2026 NHL Stadium Series
The 2026 NHL Stadium Series took the outdoor franchise game down south for an epic matchup where the Boston Bruins were hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium. BGSTR designed a promotional spot for ESPN ahead of the event with a creative, 3D approach to set the stage for one of the NHL’s most popular annual events.
Having collaborated on the Stadium Series before, we knew we wanted to take this promo up a level. To begin our design for the ESPN × NHL, we leveraged the newest 3D capabilities within After Effects to achieve unprecedented levels of collaboration between our departments.
Design Exploration
The ability to import 3D files directly into After Effects allowed our team to update textures, swap logos, and seamlessly combine 3D assets with 2D hand-drawn animation and motion graphics. Our 3D artists could hand off models to 2D animators and compositors working in the software they know best, while compositors retained full control over camera movement and lighting adjustments without round-tripping back to Cinema 4D.
For the stadium sequence, we brought in a 3D model and layered it with 2D motion graphics. We used the stadium OBJ as a particle emitter in Trapcode Particular to procedurally generate the crowd and flags, giving us the flexibility to art-direct density and movement. We could place 2D hand-drawn animation dynamically within this 3D scene, all while maintaining total control over the 3D camera and direction.
Finally, we were able to use a 3D model of the helmet to generate previs for the live-action team. This gave a critical reference for shooting the real helmet on a green screen, providing total clarity on framing and timing.
Thank you to our partners at the NHL and ESPN for letting us have a hand in what the New York Times called “the best outdoor game ever.” See you on the ice next year in Dallas.
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