Among global sporting leagues, not many logos are as recognizable as the NFL Shield. While other leagues seemingly continue to rebrand themselves, the history of the NFL logo has seen relatively minimal changes.
The History Behind the NFL Shield Logo
The NFL is not an organization that makes sweeping changes to its logo. That conservative nature does not only apply to the NFL Shield itself but to team logos as well.
The reported average changes to NFL team logos through the league’s history is just 3.7. On average, an NFL team logo remains the same for 14 years. The most frequent logo change belongs to the Cincinnati Bengals, who have changed their logo on average every 7.7 years.
The NFL Shield still looks remarkably similar to the one used at the initiation of the league back in 1920. Any changes that have been made have been focused on modernizing the logo to suit the demands of the current time.
The NFL Logo Took its Current Form in the 1940s
The 1940s is as close as it came to the NFL Shield seeing a major revamp. The NFL wording moved down, and the stars were placed above the wording. The stripes on the logo were made pink as the NFL Shield took on the form that would largely remain for the following 80 years.
Further Logo Refinements
The changes to the logo following that change in the 1940s were relatively subtle. The shades of the colors changed on the logo, including the removal of the red lines behind the logo in the 1960s. Further subtle changes were made in the 1980s, and then again, in the 2000s. The most significant change post-1940 came in 2008 when the NFL made relatively sweeping changes to their logo.
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The shield profile of the logo is said to represent the league’s commitment to the highest standard of sporting entertainment. The colors mainly consist of the colors of the American flag — red, white, and blue.
One subtle change that has been upgraded recently is the font. The font has become sharper, including the removal of the loop on the “L”.
Why Are There Eight Stars on the NFL Logo?
The NFL logo that we see today contains eight stars after being revamped in 2008. The redesign was somewhat subtle, with the NFL making the shield slightly taller and thinner. The most noticeable differences were a transition to slightly darker colors, a change in the football, and a reduction of the number of stars to the eight we see today.
The previous NFL logo had 25 stars. Yet, the reasoning behind that is not clear. Therefore, the NFL reduced the number of stars to eight. The eight stars represent the eight divisions currently used in the NFL.
The change in the football on the NFL logo also has a purpose. The NFL remodeled the ball on the logo to look more like the one that is found on the top of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
One of the key elements behind the re-development in 2008 was to optimize the logo for the modern way the sport is viewed. The expectations of the changes were to make the logo stand out more on television as well as on the smaller screens that more and more fans are using to view the sport.
How Can You Get Permission to Use the NFL Logo?
In order to get permission to use the NFL logo, there must be a request for a license. This license allows the holder to produce products bearing official NFL logos, including the NFL Shield itself. However, the NFL does not offer to license small businesses or people producing items as a hobby.
According to upcounsel.com, a number of conditions must be met before a license will be issued. These include proof of business experience totaling three years, proof that you are the manufacturer of the product, and demonstration of the quality of the product.
There must also be a prepaid royalty guarantee of $100,000. In addition, the business needs a commercial insurance policy of $6 million and liability coverage totaling $12 million.
What Can Happen if You Do Not Get a License?
The NFL is almost constantly monitoring for any sign of the production of unlicensed products. If the business fails to obtain a license, then the NFL can prevent the sale of the product containing their logo.
Additionally, there may also be the case where any profits made from the sale of the items must be paid to the NFL. Depending on the severity, the NFL can also request the products in question be surrendered, and potentially, file a trademark infringement lawsuit.