The NFL Sports Logo

The current logo, introduced in 1970, has remained fashionable throughout its 37 year history. Bearing this in mind, designers were careful not to trifle with its legacy when the decision was made to give the sports logo a makeover.

The shield design has been in use ever since 1940, two decades after the NFL was founded. The basic shape has remained unchanged, as has the font for the bright red lettering. The current sports logo features 25 white stars set against a blue background, framing the top of the logo. No one knows why 25 stars were selected as it appears to have no historical significance. This was taken into consideration in redeveloping the NFL logo, as from next year, the logo will be adorned with eight slightly larger stars. The eight stars represent the number of AFC and NFC divisions that comprise the NFL. It has the added benefit of making the logo appear less cluttered. The football that features in the center of the stars has been altered to resemble the football that sits atop the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The new sports logo design is more instantly recognizable as a football, compared to the old design that was jokingly nicknamed “the hamburger” inside league offices due to its ambiguous appearance. The new design is taller, slimmer, and uses darker shades of red and blue. It is believed the new, simpler, NFL logo will have more impact on TV promos. Less detail will also show up better on “third screens” that are increasingly used by sports fans in the modern age, such as cellphones, laptops, and iPods.

The updated NFL logo will come into effect in the 2008 season. The changes, although subtle, will still be an expensive and and exhaustive undertaking to implement. NFL sponsors such as Reebok, Riddell, Wilson and EA Sports will have to alter everything from uniforms, licensed merchandise, game balls and official video games.

NFL senior vice president of marketing, Lisa Baird, felt it necessary to make “an evolutionary, not a radical change”. A sentiment most prudent when dealing with arguably the most popular sports logo in the world. By placing value in the logos great legacy, designers have ensured the shields tremendous prominence in the sporting landscape will continue unabated.