Reimagining the FA Cup Trophy With Olaolu Slawn...
Nigerian Artist Slawn commissioned to design a replica trophy for the FA Cup 2023/24 season...
Happy new week!
Last week, in a post shared on social media last week, Nigerian-born artist Olaolu Slawn broke the news that the FA commissioned him to create a one-off FA Cup trophy for its 2023/24 season. The FA Cup is the oldest national football competition and its first trophy was created in 1871. Since 2014, Thomas Lyte has been the official maker of the FA Cup and now Slawn will be creating a one-of-a-kind design alongside them for one of English football’s most prestigious trophies.
Though it is a first for The FA, this isn’t Slawn’s first time designing an iconic trophy. Last year, he designed the Brit Awards, applying his trademark style from his vibrant coloured spray paints into bronze statues. This opportunity is a significant milestone for Slawn but could also be the start of a new era for the FA and the world of sports and art.
The replica will be unveiled at a private event today with a private set by AJ Tracey, an EAFC tournament hosted by TBJZL as well as a Footballer Fits photobooth.
This project highlights the growing intersection of art and football, driving cultural evolution. Football transcends the pitch, it holds a cherished place within culture and fans. Young fans especially want to experience football outside the 90-minute match time. As the convergence of football, fashion, and art becomes more widespread, this collaboration effectively addresses all these aspects. We are even seeing fans talking about the need for the Premier League to change their trophies and introduce rings to football awards just like the NBA and NFL do.
Projects like this engage the casual fan, it’s a strategic way to expand the sport’s appeal and foster deeper connections with a broader audience. Integrating elements of culture into the football experience can create more relatable, enjoyable and meaningful engagements for casual fans. Focusing on casual fans is a great way to grow the sport, these are also fans you can engage with more as they aren’t so dependent on performance. They are deeply interested in the club’s overall activities, following everything the club produces and does for their community.
Engaging the casual fan comes with many financial benefits, it can significantly boost ticket sales, merchandise purchases and viewership ratings. Servicing only your diehard fans eventually reaches a ceiling, engaging casual fans helps secure the future of the sport. As casual fans become more invested, they often turn into dedicated supporters, ensuring sustained interest and growth in the sport over time. A larger and more engaged fan base makes football more attractive to sponsors and advertisers. This project is a great way for the FA to engage with casual fans globally, as Slawn is a Nigerian-born British artist with a huge fan base in Nigeria. The FA can leverage Slawn’s global reach and open up new markets, both geographically and within the art space.
Slawn’s career progression has been great to witness, he recently teased a collaboration with Rolex, but it’s also exciting seeing more cultural innovation in football and more boundaries being pushed. Sports often serve as a canvas for cultural expression. Ceremonies, uniforms, logos, and even the design of trophies and medals reflect cultural identities and heritage. Artistic elements within sports celebrate diversity, traditions, and local cultures, making sports events rich in cultural significance.