Revolutionizing The Sporting Experience

The integration of elements like bespoke artworks, strategic branding, and creative wayfinding can be revolutionary for sports brands. By infusing a venue with vivid, multisensory representations of team values and spirit, it enhances fan engagement and solidifies team loyalty.

At Wimbledon Tennis Club, we celebrated the theme of 'Tennis in an English Garden' by creating bespoke artworks and wayfinding inspired by local fauna, integrating the surrounding landscape into the design of Wimbledon. This approach helps to build a specific sense of place and identity, using locally sourced and inspired work that roots a space within its context.

Brands that embrace innovative design and creativity can transform their facilities into spaces that reflect their heritage, current achievements, and future ambitions.

At Brighton and Hove Albion, we looked to celebrate their storied past, while also looking to their exciting future, through a set of custom prints and photographs of past players, which line the corridors of their sports complex. Working alongside local archivists, the prints were created to pay homage to the history of the club, using typography found in archival football match programs as inspiration.

A focus on inclusive and innovative design strategies ensures sporting facilities remain relevant and appealing. The incorporation of artful elements within hospitality and entertainment spaces enhances usability, creates fresh, exciting experiences, and offers new revenue streams. It can create something brand-centric, but appealing for a variety of non-sporting uses, such as conferences, trade shows, and concerts.

According to The Athletic, English Premier League team (and Acrylicize client), Tottenham Hotspur FC, get a cut of merchandise and all of the food and drink revenue during live concerts at their stadium. These would be expected to exceed £1m ($1.26m) per night. Industry estimates on how much Tottenham made from a run of shows for Lady Gaga and Guns ‘n Roses in 2022 are as high as £15m ($19m).

Sports venues can, and should, be cultural destinations - with unmissable game-day experiences that attract visitors year-round, and inviting environments that entice the best athletes. Injecting creativity into these spaces can make all the difference.

For example, at Tottenham Hotspur FC, we installed an interactive piece that mimics constellations representing iconic football goals, with help from ex-manager, Mauricio Pochettino. This installation - combined with a bespoke app that allows viewers to relive the goals and understand the artwork - offers a unique exploration of Tottenham’s footballing brand legacy. It showcases and celebrates the club by leveraging modern technologies, and aligns it with some of the most influential moments the game has ever seen.

Art and design are powerful tools for expressing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability. By integrating these values into artistic strategies and production processes, teams promote positive societal change and reflect a wide range of perspectives.

At Wembley Park, which surrounds Wembley Stadium, we developed an art trail featuring work by an eclectic mix of local and international female artists, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Through this, Wembley Park was able to demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusivity, reflecting the unique identities of residents who live nearby, with this shown front and center for fans arriving at the stadium and tourists visiting the area.