Club legend Corey Parker has questioned whether the Brisbane Broncos have made a major misstep by leaving the word ‘Broncos’ out of their new logo. The NRL premiers unveiled their redesigned emblem and jerseys on Wednesday – the first time they’ve changed the logo in 20 years.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the club paid an international design firm $300,000 to help with the change. The Broncos said in a statement on Wednesday the new logo contains a “shield nodding to the original 1988 logo, and the Brisbane River flowing through the mark.”
Fans are divided as to whether they like the change or not, but the majority of reactions have been positive. But Parker, who played 347 games for the club, was quick to question why the word ‘Broncos’ doesn’t feature.
The Brisbane Broncos have unveiled their new logo. Image: Getty/Brisbane Broncos
The new logo has ‘BRISBANE’ in capital letters at the top, with an image of a Bronco underneath. But a major change to the previous logo is the word ‘Broncos’ has been dropped.
“I must say, the thing I’m not overly fussed with – it says Brisbane and that’s it. It doesn’t say Broncos under it,” Parker said on SEN radio on Wednesday. “I think I’m a bit of a sucker for the word ‘Bronco’.”
Part of the reason it only says ‘Brisbane’ is because the logo will be used to help promote the 2032 Olympics in the city. It follows a trend in recent times to do away with a lot of the wording on sporting team logos.
The old Brisbane Broncos logo on the left, and the new one on the right. Image: Brisbane Broncos
Corey Parker says he’s a traditionalist and would probably prefer the word ‘Broncos’ in the logo. (Photo by Zak Kaczmarek/Getty Images)
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Queensland cricket legend Ian Healy suggested it might also be a move to show the Dolphins who owns Brisbane. The Dolphins are traditionally based in Redcliffe, but dropped the name when they entered the NRL because they wanted to be the second team in Brisbane.
“I’m a traditionalist,” Parker added. “The very, very first logo with the horse and ‘Broncos’ written across the bottom. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve got so many great memories that I’m attracted to that.”
Healy said he’s not particularly moved by the new logo. “Not bad,” he said. “That’s it. Not great. Not that aspirational or motivating. It’s just a change.” Parker said: “I’m a bit the same.”
On social media, opinion is quite divided. One fan wrote: “Things we needed to do – win the premiership. Things we didn’t need to do – rebrand. Bronx til I die but cmon… this aint it!” Another wrote: “The current Broncos logo was already way ahead of its time and modern. This did not need to be done.” However many more said they’re fans of it.
Broncos CEO explains club’s new logo
Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said on Wednesday: “This is more than just a logo – it’s a statement of who we are, where we’re from and importantly, where we’re headed. It’s definitely an historic day for our club, the next chapter in our evolution. I think the new logo looks great – it’s the first new look in two decades.
“It honours our past, celebrates our city, and positions us for the next generation and to be recognisable on the global stage, particularly as we head towards Brisbane 2032 and as the NRL expands overseas. We’d be doing the club, our members and fans a disservice if we didn’t prepare for the broader opportunities in front of us. And what a way for our old logo to bow out, having been part of some of the club’s greatest moments, including the history that was made this year.”
He added: “Our logo has changed but our brand doesn’t – we are Brisbane’s team. We wanted the Bronco to stand out even more, we wanted a bold, forward-facing Bronco that in time can become a real iconic symbol for the club and for the city.
“Brisbane has undergone such an evolution over the last decade and when you look at the opportunity for the city and the club, it’s enormous. Brisbane will be an Olympic city in seven years time. We have got the world’s biggest show coming to town and the timing is right for the Broncos to charge on. We can’t wait to do that again in 2026.”