All animations of the Premier League scoreboard

There is an intriguing aesthetic update in the Premier League 2024/25 concerning the scoreboard animations: in simple terms, every time a team scores a goal, a custom-designed graphic appears in the top left corner of the TV screen. This small detail has managed to thrill English fans, who have quickly started battles over the best animation. There are many, and they are obviously different from each other, but most importantly, they are consistent with their respective visual identities. For example, when Arsenal scores, a cannon shoots a projectile; when Brighton scores, two seagulls (referencing their nickname "Seagulls") take flight; and when Manchester United scores, two devils raise pitchforks to the sky, with fire and flames in the background. The top clubs don’t necessarily have the best animations; for instance, Chelsea’s is quite bland, while among the smaller clubs, Southampton stands out with an animation featuring angel wings moving the word "Goal."

Among the many, the West Ham animation also stands out. On Saturday, August 24, the Hammers won 0-2 against Crystal Palace, and goals from Jarrod Bowen and Tomáš Souček made bubbles appear on the scoreboard, a nod to the club's historic anthem, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. The Newcastle United animation is also quite unique, as it differs from those of other teams by not featuring a symbol or logo of the club, but rather the text Toon Army, the nickname of the famous Magpies fans. Fans have expressed their preferences on social media regarding the logos, highlighting the league’s significant effort in taking an unexpected path to make goal moments more aesthetically engaging.

This advancement in the Premier League indicates a novel approach in sports that is increasingly oriented toward entertainment. Even in MLB, NBA, and NFL—leagues inherently oriented towards entertainment due to their country of origin—such animations are not found. In fact, most of the Major League Baseball animations are not remotely comparable to the visually powerful animations of the Premier League 2024/25. It is possible that these animations may be replaced from season to season, or occasionally turned into full-fledged advertising spaces, effectively replicating the attempt by Nickelodeon and SpongeBob with the NFL.