Soccer is the most watched and played sport with over 4 billion fans and supporters around the world . The sport commands a high level of passion and commitment from it fans and this is one of the numerous reasons that contributes to its vast popularity. The game of soccer brings people of different races, classes, social and political status, region and religion together. The roots of soccer runs deep into the culture and traditions of people.
Even at the club side level, soccer is often associated with a particular place, an example of this is the Barcelona FC which is located in Barcelona the capital of catalonia in Spain, the football club originated from amongst the people and has grown and developed with them ever since and this explains the very high level of dedication and commitment that the people have for the club and soccer at large. Another example of how soccer is rooted to a particular place is seen in Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid which are both located in Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan which are both located in Milan, dynamo Kiev in Kiev, locomotive Moscow in Moscow, Bayern Munich in Munich, Liverpool FC in Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City in Manchester etc.
Just like the football clubs themselves, the banners used by these clubs most times are also deeply rooted in the peoples culture and tradition. The banners often carry the logo of the football club and these logos symbols back into the history of the people. For example, most of the banners in Barcelona carries the logo of the club,
This logo tells a brief story about the history of the people, the cross on the upper left of the logo refers to the Saint George’s cross who was a Saint in catalonia in the early 1880s, the four red bars on the upper right was adapted from the catalonia national flag which according to history, was made by King Wilfred of catalonia in the 9th century. The crest or logo of this team is rich in the cultural heritage of the people and every banner that carries this connects the club to its people and its native home. This soccer team banners carried by the fans and supporters of the club serves as a source of motivation for the team’s players, team sports banners generally serves as a means of beefing up the teams image and promoting the cultural values of the people. Other clubs whose logos and banners are of historical significance includes Real Madrid, Ajax FC, Intel Milan, Arsenal FC etc.
Soccer teams banners are also a means of attracting and retaining sponsorship from both local and international companies, this is a way of generating funds and revenues for the football club, logos and names of companies are common sights on soccer team banners for example, Fly emirate is an airline in Dubai which is in a sponsorship contract with Real Madrid, PSG and Arsenal FC, the name and the logos of this company is a common sight on the Jersey and banners of these teams. Other teams with this kind of sponsorship contracts with multi national companies includes Chelsea FC with yokohoma tyre, Liverpool FC and standard chartered bank plc, Manchester United FC and chevolet, Manchester City FC and ethihad Airways, juventus FC and jeep and a host of other teams. Apart from advertising and boasting the team’s spirit, soccer banners and other sport team banners can be used as a means of celebrating a notable player, a coach, a celebrity or public figure, a place or even an event.