In recent years, several prominent figures, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Rebekah Vardy’s attorney, Red Bull Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner, and others, have referred to the top tier of English football as the “Premiership.” This term, despite being outdated for 17 years, continues to linger in the minds of many.
The official name of the league is the Premier League, having been rebranded from the Premiership in 2007. Ratcliffe, who invested in Manchester United at the beginning of this year, has consistently used the older term in interviews. Prime Minister Sunak mentioned Southampton’s promotion back to the Premiership during a televised interview in May, shortly before Britain’s recent general election. Vardy’s lawyer incorporated the term into remarks made during the infamous ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial, while former manager Roy Hodgson, who has experience in both the Premiership and the Premier League, used the outdated term as recently as January.
Sheffield Wednesday, currently competing in the second tier Championship, displayed half-time scores from the “Premiership” on their screen in August 2023, a call back to their own time in the league 24 years ago. The term was also mentioned in a recent episode of the British quiz show The Chase and referenced by WAGMI United when discussing aspirations for Crawley Town, a lower-league club. Even in an ESPN podcast last week, the upcoming “Premiership” season was previewed.
The persistence of this outdated nomenclature isn’t entirely surprising, as many people often refer to entities by older or incorrect names. However, it highlights a fascinating phenomenon: the term ‘Premiership’ remains strongly ingrained in the culture despite the rebranding.
To provide context, since its inception in 1992, the league has undergone several name changes. Initially called the FA Premier League, it transitioned to the FA Carling Premiership in 1993 due to sponsorship from Carling. The name changed again in 2001 to the FA Barclaycard Premiership, followed by the FA Barclays Premiership in 2004. The title was simplified to Barclays Premier League in 2007 and finally became the Premier League in 2016 when the sponsorship deal ended.
These branding changes were made to streamline and clarify the league’s identity. Richard Scudamore, who served as chief executive of the Premier League from 1999 to 2014, noted that the confusion surrounding multiple names made it necessary to adopt a single, cohesive identity. The 2007 rebranding aimed to create a more globally recognizable brand.
Despite the efforts to promote this change, the legacy of the term ‘Premiership’ persists as many individuals continue to use it. This phenomenon is not unique to the Premier League; several brands have struggled to shake off their former names.
Sports marketing consultant Simon Bristow explains that the connection to the old name is often generational. Fans associated with the Premiership era may firmly hold onto that name due to their memories of supporting their clubs during that time. Additionally, similar terms in different sports, such as “Premiership” in rugby and Scottish football, contribute to the ongoing confusion.
While the name of the league might not be a critical issue for the broader public, the fact that ‘the Premiership’ remains in use, even 17 years after its official change, reflects an enduring cultural influence. As Scudamore aptly put it, concerns over the mislabeling of the league are not of major significance in the grand scheme of things.