Think of your favorite sports team—their logo and colors. What does it say about them? How does it make you feel when you picture it? During the sports signage design process, the goal is to capture the essence of team spirit and identity. But a custom logo and catchy motto are only one part of sports event signage.
As a visual extension of your team’s spirit, banners, ground graphics, and other types of signage can tell the story of your team as well as provide crucial wayfinding information throughout the stadium or venue. As sports signage experts, we’ve put together a guide that will help you craft impactful sports event signage that can elevate your team’s presence and connect with fans on a deeper level.
Sports Event Signage Should Reflect Your Team’s Identity
First things first, know your team. This means understanding your team’s core values, unique mascots, and inspirational slogans. Consider your team colors. Are they bold? Do they represent local landmarks, reflect the community, or symbolize emotions like courage or power? Is your team about strength, resilience, speed, strategy, or a mixture of all four? Your team banners and all venue signage should echo these attributes.
Cohesion is a vital element in sports signage. Just as a sports team wears a uniform for unity and instant identification, sports graphics should maintain consistency in palette, logos, and imagery across all materials. Not only do you want to create sports graphics that are instantly recognizable, but you should also ensure every sign resonates with your fans, fostering a deep emotional connection.
Design Principles for Sporting Event Signage
Once you understand your team’s core, it’s time to translate it into visual language by balancing aesthetics, safety, and longevity. While it is essential to be creative, the main job of sports event signage is communication. Here are five fundamental design principles:
1. Keep It Clean
Effective signage design relies heavily on clarity. In the heat of the moment, fans need information quickly—especially when deciding on sports stadium signage. Opt for clean, uncluttered designs with easily readable fonts. Avoid text-heavy signs and let strong visuals do the talking.
2. Use Of Color
Your team’s colors are powerful tools. Use them boldly, yet strategically. The team’s main colors should dominate, with accents highlighting specific messages or areas. Remember, color psychology plays a role—red evokes excitement, blue promotes trust, and green signifies growth.
3. Selecting Images or Graphics
Your team’s logo should always be present, but other icons and graphics may be necessary depending on the purpose of the signage. Directional signage may have large arrows or ADA-compliant elements for the visually impaired. Consider using dynamic angles and contrasting colors to grab attention. When incorporating mascots, action shots, or iconic landmarks—choose images that embody your team’s spirit. Ensure all images and graphics are high-resolution and impactful, even from a distance.
4. Choosing the right material
First, you want to ensure your sports decals and sports signage lasts throughout the season. Outdoor signage should be weather-resistant, standing up to rain, wind, and UV rays. Indoor signage should also have UV-cured inks if they’re exposed to direct or indirect sunlight. Ground graphics must be durable and non-slip to help keep patrons and players safe. Banners can be printed on fabric, vinyl, or mesh. Wall graphics and murals can be vinyl or even textured fabric. Window clings and decals are often vinyl but can be opaque or transparent, depending on the design.
Material matters when designing your banner. Check out our pros and cons of fabric and vinyl banners.
5. Size and placement
Not all signs are created equal, especially when it comes to sports banner sizes. Large format banners command attention from afar, while smaller ones can provide targeted information. Place your signs strategically in high-traffic areas like entrances, concession stands, and restrooms. Remember, accessibility is essential—consider fans with disabilities when choosing the placement.
Explore tips and recommendations for how to hang a banner and must-have banner features to keep your sports event signage in place.
Foster team spirit by involving players and even fans in the design process. You can do this through social media polls or contests. Designing with social sharing in mind allows for free advertising. A strategically placed hashtag or an irresistible photo backdrop encourages fans to become brand ambassadors as they post to their networks. Eye-catching aesthetics paired with share-worthy elements guarantee that each sign is not just seen but remembered.
Types of Sports Event Signage
There is a wide array of sports event signage, especially when it comes to large-format printing. Multipurpose signage solutions can include elements that are directional, informational, and even celebratory. For instance, branded stair wraps can simultaneously lead visitors to their seats and through an immersive journey of team spirit. Each type of signage has a distinctive purpose while also maintaining the essence of the team’s brand.
- Team Signage: From large and small banners to window and wall graphics, team signage is the heart of your visual identity. Display your logo, mascot, and key messages proudly. Use them to welcome fans, boost team spirit, tell the team’s story, and celebrate victories.
- Directional Signage: With so many people crowded into a venue, safety is paramount. Directional and wayfinding signage can be on walls, windows, stairs, or the floor. The goal is to create a clear and comprehensive signage system guiding fans (and even players and staff) to restrooms, concessions, and specific sections. Be sure to focus on consistent design elements, simple fonts, and easily understandable icons and graphics.
For more information on designing wayfinding and directional signage, check out our best practices for both.
- Promotional Signage: Showcase upcoming events, sponsor logos, and merchandise offerings with dedicated promotional signage. Popular promotional signage types include A-frames, table and countertop signage, fabric or vinyl banners, and 3D stands. Promotional signage can be outdoor event signage or indoor event signage placed around the venue.
- Digital Signage: Whether it’s a digital billboard like those behind the catcher at a baseball stadium or an LED screen in the walkway, embrace the dynamic (and easily interchangeable) nature of digital signs to display real-time scores, player stats, exciting animations, and fan information. You can engage people throughout the event while generating additional revenue through targeted advertising.
Work With The Sports Event Signage Experts
Creating effective signage isn’t a solo task—team up with professionals like Color Reflections, a leading name in large format printing. Our experts have printed and installed signage for professional sporting events such as the 2022 MLB World Series at Citizen Bank Park, the 82nd NFL Draft, and several Super Bowls. We’ve also created sports-themed banners, wall wraps, murals, window decals and other event graphics for recreational leagues, schools, parks, colleges and universities, such as Villanova University, across the U.S.
Our experienced professionals can guide you on material selection and installation procedures, taking into account factors like weather conditions or venue requirements. Fill out a quote today, and let’s inspire and inform sports enthusiasts together!