Israeli Football Club Logos as a Reflection of Collective Identity

The logo is a graphic indicator that carries out a message visually, without our notice. Logos help to create memories and identities of belonging. Logos have become an essential part of the culture, its values and traditions.

This paper examines football clubs in Israel at the professional local level (Maccabii, Hapoel, and Beitar), and the amateur level of the `football state`.

This research uses methodology that analyzes the semiotic meaning of the clubs` logos. We live in a world of signs and symbols. The symbols are used as culture tools that strengthen collective identity (Geertz, 1950).

The case study of this paper is the logo of football clubs in Israel. Football as the most popular game in society, and is utilized as a cultural tool for creating collective identity and social change. Each club has its own logo, which makes it unique and separates it from other clubs. The fans and football players experience strong feelings for the logo, its significance and colors. It is one the mechanisms for creating collective identity.

The main results indicate that collective identity in Israel can be seen in football club logos, but in recent years there have been some changes both in local identity and individual motives. In this manner, football clubs and their fans reveal processes of collective identity in Israeli society.