Patriots 2D Animations

This work is only practice. It was not paid for or created in partnership with the New England Patriots.

With professional sports teams shifting to localized network broadcasting, I explored what it might look like if the Patriots launched their own network. I focused on the iconic red, white, and blue stripes from their uniforms, which are recognizable to fans across generations, as a visual device to guide the viewer’s eye.

(Photos from Patriots.com)

Player Introduction

During broadcasts, the talking heads bring up statistics about the players and what makes them promising / great. Since Stefon Diggs is a wide receiver, I wanted to include some explosive motion in this design. I did this by using multiple stripe reveals and a photo of Stefon in action to highlight the action-packed position he plays.

Touchdown

For this, I explored what it would look like if the stripes of the uniforms acted like a road to guide the viewer through the touchdown animation. As this would be shown on TV after a touchdown, I made it fast-paced and only 7 seconds to allow for replays and commentary to be the focus of the broadcast.

Lower Thirds

In these animations, I used the shape of the star within the Patriots logo as a silhouette to form the ends of the banner. I did this to strengthen the link between the banner and the team’s identity. I ensured proper pacing to allow for the information to be digestible, but not on screen long enough to be in the way.

Matchup Graphic

The matchup between the Patriots and the Bills on October 5th is already being hyped up on the teams’ respective social media accounts. I wanted to use snow as the theme as these teams are known for being the strongest during snow games. Also, due to the upcoming “NFL Rivalries” jersey releases, Buffalo posted their graphic (below) of a uniform in the snow. I wanted to bring that theme back into this animation.

Broadcast Transition

The Patriots’ official YouTube channel does not have a unified broadcast transition. As an exploration into 3D modeling, I created the logo in Blender and then used it (along with some spotlights) to produce this in-between animation for the team.