Introduction

Northwestern Oklahoma State University was preparing for a significant new chapter in its athletic history: the transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II.

As competition increased and the Rangers prepared for full Division II membership, the university wanted its athletic facilities to reflect the program’s ambitions without losing sight of the championships, alumni, and athletes who built its legacy.

Northwestern Oklahoma State partnered with BIGSIGNS to enhance its existing weight room, football facilities, and men’s basketball locker room with MagicFab™ Wall Graphics. Built around a “past with present” theme, the custom athletic graphics transformed ordinary walls into powerful storytelling surfaces that celebrated program history, strengthened recruiting, and gave current student-athletes a greater sense of pride and ownership.

The Challenge

Moving to a higher athletic division involves more than changing schedules and facing stronger competition.

Northwestern Oklahoma State spent more than three years preparing for NCAA Division II membership. During that transition, campus leaders recognized that the athletic environment also needed to evolve.

Existing weight rooms, locker rooms, and football spaces did not fully communicate the Rangers’ achievements or the direction of the program. The university wanted prospective athletes to walk into facilities that felt competitive, established, and worthy of Division II athletics.

At the same time, Northwestern Oklahoma State did not want its new direction to erase its successful NAIA history.

The Rangers had national championships, standout alumni, former professional athletes, and generations of players whose accomplishments deserved recognition. The challenge was to create a facility branding program that celebrated those achievements while also featuring current teams and signaling future growth.

As Associate Director of Athletics Ryan Kaiser explained:

“We basically looked through all our athletic stuff and wanted to blend the past with the present, adding old faces with some new faces as we make the transition.”

The project also presented practical challenges. Large athletic wall graphics require precise measurements, thoughtful design divisions, and careful planning around architectural features.

In the fieldhouse, projecting walls and other irregular surfaces had to be considered when determining how the artwork would flow through the room. Later, the men’s basketball locker room presented another issue: textured walls needed preparation before the graphics could be installed.

The BIGSIGNS Solution

Northwestern Oklahoma State selected BIGSIGNS to help translate its athletic history and Division II aspirations into a cohesive visual experience.

Athletic administrators and football staff first worked together to develop the central “past with present” theme. Coaches were encouraged to provide input for their respective spaces, while the athletic department maintained a broader visual concept that could extend across multiple facilities.

BIGSIGNS then helped turn that vision into custom MagicFab™ Wall Graphics featuring former athletes, current players, program imagery, and visual elements connected to Rangers athletics.

The first phase focused on the weight room and football facilities. Rather than treating the walls as empty background surfaces, the university used them to tell the story of the athletic program and recognize the people who had helped establish its tradition.

Kaiser credited BIGSIGNS with bringing those ideas to life.

“We really liked what was done at the field house, looking specifically in the weight room with BigSigns.com and the work that they did.”

The completed football graphics generated interest from other programs. After seeing the impact of the fieldhouse and weight room transformation, the men’s basketball staff wanted to create a similar experience in its locker room.

The basketball design continued the same overall theme by featuring respected former players alongside current athletes. Alumni such as former professional player Gaylon Nickerson and Slade Young were identified as examples of the program history the university wanted to preserve.

BIGSIGNS’ role was focused on enhancing the university’s existing athletic spaces through custom graphics and branding. BIGSIGNS did not construct the facilities, install new turf, build the press box, or complete the broader renovations referenced in the original project.

Products Used

• MagicFab™ Wall Graphics

Project Highlights

• Athletic facility branding at Northwestern Oklahoma State University

• Weight room and football fieldhouse graphics

• Men’s basketball locker room graphics

• “Past with present” creative theme

• Recognition of alumni and former standout athletes

• Current student-athlete imagery

• Branding developed during the transition to NCAA Division II

• Custom layouts planned around irregular wall configurations

• Textured locker room walls prepared before installation

• Facility improvements designed to support recruiting and athlete pride

The Results

The finished MagicFab™ Wall Graphics helped Northwestern Oklahoma State create athletic spaces that felt more polished, competitive, and connected to Rangers history.

In the football facilities, the graphics transformed the weight room and surrounding walls into a visual timeline linking former champions with current student-athletes. That balance allowed the university to recognize its NAIA accomplishments while communicating confidence in its Division II future.

The reaction from coaches was strong enough to inspire additional projects.

After seeing what had been accomplished in the fieldhouse, the men’s basketball program pursued its own locker room transformation. The new graphics created a more personalized team environment and gave players a stronger connection to those who had represented the program before them.

Kaiser explained the goal:

“We wanted to honor those guys that had come before and put their names and faces on the wall for the guys that came in here.”

The improvements also strengthened the recruiting experience.

Prospective student-athletes evaluate more than competition schedules and coaching staffs. They also consider the spaces where they will train, prepare, and spend time with teammates.

Upgraded wall graphics gave Northwestern Oklahoma State something meaningful to show recruits without requiring a completely new facility.

“If you can provide an opportunity to come in and look at an area they can call their own, that’s going to gain you respect,” Kaiser said.

The project demonstrated that strategic athletic facility branding can make a significant impact even when the investment is smaller than a new arena, scoreboard, or major construction project.

As Kaiser put it:

“You gotta make it big time where you are.”

