Welcome to Aggieland: ESPN College GameDay Display at Kyle Field

August 30, 2024

Texas A&M draws more than 500,000 fans to Kyle Field each football season. As sports fans tailgate, connect and rally around the Aggies each year, our grounds team works to find new ways to level up campus and increase curb appeal for the university. In 2012, our team brought the Howdy Bed to campus. Each game day and for many special events and holidays throughout the year, our experts create a unique display that showcases the opposing teams’ colors to welcome them ahead of the game.

To welcome ESPN College GameDay to campus this year, our team spent months working hard on a special project: An ESPN College Gameday display.

Fine Horticulture Manager Barbara Hatchel came up with the idea to create a custom display in a new area last year after another TV network visited campus for gameday. When her team received the heads-up that College GameDay would be coming to A&M, they put the idea into action. Grounds Manager Bryan Mcgee and Structural Pest Technicians Mark Feathers and Milton Gooden led the charge in turning an idea into reality. They started small with a proof of concept—the SSC logo, which remained part of the final display.

After successfully testing their idea and finding ways to improve upon it, they headed over to the SSC Graphics Shop, where Brand Consultant Brooke Gongora created a custom ESPN College GameDay stencil. In partnership with the graphics shop, the grounds team determined the measurements to scale for each part of the logo and finalized a 16′ x 16′ design.

Constructing the Display

The base of the raised display was built out of plywood and in four sections for easy transport. The team repurposed synthetic turf pulled from an athletic field in years prior to create the design and meticulously cut sections according to the measurements to scale for each part of the logo. Each section was color-matched to the real ESPN College GameDay logo and painted accordingly.

After assembling it piece by piece, the next step was inserting flowers.

Grounds Manager Carla Leonard sourced the perfect flowers for the occasion, and her team assisted in installing them into the display. In addition to synthetic turf for the painted elements of the design, gold marigolds, and white vinca make up the lettering, and purple fountain grass brings together the edges.

The display was transported to it’s final destination: the east side of Kyle Field, facing Aggie Park, and has quickly become a photo op location for students and campus visitors. It serves as an official welcome to all from ESPN College GameDay as the 2024 football season kicks off.

Keep an eye on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more photos, drone footage, and features from the Aggie’s first football game of the season.