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Professional Sports

Durham Bulls

reserving Durham's legacy and success with integrated

storytelling and a bit of Hollywood magic.

Like all great underdog stories, the tale of the Durham Bulls is one of humble beginnings, relentless determination and inspiring growth. After the landmark expansion of its downtown stadium, the organization called upon DI for the next step of its ascension- revitalizing the club’s public and private areas. Our team stepped up to the plate, creating a modern space for the players and chronicling the Bulls’ storybook past with a unique and compelling fan experience.

 

 

Minor League Baseball has always held a special place in the Raleigh-Durham community, which was intensified after the 1988 release of the film Bull Durham. The movie sparked an organizational movement and expansion, which led to the opening of Durham’s downtown stadium (Durham Bulls Athletic Park) in 1995. Fast-forward 28 years, the still-beloved ballpark was in need of an upgrade. DI was tasked with the design, fabrication, and installation of the stadium’s central exhibit – a space that celebrates both the history of the club and the impact of the “Bull Durham” movie. The “History Hallway” accomplishes this goal with two interactive touchscreens, memorabilia displays, trophy cases and the organization’s Hall of Fame. The space brings fans together, building a sense of pride while educating viewers on the Bulls’ fabled past.

 

While an engaged fan base is an important player in any club’s lineup, it's the athletes, coaches, and administration who make these experiences possible. As such, DI was tasked with modernizing the facilities’ locker rooms, offices and conference rooms. Consistent branding, which was accomplished through the use of visual and textual content, creates a storied and memorable experience. An instantly recognizable “Bunch of Lollygaggers” graphic marks the entrance to the locker rooms, a daily reminder of the unique history associated with the team.

The final result elevates the Durham Bulls to a new standard in Minor League Baseball, matching the team’s on-field success with a cohesive facility designed for fan engagement off the diamond. How’s that for respecting the streak?


Learn more about athlete facilities, fan museums, and branded fan experiences

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Justin Wood

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 Justin Wood 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, Justin feeds his passion for developing matchless, engaging experiences for our clients by focusing on dynamic environments. He has led the charge of building these practice portfolios through developing sponsorship activations, halls of fame and immersive branding experiences.

His leadership in projects help clients and brands improve the pro and collegiate experience by connecting their story to interactive and physical environments. Justin’s resume also boasts seven years of running his own design-build consulting company.

Justin’s portfolio of projects has appeared in multiple sports market publications, and he has presented at ALSD, SEGD’s Dynamic Environments series and at multiple Sports Business Journal workshops. Justin was named as an SBJ Power Player in 2020.

Rick Smith

Rick Smith

VP/ECD Experiential Design

A truly versatile designer, manager and creative leader, Rick Smith brings more than 20 years experience to DI. Rick inspires excellence in DI’s creative team, crafting fully integrated designs and rich experiences with end users in... more about Rick Smith Rick Smith Rick Smith VP/ECD Experiential Design

A truly versatile designer, manager and creative leader, Rick Smith brings more than 20 years experience to DI. Rick inspires excellence in DI’s creative team, crafting fully integrated designs and rich experiences with end users in mind. He manages creative direction and team efforts, streamlining design processes for all of DI’s projects.
Rick’s strength lies in his ability to connect brands and their customers to the physical environment. His collaborative and comprehensive approach details the project vision through words, ideas and images.

Not only a leader at DI, Rick is heavily involved in the Kansas City design community. A member of the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) and AIGA, Rick chairs the local SEGD chapter, is on the AIGAKC Board of Directors and on the Kansas City Design Week Planning committee.

Married for over 10 years, Rick and his wife have two children. An outdoors-kind-of-guy, Rick enjoys climbing, camping, mountaineering, and just generally being outside. He also plays guitar and coaches his daughter’s softball team in his not-so-abundant spare time.

 
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Every big opportunity starts with a small step forward. We're here to help you! Let’s jump on the phone, say hello, and discuss your virtual meeting or experience need, in a quick 15-minute FIT call. Prefer email? That's cool, too! Drop us a line - we're always happy to connect.

Get In Touch With Our Experts

Every big opportunity starts with a small step forward. We're here to help you! Let’s jump on the phone, say hello and discuss your need, idea or project in a quick 15-minute FIT call. Prefer email? That's cool, too! Drop us a line - we're always happy to connect.

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