SPORTS IMAGERY SUMMONS ASSOCIATIONS WITH GLOSSY, DIMENSIONAL TEXT & A BLOCKY FEEL—A UBIQUITOUS LOOK WE’VE GROWN TO ACCEPT. TROLLBÄCK + COMPANY SHATTERS THE NORM WITH ITS ESPNEWS REBRAND.

When ESPN approached Trollbäck + Company, the sports network had already developed a solid plan for the messages behind its on-air rebrand: ESPNEWS is the epicenter for all sports data, coverage and information … ESPNEWS decodes and analyzes vast amounts of sports information every day … it is the place for sports news. With these core ideas and a rep­utation for creative typography and title sequences, Trollbäck began rebranding ESPNEWS in spring 2007.

Joe Wright, creative director at Trollbäck + Company, says starting with strong ideas was essential: “Concept is key. Then you must follow through with smart thinking and a high level of production quality.” Initial meetings confirmed the wisdom and appropriateness of positioning ESPNEWS as the central figure in the “universe” of broadcast sports. Equally important was promoting the frequency and depth of the information the network collects—all information is updated continuously, and graphics need to convey the levels of access, timeliness and detail available for every viewer.

Think about it this way: Every movement in a sporting event generates new data and changes the overall history of statistics for that sport. To record, study and broadcast all of this constantly changing information—every pitch, every pass, every kinetic action—is a mind-boggling task. As Trollbäck designers observed, the world of sports news is in a state of constant flux.

SPEED, MOVEMENT … & EMOTION
ESPNEWS’ new on-air visuals are deceptively simple. There are lots of details embedded in the few, but well-composed, elements on the screen. Acting on the core ideas from initial meetings, Wright and his team created the idea of light trails—dubbed “liquid light”—to convey the speed and movement of both the action and the data it generates. Each wave of light is represented as an energetic trail of particles that originates from the exertions of the athletes. The light is fluid, but pulses with the bits of data inside, leaving faint trails of numbers in its wake. Athletes shown in the titles are washed with a dark, steely-blue color that ties into the overall ESPNEWS brand while providing the perfect contrast for the lights. In these visuals, the vibrant data streams are the high­light, with the sport figures receding into the background. The overall look is stylized and bold, thanks in no small measure to these outbursts of energy.

Wright notes that a sports fan’s emotions rise and fall on every movement in the game. Even a single baseball pitch has the power to lift or crush fans’ spirits. That intensity of emotion and the heightened anticipation of the event are well represented in the pacing of the new identity visuals.

An important part of the sequence is what happens right before each moment of light appears. The energetic bursts of light are juxtaposed with still moments—the internal planning moments just before a play happens. On screen, you see thoughts unfolding in these quieter, calculated displays that demonstrate a restrained intensity. By sequencing both the planning and action moments, Trollbäck captures two essential sides of the game: the mental and the physical. While the physical is what we typically see when we view a sports event, the mental part is just as impor­tant … and equally emotionally involving.

Finally, the ESPNEWS logo itself, a glimmering shape on a dark background, has been transformed with the elements—not that the shape of the logo was changed, but rather its composition. With the animations, the logo is revealed to be a tightly packed set of data streams, which only appear upon closer magnification.

COLLABORATIVE ELEMENTS
David Saphirstein, ESPN’s creative director, says when they initially met, he was impresssed that Trollbäck + Company listened well. Combined with Trollbäck’s proximity to ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., offices, he knew the two would be able to effectively collaborate on the project. Wright, in turn, noticed the ESPN team had a strong design sensibility and was highly articulate about their needs. After all, ESPN had started the project with clear messages and an initial idea that fit the network’s identity and key differentiators. Both ESPN and Trollbäck acknowledge that this project was different for them … not at all characteristic of typical client/creative relationships. This time, the collaboration pushed creative boundaries for both teams and resulted in a unique visual approach.

One notable project constraint was that they had to accomplish the entire project with existing game footage, and without showing team names or recognizable faces. Wright and his team might have preferred the flexibility of shooting custom footage, but ultimately this challenge did not detract from the final result. In fact, the knowledge that the footage is from actual events makes it even more compelling—the realness deepens the viewer’s appreciation of each moment.

During the process, the Trollbäck designers would make rough edits in Final Cut Pro for approvals, which allowed them to freely experiment with different vignettes. Wright recalls they did lots of experiments, even some at the later stages, and as a result left a lot on the cutting-room floor. An important part of any creative process is to freely experiment with many options and not be too restrained, Wright emphasizes. Trollbäck was striving for perfection, but as we can see here, not at the cost of experimentation. For final processing, they used a combination of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and After Effects, as well as some 3D effects in Maya.

TAKING THE HD LAUNCH FORWARD
Saphirstein and his internal team are charged with developing the initial on-air graphics into a full-fledged program. As he notes, the network is “on 24 hours a day, so the package has to stay fresh.” Loyal viewers will expect the graphics to stay as dynamic as the broadcasts themselves, so the system was developed with expanding needs in mind. The original package was created with a flexible toolbox of colors and styles, allowing the in-house team to change the graphics during the day, as well as over the course of the different sports seasons.

The identity’s launch on March 31, 2008, coincided with the fifth anniversary of ESPN’s first HD broadcast. Wright observes that working in HD is both a blessing and a curse. The fidelity of the medium means that all of the beautiful details the team has worked into the graphics can be seen … but at the same time, HD demands perfection, because any flaws will show. Initial feed­back on the launch has been very positive—and for HD viewers, a real pleasure to watch. Not only do these viewers get to experi­ence the full details of the graphics, but ESPN also intentionally puts in extra graphics that only those viewing on an HD wide-screen can see.

Saphirstein thinks this look, while a departure from previous sports graphics, will become an identifiable part of the network. Like a well-coached team, the graphical system will continue to grow and mature under careful guidance.

To fully appreciate the texture and impact of these graphics, view the montage reel at http://Trollback.com/ESPNews_Montage.mov

[TOP] IN THE WORLD of these videos, we peer into the minds of athletes as their careful calculations preceding each action are burned into the screen.