Leeds United is one of England's most historic and successful football clubs. They are former winners of the top-flight division and the FA Cup, and the team has also enjoyed some success in European competition.
As a result, they are a significant draw for sponsors and other commercial partners. The list of major brands to be associated with Leeds includes Adidas, JD Sports, and Boost Drinks.
The Story Behind the Redesign
As Leeds approached their centenary year in 2019, the club proposed a radical redesign of their logo, which had already changed many times. It was reported a year earlier that a new crest had been in the pipeline and that it was to be inspired by the Leeds song ‘Marching on Together.’
A club statement confirmed the details of the new logo, claiming that the fans were eager to usher in a new era. At that point, Leeds United were playing in the second tier of English football and were still targeting promotion to the Premier League.
It was felt that the existing badge had negative connotations, as it was associated with a largely unsuccessful period in the team’s history. It was time to move on, and Leeds entered a six-month consultation process.
During this time, approximately 10,000 people contributed to the discussions. Former players, fans, staff, local community members, and Leeds United’s owner were all involved in the process. At the end of the six-month consultation period, the result was revealed.
The Result
The proposed new crest featured Leeds’ classic white, yellow, and blue colors. The name ‘Leeds United’ was prominently displayed at the top of the badge. The central part of the crest featured a player's torso with their right arm across their chest.
At the bottom of the badge, the phrase " Celebrating fans" appeared at the heart of our identity. Finally, the logo signed off with #MOT—a famous hashtag fans use across social media, which stands for "Marching on Together."
The crest was complete, but how would the club’s supporters receive it?
The Reaction
Just a few days after the proposed badge was released, Leeds United issued an update to their initial announcement. They said they would reopen consultation following ‘widespread criticism’ from the club’s fans.
While 10,000 people had been involved in the first consultation, it seemed that Leeds had not extended the matter to the broader fan base.
A petition against the new logo best underlined the backlash. Leeds United supporter Steven Barrett organized it, and within a few hours of the crest’s unveiling, no fewer than 50,000 people had signed it.
There seemed to be two main concerns over the new design. Firstly, the proposed badge bore more than a passing resemblance to the logo used by Gaviscon, a famous producer of medicines to tackle heartburn and indigestion.
More worrying was the link between the design and examples of far-right-wing imagery. As a combination, it didn’t make for an excellent look for the club. Local MP Richard Burton was another to voice his concerns, stating that the new badge ‘filled him with horror.’
This resulted in scenes similar to that of a poker game online, the fans knew they had the most substantial hand, and the club was likely to give in and fold due to the pressure. And within a few hours, the club quickly released a statement confirming they would look again at their plans. While the badge was produced with good intentions, the criticism was so widespread and severe that it was clear that the crest would never be implemented.
No Shame in Backtracking
Leeds United’s plans to introduce their new badge in 2019 met with disaster, but the club eventually showed that it was prepared to listen to their supporters. Shortly after the plans were shelved, Leeds implemented a new crest featuring subtle changes to their existing design.
There was no shame in Leeds going back on their controversial crest. The mistake was not to involve the broader fanbase in the first place, but this was quickly rectified. Unfortunately, the club would suffer relegation at the end of the 2022/23 English domestic season. Still, a previous spell in the Premier League suggests they are continuing to move in the right direction.
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