Advent brought in to help Friars personalize Ruane
Nashville-based company specializes in branding athletic facilities at college and professional levels
PROVIDENCE – For all the new sports-related facilities that have sprouted up on Providence College’s campus over the last decade, there’s one common theme attached to each project. The facility will open, then the Friars will go in and brand it after the fact.
With the basketball-centric Ruane Friar Development Center on target to be completed in the near future, PC athletic director Bob Driscoll says the process of getting creative with the college’s latest crown jewel, ensuring that it feels like home right from the getgo, is well underway. In fact, it’s been ongoing for the past six months.
PC has partnered up with Nashville-based Advent, whose slogan is to create experiences that move people. Advent specializes in the branding of big-time athletic facilities at the pro and college levels. The company’s Midas touch has been on the campuses of the University of Michigan and USC. Advent was also the mastermind behind the Dallas Cowboys’ practice headquarters.
“We’ve hired the best company in the country,” said Driscoll during a recent interview in his Alumni Hall office.
The confidence Driscoll has in Advent’s ability to transform the Ruane Development Center into an eye-catching palace had the AD talking dates. The hardwood surface for the two-court basketball facility should be installed in the coming weeks. The goal is to have everyone moved into their respective offices by August 15 and have a formal dedication during St. Dominic Weekend (Sept. 28-29).
“Turn the key and boom,” Driscoll said. “We’re doing this in conjunction with the architects because it has to fit together. It’s a piece of art so we want everything down to the furniture to model what your message is going to be.”
Advent came in and before a group that included Driscoll, PC president Rev. Brian Shanley, basketball head coach Ed Cooley, several student-athletes, and selected stakeholders, showed videos of what the Ruane Development Center could look like. The neat part comes from seeing a vision become real after school officials articulate ideas that help get Advent’s creative juices flowing.
“They would ask, ‘What makes Friartown unique?’” Driscoll said. “From that, they come up with themes that actually fit who we are. From there, they look at the entire building and through the designers, they will design various areas.”
Driscoll painted a promising picture of what awaits a perspective basketball recruit upon walking into the Ruane Development Center’s atrium.
“There’s a video board playing highlights. You look to the left and there’s Ed holding up a championship trophy, and over here you have the history of the Big East,” Driscoll said. “As you go through different segments, it has to tell a story.”
There will be a room that overlooks the two practice courts that’s made of glass that Driscoll dubbed the closing room.
“When you bring student-athletes in there, it will have all Friar paraphernalia … every- thing in black, white, and silver,” Driscoll said. “When you sit down, you’re looking at the courts, see the banners on the wall, and the hope would be that if you sign a Letter of Intent, you feel emotionally attached to the ambiance.
“The feel of a place is really important and you only have one chance to make a first impression,” Driscoll delved further. “The branding and the storytelling is very important.”
Some of the better-known Friar slogans that will be extrapolated into something grandiose are “Every Day is Gameday” and “Us, We, Family, Together, Friars.”
“It’s all the core values you want,” Driscoll said. “Ed is a hard-hat kind of guy so this has to reflect his personality.”
Along those lines, the Friars’ locker room in the Ruane Development Center will be cir- cular shaped with Cooley’s office right there.
“He’s right next to the players because he wants to be in their world on a regular basis,” Driscoll said.
As for PC’s quest to move beyond a year-toyear agreement and iron out a long-term lease with the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, officials in both camps say progress is being made. The Friars’ relationship with the building that’s served as their home since 1972 was thrust into an unfortunate light last season when a Big East game against Seton Hall was halted due to slippery floor conditions.
“There are some improvements like video boards that we would like to see happen and I think they’re committed to doing all that as well,” Driscoll said.