The Premier League is the most watched football league in the world. It has enjoyed sustained popularity mainly because of the competitiveness of its matches.
Year after year fans are treated to some thrilling footballing action not just by the big six but also by the other clubs.
It is needless to say that football is the centre of everything but it should also be kept in mind that the visual and aesthetic aspects of the game play a role in enhancing the experience of the fans watching games on screens.
Since its inauguration in 1992 the Premier League has come a long way. On its three decade journey football fans have witnessed a lot of changes starting from rules and playing styles to kits, theme songs and television graphics.
These little things add up and prepare the fans for a rich and engaging viewing experience.
The agents of change
In it’s first edition the Premier League logo featured a blue heraldic lion with its paw on a red and white ball. The logo represented the Premier League in its early years.
Throughout its history the league has been sponsored by different sponsors and they played a role in deciding the branding and the graphics.
In February 2016, the League announced a new visual identity for the season. This new branding was done by DesignStudio in collaboration with Robin Brand Consultants. The design marked a shift from the heraldic imagery that was used previously.
What fans say
The change in the league logo received mixed reactions from football fans. Some were of the opinion that the old was better while others thought that the new logo did not stand for the Premier League’s heritage.
Furthermore, there were complaints that the colour scheme used in the new score graphic made it hard for some fans to see the score. Another group of fans felt that the new score graphic was too American in style. Still others said that the old score graphic had a bold, professional, classic but modern feel about it.
In October 2022, Sky Sports and BT Sport partnered with the Premier League’s technology partner Genius Sports to introduce real-time graphics and data in broadcasts.
The new score graphic that has been implemented in the 2023-24 has received criticism from viewers during a league match on Sky Sports. This might be the result of the partnership that was announced last year.
