Rugby League welcome back London Broncos

As you know Harlequins RL have rebranded and returned to being known as the London Bronco’s. Below is the official statement and a brief history of the nomadic club. Come on London, follow rugby league in the summer. If you can’t make it West, follow the superb London Skolers in Tottenham or Hainault Bulldogs in Dagenham. This post was taking in full and with thanks from www.londonbroncosrl.com.

The rebranded Bronco’s

Following extensive research with input and assistance from our army of loyal fans and supporters we have today announced that we are changing our name and rebranding the club back to be London Broncos Rugby League.

For those of you unfamiliar with our chequered history here is a brief recap. The London-based rugby league team originally became known as the Broncos when the Australian club, the Brisbane Broncos, took over the then Second Division side, London Crusaders in 1994. In 1996 the Broncos were included in the newly formed Super League and went to play in south east London at The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic. After a season they moved to The Stoop and in 1997 the Virgin Group became the majority shareholder. In 1999 the London Broncos played in the last ever Challenge Cup final at the old Wembley Stadium and subsequently returned to The Valley with current Chairman David Hughes purchasing a majority shareholding. By 2002 they had moved back to west London to play at Brentford's Griffin Park and three years later a re-structuring of the club saw them become Harlequins RL with The Stoop once again as their home.

Chairman David Hughes commented: "I am delighted that we are returning to be the London Broncos. It is a name that resonates with success on the pitch and that is what we want to achieve next season.

"I have committed to the club definitely for the next three years during this Super League license period and we will work hard to retain that in three years' time and become a club to be reckoned with both on and off the pitch."

The new brand uses elements of the original design, updating the model to reflect the contemporary and premium vision of the club. The home kit is predominantly black with a bright blue trim while the away kit reverses this design with a bright blue strip trimmed with black. The colour scheme is very striking so as to make an impression both on and off the pitch.

Gus Mackay, Chief Executive added: "It took a lot of work to get to where we are, but we are really happy with the results and are all excited about the future as London Broncos.

"We engaged with fans and stakeholders and included as many people as possible in the rebrand process so as to take on board everybody's views. The fans and players mostly pointed towards a return to the London Broncos and their ideas are reflected within the brand concept.
"We needed to make a change
to our name for various reasons. This relaunch provides us with a unique opportunity to target a new audience and raise awareness of our club as well as that of Super League in London. We are committed to making Super League a success story in London and this is a key part of that campaign.

"As a club we are committed to delivering a brand our fans are proud of both on and off the pitch and this rebrand is the start of that."

As you can see the rebrand is complemented by a brand new website, elements of which you see here. This will continue to develop over the coming months with new features and additions which will be fully built and implemented in time for the start of the 2012 season.

Alongside the website there are new Twitter and Facebook offerings to enable the club to engage more easily with its fans and supporters. So make sure you check us out by visiting: www.londonbroncosrl.com/facebook and following us on twitter @londonbroncosrl.

Rob Powell, London Broncos Rugby League Head Coach said: "Going back to being the London Broncos is a great move. The players and playing staff are all behind it and it's an opportunity for a new start for this club albeit under an old name.

"We have invested heavily in the team over the off-season and we are all really excited about pre-season and getting ready for next year."

Home matches will continue to be played at The Twickenham Stoop Stadium in the 2012 season with the exception of a couple of games which are scheduled to be played elsewhere in an effort to showcase the game to a wider audience. Negotiations are ongoing for a new three year agreement for all home matches to be played at The Stoop.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London is equally delighted with the rename. He commented: "London is one of the world's greatest sporting cities and rugby league has an increasingly important role to play in helping to maintain this status.
"I am delighted to be working with the RFL on their community development programme in London, and I am equally pleased to see a team like the London Broncos reclaiming their original moniker and proudly displaying the London brand."

Vince Cable MP added: "As the Member of Parliament for Twickenham, it is always going to be a shame that we lose a name like Harlequins RL, but with this relaunch as London Broncos, we are gaining an iconic rugby brand that fans have been calling for. Combined with new signings, I look forward to seeing the London Broncos doing very well in Super League."

The charitable arm of the London based club will also be re-named in line with the new brand. The London Broncos Rugby League Foundation promotes sport and physical activity, healthy lifestyles and social inclusion programmes. Working across west London, east London and Surrey, in 2011 the Foundation engaged over 30,000 people through Rugby League, dance, education and leadership programmes as well as community events.