Old crest rejected, but new crest to change
11 May: Ajax will not re-introduce the classic old
club crest that was used from 1925 to 1991, but the club have
decided to study a possible change of
the current Ajax logo, which is deemed too 'cold' and
'business-like' by many supporters. The club are willing to
replace it with a new logo based on the 'classic' crest. That
is the outcome of yesterday's meeting of the Board of Members
with the board and directors of the club. The issue was put on
the agenda after supporters had started a large-scale campaign
for the
return of the old club crest.
The initiators of the campaign put up posters all over
Amsterdam with the slogan 'Give Ajax its face back!', created a
special website and generated media
attention for the desire of the Ajax faithful. The campaign
reached its climax last weekend, when an enormous banner of the
old Ajax crest was put up on the façade of the
Stadsschouwburg ('City Theatre') at Amsterdam's
Leidseplein and the so-called 'Ajax March' was organized: a
procession of hundreds of supporters from the place that was
once the centre-spot of Ajax's home ground De Meer to the
Amsterdam ArenA, where the old crest was symbolically presented
to Ajax chairman John Jaakke and general director Arie van
Eijden.
The fan campaign was remakable and succesful: board and
directors decided to put the issue on the agenda for the next
meeting of the club's Board of Members, which took place this
week on Tuesday 10 May. The following morning Ajax published
the following statement on their official website, Ajax.nl
(read the original Dutch-language version here):
The Ajax logo
Yesterday evening Ajax's board, directors and Board of
Members have discussed the desire of the supporters to
bring back the old Ajax club crest. If board and directors
wish to change the Ajax logo they require the permission
of the Board of Members according to the byelaws of AFC
Ajax.
In the past couple of months the supporters have made
clear that they feel the current Ajax logo lacks the history,
character and 'aura' of Ajax as a club. They feel that the
old logo does have those qualities. For that reason
they started a campaign for the return of the old logo that
was - by the way - very professional and positive. These and
other arguments and backgrounds of the issue have been
discussed by the board and directors, who also obtained
professional advice on the matter.
It has become clear that - even after fifteen years - the
current club crest does not give an important group of Ajax
supporters a feeling of warmth. This fact in particular was
the reason for board and directors of AFC Ajax to study the
possibilities of changing the current club logo.
Board and directors of Ajax wish to state explicitly that
it is their opinion that the old logo is not
suitable and can not return in its original form. The old
logo is not appropriate for today's Ajax or the Ajax of the
future. Some characteristics of the old logo are
very strong and have a certain magic, but other aspects
of it - including composition, typography - are no longer up
to modern standards. As a club Ajax does not only have a
great past, but particularly a great future. Our club crest
must exude that.
After a heated discussion the Board of Members agreed to
the change of the Ajax club crest. The Board of Members
explicitly underscored that deliberation with the supporters
is required. Board and directors will soon talk to the
supporters and submit their suggestions and proposals to the
Board of Members.
One day after the publication of the above
statement on Ajax.nl the initiators of the fan campaign
published the following statement on the AjaxLogo.nl
website:
Ajacieden,
In reaction to yesterday's decision by the Board
of Members we have been in touch with Ajax several times
today. These telephone conversations have not clarified
matters sufficiently just yet.
At the moment we do not have enough information
on the arguments of the Board of Members that have led to the
choices of the board. Also, it is as yet uncertain whether
the classic logo will be modernized or the current logo
adjusted. In the next few days, there will be further talks
between Ajax and the Ajax Supporters' Delegation (ASD). We
will wait for the outcome of these talks before we come to a
final conclusion.
We ask you for a little more patience. After the
talks of the ASD with board and directors we will
inform you again. At present, disappointment
prevails about the decision that Ajax not (yet) get its face
back.
Ajax USA will run crucial updates or
future statements from Ajax.nl and/or the AjaxLogo.nl
website as news reports. However, we also advise you to
stay tuned to the Ajax
club crest discussion thread on Ajax Talk,
official discussion partner of Ajax USA. Updates and statements
of 'less impact' will be posted there by members of the Ajax
USA staff. (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl, Ajax Logo.nl
UPDATE 13 May: The AjaxLogo.nl
website published a new statement today: 'We are surprised
by Ajax's decision, or in fact deeply disappointed. Changing
the current Ajax logo was never our goal. If that was the case
we would have focused on that in our campaign. On Thursday
evening there has been an emotional conversation between the
Ajax Supporters Delegation (ASD) and Ajax, represented by John
Jaakke (chairman), Arie van Eijden (general director) and
Jacques Nagel (manager marketing & sales). The conversation
made clear that Ajax have adopted the viewpoints of the two
market research companies they hired. Those are business
viewpoints, not coming from an Ajax heart (...) The ASD
reviewed the designs for the new logo. They are unacceptable to
us and we will continue to claim that the old logo
should be the starting point. Next week we will talk to
Ajax again and we will offer Ajax one last chance to meet that
wish. (Source: AjaxLogo.nl)
Related links
