NFL Network

NFL Network Refresh Brand Identity Montage

Context

Refresh the brand identity to speak to a more diverse, digital-first audience while also rebranding the network's tentpole franchise, GameDay.

Strategy

Craft bold, flexible identity systems that unify platforms, humanize the game and offer more access to engage a younger audience.

Solution

A custom typeface and comprehensive multi-platform design toolkits clarify and unify the brand, helping NFL Network reach a record number of viewers in 2017.

NFL Network Refresh

Cross-Platform Identity

How do you evolve a legacy brand identity to be more inclusive?

We created a comprehensive graphics package for the NFL Network leveraging a massive catalog of in-game and behind-the-scenes footage to bring fans a more inviting and inclusive vision of the game. Through a digital-first strategy we allowed the imagery and content to thrive across all screen sizes, catering to a more diverse and forward-looking audience.

Custom Typeface

While developing the new system we created a new custom font for NFL.

Designed in collaboration with our friends at Commercial Type, “Tackle Black” serves as a visual anchor for the entire rebrand. Our bespoke typeface is weighty and impactful, yet round and accessible. By leaning into the contours and outlines of the letterforms, we were able to create a modern, bold, and youthful visual counterpoint to classic NFL shield. The end result calls to mind the unique personality and dynamic spirit of the game.

NFL GameDay

Digital Reinvention

The new GameDay is designed for all screens, from mobile to the stage set.

The GameDay rebrand is a strategic response to audiences searching for more authentic brand experiences, and who are increasingly shifting their attention toward digital and OTT for sports coverage. We dialed back the over-dramatized 3D elements in favor of a flatter, cleaner look to enable more cross-platform clarity. The low-overhead system prioritizes a modern digital vernacular that flexes easily to accommodate rapidly changing content, while creating a unified brand experience across all screens.

Design Language

We also evolved the look and feel to extend across every NFL team logo.

Placing a premium on authenticity, directness, and surprise, our design combines a bold use of team colors with football symbolism to strike an emotional chord with fans. Radical cropping and bold color blocks feel refreshingly unexpected, while sparking instant team recognition among passionate fans. The editorial approach puts players and franchises first, generating drama through movement and editing rather than graphic clutter.

Brand Architecture

New unified guidelines helps unify the franchise’s Sunday-long show lineup.

An elegant and simplified 3D logo system preserves the legacy of NFL Network’s franchise while elevating its status as a premium entertainment brand. The cleaner 3D elements fit perfectly into a robust and nimble graphic architecture that differentiates GameDay from other sports networks and positions the brand as a foremost destination for diehard fans.