Why Sunderland have temporarily changed their iconic crest outside the Stadium of Light

Sunderland have temporarily changed the iconic Black Cat crest outside the Stadium of Light into a black dog as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

The striking change has been spotted on the exterior of Black Cat House, next to the Stadium of Light and home to Sunderland’s club shop, where the club’s famous prowling black cat has been temporarily replaced by a dog in a similar style.

The switch is understood to be a symbolic nod to mental health, with the “black dog” widely used as a metaphor for depression and emotional struggle. Mental Health Awareness Week is designed to encourage open conversations around mental health, reduce stigma and remind people that support is available.

The temporary redesign has already prompted plenty of reaction from supporters, with many recognising the serious message behind the move. Some fans have also joked that Sunderland may simply be declaring themselves the “top dogs” in the North East after completing a derby double over Newcastle United this season.

The change is particularly eye-catching because of the history attached to Sunderland’s nickname and identity. The Black Cats name has long been associated with the club and the city, with its roots often traced back to the 19th Century and the Black Cat Battery, a Napoleonic-era gun battery on the River Wear.

According to local history, the battery became linked with the phrase after a sentry reportedly heard or saw a wailing black cat in 1805. The association with the club grew stronger over time, including during Sunderland’s 1937 FA Cup final triumph over Preston North End, when supporter Billy Morris is said to have taken a black cat to Wembley as a lucky charm.

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The club had also been linked with black cat imagery long before the nickname was officially adopted, with reports of black cat mascots and photographs around the 1909 FA Cup campaign. Sunderland were previously widely known as the Rokerites because of their old Roker Park home, but the Black Cats nickname was formally adopted in 2000 after a supporters’ poll. There are other stories attached to the nickname, too, including tales of a stray black cat living at Roker Park in the 1960s and another version linked to cats helping deal with rats around the old ground.

LiveScore and Sunderland launch mental health campaign

The temporary change is part of a new campaign launched by sports media brand LiveScore in partnership with Sunderland AFC, timed to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week from May 11 to May 17.

The activation has seen the club’s iconic Black Cat at Black Cat House, a short distance from the Stadium of Light, temporarily replaced by a “Black Dog” - a widely recognised metaphor for depression. The campaign has been designed to prompt conversations around mental health, suicide prevention and the importance of recognising when people may be struggling.

The campaign comes amid concerning figures in the North East, which continues to record the highest suicide rates of any region in England. In 2024, the rate stood at 15.1 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with the England average of 11.1 per 100,000.

Alongside the change at Black Cat House, LiveScore is also hosting matchday activities around Sunderland’s home fixture against Manchester United, including fan engagement experiences outside the stadium and a front-cover feature in the matchday programme.

The campaign is also encouraging supporters to engage with the Foundation of Light’s mental health and suicide prevention programme, Game of II Halves. The project works with men aged 16 and over in Sunderland, aiming to equip them with the skills, confidence and knowledge to promote positive mental health messages, signpost others to support and reduce the stigma around self-harm and suicide.

Dominic Vye, Marketing Director at LiveScore, said: “Football has an unmatched ability to bring people together, and with that comes a responsibility to use our platform for something bigger. As principal partner of Sunderland AFC, we wanted to create a campaign that doesn’t just raise awareness, but genuinely stops people in their tracks and makes them think.”

Scott McCubbin, CRO at Sunderland, added: “Sunderland AFC sits at the heart of its community, and we know how important it is to use our voice to support the people who support us. The Black Cat is a proud part of our identity, so temporarily replacing it with the ‘Black Dog’ is a powerful way to highlight an issue that affects so many.

“This campaign is about more than just a visual change - it’s about encouraging conversations, raising awareness, and reminding our fans that they are never alone. Working with LiveScore, we’ve created something that we hope will resonate deeply across our fanbase and beyond. Through initiatives like ‘Game of II Halves’, we remain committed to supporting mental health awareness and making a positive difference in our community.”

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