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Port Adelaide questioned over commemorative logo design

Yahoo! staff writer
Port Adelaide released their 150th anniversary logo (pictured left), which has come under fire on social media. (Images: Port Adelaide FC/Getty Images)
Port Adelaide released their 150th anniversary logo (pictured left), which has come under fire on social media. (Images: Port Adelaide FC/Getty Images)

Port Adelaide has come under fire on social media from a designer after they released their 150th-anniversary logo ahead of the 2020 season.

Designer Dean Robinson has alleged the club has used some of his design after he posted mock concepts in 2015 of the club’s logo, which looks similar to the new logo released on Sunday.

Port Adelaide have faced social media backlash, despite the club claiming at the launch they have been working on their commemorative logo for two years.

Robinson, under the Twitter account Third Kit, explained the situation and said he wished the club had reached out to him.

“I do genuinely like the new PAFC logo, it’s a massive improvement, and like many I think it should continue beyond 2020. But of course I like it, it’d be a bit weird if I didn’t, right?” he wrote on Twitter.

“Do I expect PAFC to respond or acknowledge any of this, even after the attention? No not really, why would they?

“Is it entirely possible that PAFC and the AFL worked on this for two years and came up with something that is 90% identical to the concept I designed in 45 minutes 4 years ago? Of course it is, it just seems unlikely.

“But. If the club and the AFL worked together on this for 2 years as they suggest, surely at some point someone would have googled for ideas or to simply see what was out there to make sure they weren’t infringing on other clubs let alone on random concepts.

“I’ve been through the Australian trademark database, and can’t find their PA monogram anywhere. So make of that what you will.”

“Again, there is a slight difference between a concept designed and posted for fun — I wasn’t using it for any commercial purpose, I wasn’t claiming it was official or anything like that — and the actual club rebranding themselves with a possible adaptation of someone else’s work,” he added.

“Just, at the very least, give credit where it’s due. I’m not mad, I’m not even particularly surprised, I’m just disappointed.”

Yahoo Sport Australia reached out to Port Adelaide for comment.