Wrigley Field, the beloved home of the Chicago Cubs, is synonymous with baseball tradition. Despite its epic history of futility, the “Northsiders” have perpetually enjoyed unfailing support from fans the world over.
However, Wrigley’s tradition was recently turned on its ear when the hallowed ballpark served as host for the 2010 Allstate Wrigley Classic, which pitted the Northwestern Univ.’s football team against the Univ. of Illinois’ squad within Wrigley’s “friendly confines.” The contest marked the first time football has been played in the park since 1938. (Wrigley’s infrequent use as a football venue created one major logistical hitch. Because the park’s configuration made one of the outfield walls butt against the edge of one end zone, both teams made their offensive drives heading towards the other goal line.)
Because Northwestern was designated the home team – the school had originally been slated to host the game, but agreed to move it to Wrigley – the school wanted banners and other signage to create a home-field type ambience for the school’s faithful. Even Wrigley’s famous entry marquee was painted Wildcat purple.
Britten Inc.’s Chicago, and Traverse City, MI locations coordinated the event’s approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of signage. The Chicago office managed the project, and the Traverse City facility produced the graphics. Altogether, the program included printed graphics for Wrigley’s front façade, concourse banners, interior-fence graphics, concourse banners and outfield wall wraps, among others.
According to Britten’s Jenn Ryan, most of the graphics were printed on Britten’s AdMesh fence-scrim materials, with much of the remainder printed on 15-oz. or 22-oz., blockout material or 6-mil-thick, corrugated plastic. Fabricators produced the package with a variety of printers – three HP Scitex (TurboJet 8500 UV, FB6700 flatbed and XL 1500) and one Roland DGA Corporation SolJet Pro II machine.
The transition appears so seamless that one would believe Wrigley served as Northwestern’s regular home field.
However, Wrigley’s flawless display of school colors did little to help the Wildcats on the field. Illinois’ Fighting Illini dominated the game’s second half and prevailed 48-27.