It’s not your father’s ballpark anymore. Gone are the days when the only advertisements were whatever graphics could fit on the outfield walls or scoreboard, or when concessions involved a tepid hot dog, stale peanuts and flat beer or soda. Not only are Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs constantly seeking new advertising platforms, but fans are seeking a more upscale experience with better amenities and more palatable dining options.
The Seattle Mariners, which arguably cater to one of the more sophisticated constituencies among MLB cities at its Safeco Field, hit a home run on both counts when ING Direct, the Dutch-based, financial-services conglomerate who operates its West Coast headquarters in greater Seattle, decided to sponsor the Hit it Here Café at Safeco Field, which allows fans to watch the home team while dining on angus-beef burgers of salami-and-hummus platters while enjoying one of 99 beers offered.
Of course, successful on-premise branding required effective signage. ING hired The Sign Factory (Kirkland, WA), which had installed signage at ING headquarters, after reading its proposal for the Hit It Here sign. The Sign Factory executed the design based on the signframe’s original, angled grid background, and used half of this structure.
Jim Risher, The Sign Factory’s president, said, “”Based on our lighting, engineering and design experience, we convinced ING’s representatives the neon provided the only realistic illumination choice for the sign. The exposed light source wouldn’t be covered by a lens or cove. Energy consumption was a concern, but, using high-efficiency, electronic transformers minimized the difference versus using LEDs, he said.
To illuminate the 4 x 60-ft. sign, The Sign Factory implemented 18 Transco UTX Service Pro Transformers, which power 680 linear ft. of neon tubing, which comprises a mix of 15mm, cobalt-blue and orange-citrus Tecnolux tubing for the letters, and EGL6500CL bright-white tubing for the background. To accent the backdrop, the shop coated the face with Matthews satin-finish, acrylic-polyurethane paint.
Risher said installation proved a challenge. Because of the tight confines, The Sign Factory built a staging area on a sloped section of bleachers. To transport the sign to the staging area, the shop packed the sign in six, 10-ft.-long sections.