DENVER — Broncos Country left Empower Field beaming from a Thursday night overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks and they had a piece of memorabilia to keep that memory alive. This is the second season the Broncos have featured different artists in their game-day posters, which has turned into a hit.
Broncos creative director, Kevin Johnson, said they wanted to create something that fans could walk away with and these pamphlets have turned into collector items. Fans can grab them on the way to their seats and then bring them home when the game ends.
“As fans become aware of the program, become aware of the poster, they walk in, they see it and they're like 'oh man, I got to grab this poster from this game,' which has been a lot of fun. I'll get photos from people who their kids hang them in their bedroom and kind of see it on the walls and stuff, which is really cool too," Johnson said.
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Johnson has become a collector himself, with his office walls showcasing framed posters and the many ways artists have reimagined the Broncos’ iconic orange and blue. This year, he said nearly 300 artists submitted designs, each hoping their work would ultimately land in the hands of Broncos Country.
“I love connecting with the artists and just kind of stepping outside of our creative circle," Johnson said. "I think that that's really huge and just getting to know them and what they're working on, whether they're doing murals or branding work or just illustrations or things like that, I think that's amazing to just learn from them."
Van Berkemeyer, also known as BerkMade, was the chosen artist for the throwback Thursday night game against the Seattle Seahawks. While he currently lives in Nashville, he does have ties with each team making it all the more special to do this design.
“I'm very excited because growing up, I've spent a lot of time out in Colorado, Loveland, hiking in the Rockies and then my dear friends have a ranch out there called Vista Verde Ranch in Colorado as well and so I love Colorado, which obviously the Broncos, big deal. But I spent many years art directing out in Seattle, too," Berkemeyer said.
His design featured rearing orange Broncos, a nod to the Seahawks and his signature Western style. Berkemeyer completed the throwback look with vintage colors inspired by the team’s uniforms.
“Just looking back at classic vintage Broncos posters, merchandise, that kind of thing and so pulled together a lot of that inspiration before even diving in. I think using those vintage colors just kind of pull everything together," Berkemeyer said.
Fans embraced the design, and an overtime win against the Super Bowl champions made it an even sweeter souvenir.
The beauty of the concept is that every home game brings something different. Denver artist Tori Evert set the tone with the first poster of the season, bringing her playful, colorful style to Broncos Country.
“Each game has a theme, for the home opener. We wanted to do something that really represented Denver and the state of Colorado. We wanted to include the stadium, Empower Field, at the bottom and then the city is kind of around it," Evert explained.
She was there that day, watching firsthand as fans saw her work come to life. Surrounded by 75,000 people in the stands, it was an experience she’ll never forget.
"When I found out I was doing the home opener, I was so excited because it was an opportunity to draw a lot of Denver in the state of Colorado, which I'm really inspired by, so it was a super cool process to design the poster," Evert said.
Her bold, colorful style isn’t limited to game day. You can also spot her work on social media or around the Mile High City, including a mural she recently completed along Colfax.
"It's so cool. I love living here. I have so much pride for the city, and I'm so grateful that I can bring my art to the city of Denver," Evert said.
Broncos Country is giving “Colorful Colorado” a whole new meaning, embracing bold designs from artists across the country. Next home game is against the Kansas City Chiefs, and another game-day poster waiting to make its debut.
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