Opened in 1923, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is one of the world's most storied venues. It is the only site to host the Summer Olympics, a Super Bowl and a World Series. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela and Pope John Paul II all have spoken here. And, of course, it is the home of USC football. The $315 million renovation to this National Historic Landmark included branding seven levels of premium clubs, lounges and suites along with the stadium exterior and home team locker rooms. Design and storytelling elements imbue the Coliseum with its own history — every iconic figure, legendary athlete, landmark game — while reflecting the style of VIPs and energy of the fans.
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum renovation represents a large-scale story and branding project for a range of critical audiences in the USC and Los Angeles community. This includes the highest-level donors, VIPs and suiteholders, media members in the press level, and visitors to a new rooftop club. At every step, the directive is to tell the story of the people and events that made the Coliseum into one of the world's historic venues.
At each level, storytelling and design reflect the audiences. The Jim and Dianne Bashor Founders Club entertains the most exclusive USC donors. Thus, the content conveys only the best of the best that USC has to offer — national championship coaches, Heisman winners and hall of fame inductees.
The Lou Galen Club reflects the late Mr. Galen's fandom through energetic graphics featuring the player greats he would have watched since the time he was a boy selling hot dogs at the Coliseum. The Tiger Lounge honors the late USC baseball coach Rod Dedeaux and his family. His space shows the history of the Dodgers' arrival in Los Angeles at the Coliseum and football/baseball multi-sport athletes who played for Dedeaux at USC. Graphics in the press level display Trojans greats who became renowned broadcasters as well as signature radio and television calls from the venue.
Standing upon nearly a century of history, the Coliseum's legacy is a differentiator in a city constantly chasing the new. Design lifts elements of the Coliseum legacy throughout. The Art Deco style from the 1920s inspired the font selection throughout and in the 1923 Club on the rooftop in particular. The vintage graphic style in the suites and lounges augments historic content, such as original stadium blueprints or photos from the Coliseum's early era.
Graphics bathed in USC cardinal complement the historic elements with strategically placed pops of color and energy that reflect the energy of the venue and the modern era of Trojans football.
The Trojans football story is intertwined with that of the Coliseum. The venue has been the home for many teams, but USC is its only continuous resident. Displays of great moments fill the Founders Club and Lou Galen Club as well as the stadium exterior. Here, the Coliseum story is told in all of its scope with landmark USC football moments standing alongside the Summer Olympics, two Super Bowls and the array of iconic figures who have spoken and performed here.
The restoration of the Coliseum became an opportunity to honor all those who build this National Historic Landmark as well as the USC athletic program. Through 482 total graphics and displays, the story is told in full. This story is more than USC coaches and athletes. The Coliseum represents the moments when the world united for the Olympics or when the country came together to be inspired by John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela or to worship with Pope John Paul II or Billy Graham. Most of all, the Coliseum honors the fans, supporters and donors who built the program and the legendary venue.