When the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, Tampa’s first professional women’s soccer team, needed a temporary home for their debut season, they turned to AMI Graphics to transform Blake High School’s stadium into a branded, professional-grade soccer venue.
Competing in the newly-established USL Super League, the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club needed a space that could both host thousands of soccer fans and respect the ongoing high school activities.
Faced with tight deadlines, weather, and the challenge of creating temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent branding solutions, AMI Graphics was ready to deliver.
A Flexible Approach to Branding
Blake High School’s stadium wasn’t originally designed to host professional sports events, so the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club needed a rapid transformation for their matches. The challenge was ensuring the branding and signage could be easily removed or concealed when the stadium was used for high school events.
AMI Graphics had to develop branding and signage solutions that looked high-quality on game day but were temporary, all while considering the aesthetic and practical needs of the high school.
Additionally, the stadium had minimal infrastructure in place with only bleacher seating and no built-in signage. The AMI team needed to work around this, finding innovative ways to implement large-scale branding without disrupting the stadium’s day-to-day operations.
Speed and Innovation: Custom Solutions for Game Day
With the season’s first game rapidly approaching, AMI Graphics went into overdrive to design, produce, and install a wide variety of products. Here’s what the team brought to the field:
Mesh Windscreens for Branding and Functionality
A key challenge was the lack of existing branding on the field itself. We created custom mesh windscreens in the team’s dark blue color to line the stadium’s fences and lower bleacher areas, adding both aesthetic appeal and functionality. The windscreens controlled access to restricted areas while boosting the Tampa Bay Sun’s brand visibility.
To ensure the team’s identity stood out across Tampa Bay, we focused on visibility from key vantage points. Large, branded windscreens were installed on the upper levels of the bleachers so fans, visitors at Armature Works, and even passengers on the nearby ferry could see the team’s logo proudly displayed.
With all Tampa Bay Sun Football Club home games streamed on Peacock, the upper-level branding was designed to look crisp on camera, ensuring the team’s professional image was captured for TV audiences.
Magnetic Directional Signage
One of the most exciting and unique aspects of the project was magnetic signage for wayfinding. AMI Graphics designed and installed custom aluminum frames with steel tops throughout the stadium, allowing magnets to be applied and removed easily. These signs, branded with the team’s colors and logos, helped guide fans to specific seating sections, concessions, and food trucks.
The innovation of the magnetic signs lies in their flexibility: when not in use for game days, they can be removed leaving behind neutral, unobtrusive frames that blend seamlessly with the stadium’s day-to-day high school use. This solution was key to keeping the stadium versatile for both Tampa Bay Sun matches and Blake High School events.
Pop-Up Shop Branding with Magnets and Adhesives
The Tampa Bay Sun Football Club’s stadium setup also featured pod containers, which expanded into retail stores during game days. AMI Graphics developed large custom magnets for these pods, branded with the team’s logo. The magnets could be applied for game days and removed afterward, keeping the pods neutral during non-game times.
For additional impact, adhesive graphics were applied to storage containers used by the team. The graphics were designed to enhance the visual experience for fans while maintaining flexibility, as the containers could easily be rebranded or returned to their original state.
Challenges Overcome: Heat, Timing, and Construction
As if designing a temporary solution wasn’t enough, the AMI Graphics team faced intense Florida summer heat, with temperatures regularly exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit during installation. The metal surfaces of the pods and containers became nearly untouchable, requiring our team to work strategically around the heat. Despite these conditions, AMI Graphics stayed on schedule and ensured all branding was in place before the team’s sold-out opener on Aug. 18, 2024.
Additionally, the ongoing construction at the stadium created scheduling challenges. We worked closely with construction teams and Blake High School to ensure our installation didn’t interfere with their work or the start of the school year. This close collaboration allowed us to navigate tight windows for installation, delivering a complete and polished branded experience in time for the season opener.
Results: A Branded Experience That Delivers
With a seating capacity of over 5,200, Blake High School’s stadium was packed for the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club’s debut game. Thanks to AMI Graphics, fans experienced a fully branded environment, from the team’s colors on the bleachers and fences to the seamless wayfinding that guided them to their seats. The use of removable magnets and temporary signage ensured that after the game, the stadium could quickly revert to its original state for school activities.
“Working with AMI made an incredible impact on our teams’ inaugural launch. Not only did it give us peace of mind that projects would be quality in its physical form, but it was a relief to have staff managing the project from start to finish, ensuring timeliness and meeting all of our expectations internally and externally!” said Desirée Phelps, senior director of business operations for the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Tampa Bay Sun Branding
While the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club continues to play at Blake High School for the next few seasons, AMI Graphics’ work will evolve with the team’s needs. After each season, the temporary signage can be removed and stored, ensuring the longevity of the materials and maintaining the professional look for future games. As the team grows and eventually moves into their own stadium, AMI Graphics is ready to support their branding needs for years to come.