Lessons Learned

Develop a Comprehensive Theme

Athletic facility graphics are most effective when they support one clear story.

Northwestern Oklahoma State chose a “past with present” theme that could work across football, basketball, weight room, and locker room spaces. This gave individual programs flexibility while maintaining a recognizable department-wide identity.

Before designing graphics, schools should determine what they want athletes and recruits to understand about the program.

Preserve History While Planning for Growth

Modernizing a facility does not require abandoning tradition.

Northwestern Oklahoma State used its Division II transition as an opportunity to recognize former champions, alumni, and standout athletes while introducing a more forward-looking presentation.

Programs with strong histories can use wall graphics to show that past success provides the foundation for future goals.

Involve Coaches and Athletic Leadership

Facility branding affects multiple teams and stakeholders.

The Rangers involved football staff, coaches, and athletic administrators in developing concepts for each space. This helped ensure the graphics represented program priorities while remaining connected to the broader athletic theme.

Gathering the right input early can make the approval process more efficient and reduce conflicting design directions.

Measure Every Surface Carefully

Large-format wall graphics depend on accurate measurements.

Kaiser noted that even small dimensional errors could create problems when covering an entire room. Corners, projecting walls, doors, equipment, and other architectural features must be considered before artwork is finalized.

“When you’re trying to measure an entire room you can’t be off by a whole lot.”

A detailed site review helps the design team determine how images should be divided and how the composition will move through the space.

Evaluate and Prepare the Wall

The men’s basketball locker room had textured walls that required sanding before the graphics could be applied.

Surface condition should always be evaluated before production and installation. Texture, paint condition, repairs, moisture, and cleanliness can influence which product is appropriate and what preparation may be necessary.

Addressing these issues early helps protect the finished appearance.

Schedule Work Around Team Operations

Northwestern Oklahoma State waited until the basketball season was winding down before beginning work in the locker room.

Schools should consider practice schedules, competitions, recruiting visits, camps, and other facility use when establishing an installation timeline. Planning around lower-traffic periods can reduce disruption and provide better access to the space.

Focus on Meaning, Not Only Budget

The Rangers’ project showed that facility improvements do not need to involve major construction to influence athletes and recruits.

The emotional meaning behind the design—honoring past players and giving current athletes a place that felt like their own—was central to the project’s success.

Strategic improvements to prominent walls can deliver strong visual and cultural value within a larger facility plan.

Why MagicFab™ Wall Graphics?

Athletic facilities contain valuable wall space that can do more than separate rooms.

MagicFab™ Wall Graphics help schools and athletic programs transform those surfaces into branded environments that celebrate history, reinforce identity, and motivate current athletes.

They are well suited for spaces such as:

• Weight rooms

• Locker rooms

• Fieldhouses

• Athletic hallways

• Team meeting areas

• Recruiting spaces

• Training facilities

• Championship recognition walls

Custom wall graphics can feature program photography, alumni, current athletes, championship achievements, school colors, logos, motivational messaging, and other approved visual elements.

For Northwestern Oklahoma State, MagicFab™ Wall Graphics provided a way to connect multiple generations of Rangers while improving existing facilities during the university’s transition to Division II.

The project also delivered value beyond appearance. It supported recruiting, strengthened athlete pride, and created a repeatable branding concept that other teams wanted to adopt.

Why BIGSIGNS?

BIGSIGNS helps schools, universities, athletic departments, and sports organizations transform existing facilities through custom graphics and coordinated branding.

Each project combines award-winning design, custom manufacturing, premium materials, nationwide experience, facility branding expertise, and a collaborative creative process.

BIGSIGNS works with administrators and coaches to understand the program’s story, evaluate the available surfaces, and develop graphics that support recruiting, recognition, pride, and long-term facility goals.

At Northwestern Oklahoma State, that collaborative approach helped turn the university’s “past with present” idea into a visual system that could grow across multiple athletic spaces.

Ready to Transform Your Facility?

Your walls can celebrate program history, inspire today’s athletes, and show recruits where your organization is headed next.

Request a FREE Mock-Up today and see how MagicFab™ Wall Graphics can transform your weight room, locker room, fieldhouse, or athletic facility into a powerful reflection of your legacy and future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can athletic wall graphics feature both former and current athletes?

Yes. Custom designs can combine approved historical photography, alumni recognition, current athlete imagery, logos, colors, achievements, and messaging within one cohesive theme.

Where can MagicFab™ Wall Graphics be used?

MagicFab™ Wall Graphics can enhance weight rooms, locker rooms, fieldhouses, hallways, recruiting spaces, team areas, and other interior athletic environments with suitable surfaces.

Why are accurate measurements important?

Precise measurements help the artwork fit correctly around walls, corners, doors, equipment, and architectural projections. They also help determine how a large design should be divided across a room.

Do textured walls require preparation?

They may. The wall texture and overall condition should be evaluated before installation. In Northwestern Oklahoma State’s basketball locker room, the textured walls were sanded before the graphics were installed.

Can wall graphics improve athletic recruiting?

Wall graphics can help create a more polished recruiting environment by communicating program history, identity, accomplishments, and commitment to student-athletes. They work best as part of a broader recruiting and facility improvement strategy.