The Fitzroy Football Club and the Brisbane Lions have negotiated a settlement in relation to their dispute over the new logo unveiled by the Brisbane Lions in October 2009.
Last year, the Fitzroy Football Club brought proceedings in the Victorian Supreme Court in relation to use of the new Brisbane Lions logo. Fitzroy argued that the new logo was in breach of the merger agreement between Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears in 1996 which stated that “the logo of the Merged Club will be the Fitzroy lion logo in perpetuity.” However, counsel for the Brisbane Lions argued that it would be unfair to prevent the Lions from ever being able to change its logo. In a further blow, counsel also argued that Fitzroy had a “shrinking, if not vanishing, supporter base”. The Associate Justice cautioned counsel in relation to this comment, stating that “you will upset some people, talking like that…there might still be some bleeding.”
The parties attended mediation and have now reached a settlement in which it was agreed that the Brisbane Lions would feature the Fitzroy lion alongside the new lion logo on the following items:
- club stationery, for example letterhead and with compliments slips (for the next 14 years);
- club publications, for example season guides and season reviews (for the next 14 years);
- membership and corporate sales marketing material (for the next 14 years); and
- the masthead on the official Brisbane Lions website (for the next 7 years).
A joint statement released by the parties recognised the importance of the Fitzroy lion logo which represented the merger between the clubs, and the first decade of the new Brisbane Lions. In this statement it was noted that the current jerseys (both home and away) would not be changing.
To see both versions of the logo click here.
