The Situation
Colorado State University was preparing to open its first on-campus football stadium in nearly 50 years — a transformational project intended to elevate school pride, student life, recruitment, and national visibility.
However, the project faced public skepticism around cost and priorities, creating a risk that the stadium would be perceived as controversial rather than catalytic.
The university needed a strategic launch that reframed the stadium as a defining institutional investment — one that unified stakeholders, strengthened the brand, and signaled a new era for CSU.
Alumni and community members were divided about cost and location
The stadium replaced a long-standing off-campus tradition
Media scrutiny was high
Expectations for the opening year were elevated
CSU was realizing larger strategic ambitions — enrollment growth, accelerated fundraising, and a modernized institutional identity. The stadium needed to be perceived as more than a football field.
The Objective
Create an experience that positioned the stadium as a university milestone and community asset—not just an athletics project.
Ensure the launch:
Builds campus-wide ownership
Reinforces CSU’s forward trajectory
Generates positive sentiment during a high-stakes transition
Strategic Approach
Positioned the stadium within CSU’s broader institutional narrative
Created a year-long activation strategy
Integrated athletics, academic, and community voices
Developed storytelling and launch moments beyond game day
My RoLE: Led the brand and experience strategy for the stadium.
Outcomes
1. Elevated the stadium from facility to an institutional symbol
2. Supported positive reception during opening year
3. Reinforced CSU’s image as a modern land-grant university
4. Strengthened alumni and community connection