The Scottish Premier League (SPL) was the top division of Scottish professional football from 1998 until 2013, when it merged with the Scottish Football League (SFL) to form the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL). The top flight of the new merged body was renamed the Scottish Premiership, and it is this current league identity, governed by the SPFL, that carries the visual mark most associated with Scottish top-flight football today.
Design and History
The current Scottish Premiership identity was created as part of a wider rebrand of Scottish league football. In 2013, the SPL and SFL merged to create the SPFL, and the new body unveiled its brand identity on 23 July 2013 at Hampden Park. The four divisions were named the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two.[1]
The branding was created by Glasgow agency Material (also referred to as Material Marketing or Material_Works). The design merged the lion image from the former SFL logo with the football image from the SPL design to create a single icon.[2] A representative from Material_Works explained the approach: “By using the ball from the SPL and the lion taken from the SFL logos, we have created a clear and contemporary representation of the merged bodies within the new logo, which portrays their shared vision for the future.”[3]
The launch was met with some criticism, with observers noting that the lion-based logo was similar to the Barclays Premier League insignia in England. SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster defended the design, insisting the motif reflected the passion and drama of the Scottish game.[4]
Prior to the merger, the SPL had used a distinct identity from 1998. A designer who pitched for that original SPL contract in June 1998 documented the process, noting that his preferred concept, a “P”-shaped football player within a thistle-shaped shield, was not selected. He recalled that the saltire “X” motif, which he had discounted as potentially reading as a negative symbol or a draw in football terms, was the direction ultimately chosen.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The symbolism of the current SPFL mark is documented by those involved in its creation. The lion was drawn from the SFL identity, while the football element came from the SPL logo, visually representing the merger of the two bodies.[2] Former Scotland international Graeme Souness, who helped launch the brand, commented on the meaning of the lion: “A lion shows that you are strong and fear no one, and the colours are a true representation of Scotland.”[3]
Typography and Design
In 2021, the SPFL announced cinch as its title sponsor in a five-year deal. As part of this arrangement, the company’s logo was incorporated into the League’s composite logo, which appears on every player’s sleeve. The leagues became known as the cinch Premiership, cinch Championship, cinch League 1 and cinch League 2.[6] This sponsorship arrangement affects the composite mark used on matchday kits, while the underlying SPFL league identity remains the core visual for the Scottish Premiership.
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
