Gettler Stadium Refresh
Challenge
The University of Cincinnati track coaches surveyed their stadium in preparation for the 2018 track and field conference championships the grounds would soon host. Besides the more modern field installed in 2012, nothing else had changed since the last time Gettler Stadium had hosted a conference championship in 2010. The forward thinking efforts of the team that designed the stadium meant that the provided facilities were still appropriate, from the press box to the seating capacity. The one thing glaringly showing its age was the graphics. Sun-faded and no longer providing the excitement they once inspired, the graphics were identified as an opportunity to present a worthy setting for the high-level contest. Beyond the influx of visitors to Gettler for the championship weekend, the coaches envisioned a long lifespan for the updated graphics. The stadium is home to UC's soccer team as well as the track and field teams, and the facility is also open to the campus community when not in use. With such a far-reaching audience, the solution required more longevity than its predecessor.
Response
To that end, visual elements were selected based on the desire for longevity. To avoid using images that would show their age quickly, photos of current student athletes were ruled out. Instead, graphics are based on a triangular grid inspired by the window shapes seen on the nearby Lindner Center, the athletic admin building. The angular elements are styled to reference the geometric shapes of the various nets, field markings, and track lines seen throughout the stadium. Cropped sections of the “C-Paw” (the athletics mark) leap over the angled grid in fluid motion. Shadows, gradients, and varying line weights contribute to a sense of movement and depth, mirroring athletes in action. Completed in time for the conference championship, the refreshed graphics bring the level of spirit the coaches were aiming for, enthusiastically greeting visitors to the stadium.