Few things transform otherwise level-headed, mild-mannered people into bellicose, frenzied partisans more than collegiate sports, particularly football. Graduates and community residents probably possess more visceral memories of their school team’s on-field exploits than anything else.
Recently, North Dakota State Univ. (NDSU) has embodied excellence at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS, formerly known as Division I-AA) level. The Bison have won 24 consecutive games and the last three FCS national championships. NDSU gained national attention when the Bison defeated Kansas State, an upper-echelon, major-college program, to open the 2013 season.
Obviously, this gives fans of the green and gold tremendous pride, and school officials have further stoked school spirit with school-color-clad signage throughout campus and in the surrounding Fargo community. For seven years, NDSU has enlisted Fargo, ND’s Signarama franchise to create site and promotional banners for its athletic department. This includes banners for the school’s stadium, the 19,000-seat FargoDome, fence wraps, vehicle wraps and cabinet signs.
“After having been a partner with NDSU for seven years, we’ve developed a solid understanding of their needs, so approvals for artwork and production drawings are pretty seamless,” Todd Fry, the franchise’s proprietor, said.
The school typically submits .EPS files for the school’s artwork; when required to develop custom designs, Signarama uses Adobe Illustrator and FlexiSign 8.5 software. For most banner projects, Fry’s shop uses Arlon’s DPF 303, a 13-oz., scrim, blockout material, because it’s economical and readily available from a local supplier.
To print most jobs, the shop uses its Roland VersaCamm VP-540 printer with EcoSol low-solvent inks. To ensure color and image fidelity, Fry implemented the printer’s onboard VersaWorks RIP. For horizontal jobs, such as the field wrap at the FargoDome, Fry tiles his output to ensure seamless production. Withstanding the extremes of the Northern Plains climate entails using Arlon’s 3420 calendered topcoat or 3M’s Scotchcal 8519 cast, luster-finish overlaminate, both of which are applied with the shop’s GBC Arctic Titan III laminator.
Of course, NDSU requires a comprehensive campaign. A 4 x 40-ft. fence wrap outside the school’s athletic complex comprises Arlon 8-oz., mesh material; an overhead banner that entices Bison fans into the FargoDome’s spirit-wear shop was fabricated with Tyvek® polyethylene synthetic material. Prior to ESPN’s College Gameday trek to Fargo to broadcast its weekly pregame show, the shop subcon-tracted the production of a 19 x 32-ft. banner to Indy Imaging (Indianapolis), a G7-certified – G7 is a high-standard, color-management-verification process – wholesale service provider.
“They’re a great customer, and they involve us early in the process,” Fry said. “NDSU is very proud of its school’s and teams’ achievements, and they’re continually looking for new, fun ways to promote themselves.”
Troy Goergen, NDSU’s senior associate athletic director in charge of marketing, said a successful partnership stems from a vendor understanding the school’s mission, communication and asking questions to ensure a smooth process.
“Todd and his team have a thorough understanding of our budget and graphic standards, and they appreciate our desire to differentiate ourselves,” Goergen said. “They’re always seeking new opportunities, and aren’t put off when we say no. They’re honest guys who care about making clients happy.”