging—and a crest should always reflect that.