get that biscuit!
NHL Stadium Series
Client
ESPN
The NHL Stadium Series is a series of regular hockey games where two teams face-off in an outdoor game, typically played in a football or baseball stadium. The 2025 series airs on ESPN and features the Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, playing at the iconic Ohio Stadium on March 1st, and BGSTR designed a promotional spot to hype up the big event.
Promo Design and Animation
The event, billed as ‘Hockey Comes to The Horseshoe’— the nickname of the famed stadium that typically hosts Ohio State's Buckeyes football team— called for a high-energy spot to set the tone for the matchup.
The various directions we explored in our design leaned into different graphic styles all underscored by red and blue: the primary colors of the teams facing off. Options we looked at celebrated the unique outdoor venue setting, the excitement of the crowd and the festive nature of the game.
Once we landed on a graphic style that supported the goals of the promo, we began to incorporate motion into the spot. We nailed the look of the famed Horseshoe and hand-drew the athletes in order to incorporate motion.
We roto’d out the interior shots of the stadium and some action shots of the hockey players, separately blocking and adding vfx for smoke and snow.
The end result is a dynamic spot that hypes up the excitement for the big game in a fully-graphic spot. Thank you to our partners at ESPN
Props where props are due
Credits
NHL Stadium Series
Founder, Executive Creative Director Josh NortonExecutive Vice President, Executive Producer Carson HoodVice President, Head of Production Virgil ConklinAnimation Director Casey DroginDesign Carol Cai, Steven Savalle, Riley Carson, Mark ThompsonAnimation Conner O'BrienCel Animation Lead Adam BenjaminCel Animation Carol Cai, Momo Zhao, Brianna Carlini