We are all fans of something. Sports teams, whether professional or local, have pulled heart-string connections from adolescence to adulthood. Memories are created from big wins, crunching on peanuts, and singing, “We are the champions…”. These moments have brought a sense of belonging to spectators all over the world. 

Over the years, the fan experience has expanded to be much more than a parking lot tailgate and the stadium hot dog (does anyone really like relish…?). Sports fans are desiring a holistic and elevated experience, often to keep them entertained for days at a time.

First and foremost, fans want a team to call their own and a stadium to visit. But these days they’re also looking for more: craft beers, shopping, easy transportation, music and entertainment, and a destination for a pre-game meet-up and a post-game celebration. These spaces have brought a refreshing energy to the sports stadium design itself and the surrounding real estate. 

The fan experience is something that RSM Design is striving to improve while enhancing the navigation and placemaking attitude of sports stadiums and adjacent mixed-use developments. Our portfolio of signage design projects have touched a number of professional sports teams and additionally our studio has now expanded with experts in the fan experience realm.‍

Elevating the Sporting Experience at The Star

Many can agree that the Dallas Cowboys have made a legendary name for themselves in the overall sports industry. From star quarterbacks to iconic playbooks to an elevated game-day experience, the Dallas Cowboys are essentially leading the pack on the fan experience.‍

The Star, in Frisco, Texas, is a 91-acre property that the Dallas Cowboys call home. A featured destination during the recent season of “Hard Knocks,” which premiered on HBO, highlighted the dynamic sports facility created for America’s Team. A true Texas destination, the project draws visitors from Dallas and beyond. RSM Design worked closely with the Jones family and a number of consultant teams to design an unforgettable fan experience that explores the legendary sports team’s history and future endeavors. ‍

Digital signage integration, sponsorship and donor recognition, sculptural art installations, hall of fame walks, arena wayfinding, graphics for plaza spaces, and wayfinding to Omni Hotel and a nearby sports medicine facility, combine to create multiple destinations throughout the project. Each of these pieces fit the puzzle we’re referring to as the fan experience: elevating spectators' experiences and encouraging them to return again, while also remaining authentically Cowboys inspired.

Guiding Fans from the Stadium to Dining + Entertainment at Hollywood Park

A state-of-the-art NFL stadium, home to the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, and host to the 2022 Super Bowl, SoFi stadium is adjacent to an entertainment destination known as Hollywood Park. Attending a sports game at SoFi is an experience in and of itself, while the nearby retail and restaurant district creates the ideal location for a post-game celebration. This holistic destination offers opportunities for fans to create memories inside and outside of the arena.

Spanning nearly 300 acres, a clear and cohesive wayfinding signage plan was critical in the destination’s curated experience. Our design team crafted a wayfinding strategy that clearly guides guests from SoFi to restaurants, shopping, and other entertainment at Hollywood Park. Through placemaking graphics and identity signage, the overall goal was to bring excitement from the guest’s initial arrival to their entire journey around the space.

As planning begins for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the destination anticipates to expand from approximately 70,000 capacity to over 100,000 for major events! Where are all of those people going to hang out pre- and post-events? Adjacent dining, retail, entertainment space seem like a great place to be.

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Brand Activation at OC VIBE

A new destination in progress, situated near the Honda Center (home of the NHL Anaheim Ducks), Angel’s Stadium (home of the MLB Los Angeles Angels), and halfway between Los Angeles and Orange County, OC VIBE brings a bold entertainment-style living. This world class destination adjacent to MLB and NHL stadiums, as well as Disneyland, is set to become 95-acres of vibrant entertainment, retail, and mixed-use amenities. 

Tasked with crafting the overall brand vision and narrative, the design team studied entertainment culture and lifestyle of the surrounding area. Intended to bring hype and attraction to the development, the branding and identity design is inspired by movement and bold patterning. The vision sets an energetic tone, and a layered and kinetic motion expresses a passionate voice for people to come together and live boldly.

The project is utilizing the brand created by RSM Design to activate the space and bring awareness to the surrounding area. Branded collateral and marketing materials allow your audience to feel a part of something, as well as get your name out there and start building brand recognition.

As we head into the future of development, the team at RSM Design is working to reimagine and redefine the fan experience. This new vision will encourage guests to interact and engage with sport venues and entertainment districts in new and exciting ways.

At its core, the fan experience integrates sports and entertainment into the lifestyle and everyday encounters of the guests and cities they visit. It is centered around memories that go beyond the walls of the arena and leave fans feeling a part of something greater. Our team is focusing on the power of connection and bringing people together through the joy of big wins.