Logos are the face of a brand. Whether it’s Apple’s half-eaten apple or Nike’s iconic swoosh, a logo can be instantly recognizable. On Thursday, the WTA unveiled a new brand identity, marking what they call the beginning of a new era. The rebrand also comes with an ad campaign titled Rally the World, featuring top stars like Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek. The campaign will include 30- and 60-second spots across WTA’s digital platforms and media networks. But seems like the response isn’t what they were expecting it to be!

The WTA is in a period of growth. The 2024 season saw a 15% rise in attendance at WTA events, a 25% jump in social media followers, and a 10% boost in global viewership, hitting an all-time high of 1.1 billion across television and streaming platforms. With that kind of momentum, the timing for a fresh rebrand seems right.

The new branding, which includes updated graphics for WTA’s global broadcasts (outside of Grand Slams), is set to debut at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on March 2. But while the new look hasn’t even made its official entry, fans have already made up their minds about it. And it’s safe to say—not everyone is thrilled.

WTA’s new logo faces backlash from fans

The revamped WTA logo is simple. It features a green background with “WTA” written in bold white italics. A minimalist approach, but tennis fans don’t seem to be impressed. Social media was flooded with reactions, and a lot of them weren’t exactly kind.

One fan wrote, “This color combo feels inaccessible. The contrast hurts my eyes 😕”

Another wasn’t convinced the design was worth the effort, “This looks like some scam site now ijbol 😭 Imagine someone was paid to make this? 😭” The WTA’s commercial division, WTA Ventures, developed the new branding over the course of a year. WTA teamed up with ChapterX & Nomad Studio for a fresh rebrand, saying they listened to fans. But some think they could’ve done it better themselves. One fan wrote, “I can make a much better logo for free.”

But some fans weren’t buying the new change. One commenter wrote, “Most of us liked the old design better. If this was the change you were promoting, it is counterproductive, not to mention superficial. Sorry!” The WTA has already faced criticism for issues beyond just branding. In more, the players have voiced their frustration on the packed tournament calendar. Iga Swiatek recently spoke about how the demanding schedule affected her performance during the Middle Eastern swing of the season.

WTA fans want more promo! ATP spends $150M on marketing, while WTA only $50M. Time to step up the game? One fan summed up the sentiment perfectly with a sarcastic remark, “We are still waiting for these announced changes….” The WTA’s rebrand was meant to mark a new beginning, but for now, it’s mostly drawing criticism. What do you think about the new logo? Let us know in the comments below.