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History in the Making: Wayfinding and Brand Experience at CPKC Stadium
Challenge: The Kansas City Current set out to create a first-of-its-kind venue: the world’s first purpose-built stadium for a women’s professional sports team. With CPKC Stadium, the organization needed an environment that honored a historic mission, showed the KC Current brand with consistency, met complex regulatory and venue wayfinding needs and integrated sponsor presence without compromising the team narrative or the stadium’s overall look and feel.
Because DI had previously helped deliver the KC Current headquarters and training complex, our team understood the brand standards established by Willoughby Design and the expectation that every touchpoint in the stadium would feel intentional, cohesive and unmistakably KC Current. Ownership also prioritized inclusivity and accessibility, requiring signage solutions that supported all guests and clearly identified specialty spaces designed for sensory needs and disabilities. The stadium’s commercial success relied on sponsorships, creating a need to engage prospective partners early and then deliver sponsor activations that were distinctive while still aligned with the team brand.
Location
Kansas City, MissouriYear
2024Partners
Generator Studio, Monarch Build, JE Dunn, Henderson Engineers, Willoughby Design, Olivia Bloomfield, VarietyKC, Legends, SHIELD LockersRecognition
TIME’s World’s Greatest Places in 2024THE DI FOOTPRINT
The women-led DI team was responsible for comprehensive signage and wayfinding efforts, fabrication and installation of branded graphics and design elements, as well as sponsorship activations throughout the venue including the naming rights stadium branding for CPKC.
Solution: DI served as a brand guardian and experiential partner, translating KC Current branding into a cohesive signage and graphics experience across CPKC Stadium. Building on prior familiarity with the visual identity system, DI collaborated closely with ownership and Willoughby Design to ensure branded graphics and design elements told a compelling story from entry to exit.
“[CPKC Stadium] is so much more than I expected. We've been saying if you build it they will come, internally. Then coming here and actually seeing what it means to actually invest in brick-and-mortar physical infrastructure; it's a game-changer.”
– Jessica Berman, NWSL Commissioner (via ESPN)
Brand Integration and Environmental Storytelling
DI fabricated and installed branded wall graphics, concessional signage, dimensional signage and a backlit, color-changing crest positioned above the home team locker room. Each element was designed to reinforce the KC Current narrative while fitting seamlessly into the stadium environment.
Signage and Wayfinding
DI developed a signage and wayfinding package that was strategic and complementary to both the KC Current brand and the stadium’s architecture. Scope included regulatory signage, stadium sections and seating identifiers, overhead directional signage and five exterior pylons serving as directories. To support long-term flexibility, overhead signage and pylons were designed with removable slats so messaging can evolve with future sponsorship updates and potential stadium expansion.
Accessibility and Inclusivity
To support ownership’s commitment to an inclusive fan experience, DI created and installed signage for sensory and specialty rooms designed for guests with disabilities and brought to the stadium through VarietyKC and the Olivia Bloomfield Foundation. These spaces and their supporting signage were treated as critical fan experience touchpoints rather than afterthoughts.
Inclusivity and Accessibility
Ownership connected DI with the Olivia Bloomfield Foundation to coordinate and develop recognition signage and informative panels that communicate the Foundation’s mission while helping raise awareness for a more inclusive stadium experience.
Sponsorship Engagement and Activations
To help build sponsor interest before construction was complete, DI invited prospective sponsors to experience the stadium footprint through a 180° digital model presented in DI’s Immersive Theater. This allowed partners to better understand scale, placement opportunities and the overall vision, supporting sponsorship momentum. Once sponsors were secured, DI worked directly with ownership and sponsors to design and integrate sponsor signage and activations that accurately represented each partner’s brand while maintaining consistency with KC Current branding throughout the venue.
BRANDED STADIUM SIGNAGE
DI was responsible for fabricating and installing a variety of sponsorship signage, including the Hy-Vee bowl sign and the Helzberg Diamond Gate signage located directly above the southwest entrance. Our team also created various CPKC and KC Current signage positioned in and around the stadium, including the CPKC bowl sign, rooftop signage and a branded "CPKC BABY" photo op upon the stadium’s entry.
Fabrication and Installation of Key Stadium Elements
DI fabricated and installed a range of sponsorship and team signage, including the Hy-Vee bowl sign and Helzberg Diamond Gate signage above the southwest entrance. DI also delivered multiple CPKC and KC Current elements across the stadium, including the CPKC bowl sign, rooftop signage and a branded “CPKC Baby” photo opportunity at entry.
Through a women-led DI project team and in collaboration with other women-led partners, the final environment supports a landmark venue that is forward-thinking, accessible and unmistakably KC Current—helping bring to life a historic sports experience developed by women, for women.
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Justin Wood
Principal / Sports + Higher Education Practice Director
With over 20 years of experience communicating and developing meaningful projects with clients, Justin Wood brings an unparalleled range of expertise to Dimensional Innovations. As the Sports and Higher Education Practice Director,... more about Justin Wood
Lyndee Trost
Executive Creative Director
As a Creative Director, Lyndee brings over 20 years experience to the DI design team. With a background in print design, she understands the importance of composition and hierarchy to tell a visually impactful story. Lyndee is detail... more about Lyndee Trost
