Atletico Madrid will hold a binding referendum on whether to return to their old badge or not. Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin has committed to a vote after holding a consultory vote over the weekend.
Los Colchoneros have had a split over the last six years between club and fans, after the former decided to change the club badge without notifying the fans previously. The club have argued that it makes economic and branding sense, but after listening to their social commission, Atletico held a first vote to see how large the appetite for a return to the old design is.
After 44% of the club’s members voted in favour of a return to the old badge, Gil Marin send out the following message on Twitter.
“After verifying the result, in which almost half of our social mass (61,021 members, which represents 44% of the 138,477 members of the club) have expressed their desire for the club to consider the change, we will convene a Council of Administration as soon as possible in order to agree to launch a binding vote in which you can choose between keeping the current badge or reintroducing the previous one.”
💣🚨| BREAKING: Atlético de Madrid announces that 61,021 members have voted for the return to the previous shield.
Gil Marín has stated that a binding vote will be launched. pic.twitter.com/Z6OagkxZTz
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) June 25, 2023
“In the event that your decision is to return to the previous badgew, I promise that the change will be carried out as soon as possible, obviously respecting the limitations of our sponsorship and licensing contracts.”
This would be the culmination of a six-year campaign by Atletico fans, often under the name of the slogan ‘the badge is not to be touched’, in order to try and force a return to the old design.
Many Atletico fans have refused to buy new merchandise with the new badge on, and when Los Rojiblancos have released vintage kits with the old badge, they have flown off the shelves. Eventually, that economic weight will weigh heavy for the club too.
The club were reportedly unhappy with some of the current members of the squad for supporting the change to the old badge, with a long list of players, coaches and icons taking to social media as a call to action, including captain Koke Resurreccion, and then Antoine Griezmann, Jose Maria Gimenez, Angel Correa, Fernando Torres, Gabi, Futre, Raul Garcia, Saul Níguez, Mario Suarez, Thomas Lemar, Reinildo, Juanfran, Carlos Martin and Pablo Barrios.
