KAA Gent, officially Koninklijke Atletiek Associatie Gent, is a Belgian football club based in Ghent. Its visual identity is built around the nickname “De Buffalo’s” and the image of a Native American chief, a motif that first appeared on a supporters’ flag in 1924 and became the club’s official logo in the 1970s.[1]
Design and History
The club’s earliest visual markers were simple. In 1900, the football section of the omnisport club Association Athlétique La Gantoise used the coat of arms of the city of Ghent on flags and publications, with the name abbreviated as AAG.[2] A manuscript from 1914 describes a white shield with black initials “A.A.G.”[2] After the club received the royal title in 1914, the initials became ARAG, and this monogram appeared on shirts and club buildings for decades.[2]
The Buffalo imagery traces back to September 1906, when the circus of William Cody, known as Buffalo Bill, visited Ghent. Students adopted the cry “Buffalo! Buffalo!” and it entered the club’s culture through its athletics section.[1] In 1924, a Native American chief appeared for the first time on a supporters’ flag of the football section.[1] The image spread through supporter initiatives over the following decades. Board members of the football section wore the emblem on their suit vests from the 1960s, and in the 1970s the Native American became the official logo of the football club.[1]
The Buffalo first appeared on player shirts in the 1981-1982 season, introduced by kit sponsor Le Coq Sportif. It disappeared when Adidas became kit sponsor in 1988, then returned in 1993-1994 and has remained on the shirt since.[2] An older Buffalo design was used from 1993 for three years, followed in 1996 by a “young Buffalo” version that lasted 17 years, the longest-used design in the club’s history.[2]
With the move to a new stadium, KAA Gent developed its first house style and adapted the logo so the Buffalo would face forward. After the proposed design met with a lukewarm response from supporters, the club involved them in the process. Season ticket holders chose the current logo in a supporters’ referendum from three proposals submitted by supporters.[2] The winning design was created by a supporter from the stands, a graphic designer named Joe.[3] The logo incorporated the club name “KAA Gent” and “Stamnummer 7”. A round version was used on shirts, with an alternative for print work; since 2024 the club mainly uses the round logo.[2]
In the summer of 2023, the club’s statutes were amended so that the official logo and official colors can only be changed if the supporters, represented by the supporters’ council, agree in advance.[2]
For the club’s 125th anniversary in 2025, KAA Gent introduced a special “feestlogo” (celebration logo) featuring the interwoven letters A and G with the year 1901. The design revives the “sweater d’honneur” created by Madame Renton, mother of player Willy Renton, which was awarded to the most deserving player at the end of the first official season in December 1901.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The club’s nickname “De Buffalo’s” dates from the 1920s and stems from a student tradition in Ghent, itself inspired by the 1906 visit of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show.[1] The club states that supporters associated KAA Gent with values such as respect and honor, which they attributed to Native Americans rather than to the colonial oppressor.[1]
KAA Gent is aware of the societal debate around stereotypical images of Native Americans used by sports clubs. The club states it uses its logo to draw attention in Europe to the social situation of Native American communities today and asks supporters and staff to wear the logo with respect and responsibility.[1]
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