Colour comparison

Colts vs Broncos colors

Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos and their primary colours sit 4.08:1 apart in lightness with a perceptual difference of 119.5. Every cross-team pairing is measured below.

These values are not yet verified

The colour values on this page are illustrative placeholders used while the site is being built. Each one must be traced to the team's own published brand assets and dated before it is presented as fact — see the method page. Do not use these figures for print or production yet.

Colts vs Broncos

Clear
Colour difference
ΔE 119.5
Lightness contrast
4.08:1

The same two colours in greyscale — what a monochrome feed, and a viewer with colour vision deficiency, has to work with.

The two palettes

Indianapolis Colts National Football League
Speed Blue #002C5F
Gray #A2AAAD

All Colts values →

Denver Broncos National Football League
Broncos Orange #FB4F14
Broncos Navy #002244

All Broncos values →

Every cross-team pairing

4 measured
Contrast for every Colts colour against every Broncos colour
Colts colour #FB4F14 #002244
#002C5F 4.08:1 Large text only 1.16:1 Fails
#A2AAAD 1.43:1 Fails 6.77:1 AA
Colts on Broncos
Strongest pairing

Gray on Broncos Navy is the highest-contrast combination across the two palettes. Use it for anything carrying text.

6.77:1 AA
Colts on Broncos
Weakest pairing

Speed Blue on Broncos Navy is the lowest-contrast combination, and the one a designer reaches for by accident when both teams want their signature colour.

1.16:1 Fails

What the verdict means

A colour clash takes two measurements, not one. Perceptual difference says how far apart two colours look to the eye with hue included; lightness contrast says what survives when colour is removed. Judged on lightness alone, a navy and a purple can score identically to navy against itself, which is plainly wrong. Judged on hue alone, two colours that separate clearly in colour can merge completely in a monochrome broadcast.

For Colts and Broncos the two figures are ΔE 119.5 and 4.08:1, which together give a verdict of clear. Both measurements are comfortable, so these two read as distinct teams in every medium.

The National Football League divides its thirty-two teams between two conferences, and uniform colour is regulated more tightly here than in any other major league: a team must register its colours with the league, and opposing teams are required to wear contrasting jerseys so that broadcast audiences can tell them apart.

Design with either palette

Take Colts or Broncos colours into the design studio, add your own artwork, and check the result for print problems before committing to a run.

Every other Colts comparison

30 matchups

Every other Broncos comparison

30 matchups