When ESPN Came to Nashville: The Custom Layered Marquee Signs We Built for ESPN House at the 2019 NFL Draft

When ESPN transformed a Nashville honky-tonk into an immersive fan experience for the 2019 NFL Draft, they needed signage that could hold its own in Music City — a place where every wall tells a story and every sign has to earn its place. That's where we came in.

The ESPN House took over Tin Roof, a local honky-tonk just blocks from the NFL Draft main stage on Broadway, for three days in April 2019. The space became a celebration of the football player journey — from college to the pros — with interactive fan experiences that let visitors sit at the College GameDay desk, step up to the NFL Draft podium, and even tape a Monday Night Football player intro. It was ESPN's brand brought to life in the heart of Nashville, and it needed signage that matched the energy of both the network and the city.

We built three identical custom layered marquee signs for the activation, each one displaying "ESPN HOUSE Nashville" in bold, dimensional letters. The design featured ESPN's iconic red logo at the top, the word "HOUSE" in large blue letters outlined with warm marquee globe bulbs, and "Nashville" scripted in orange below. The black background and rust-colored frame gave each sign a vintage edge that felt right at home on the reclaimed wood walls of a Broadway honky-tonk. These weren't printed banners or vinyl decals — they were hand-fabricated metal signs with real depth, real bulbs, and real presence.

Each sign was built with layered metal construction, precision-cut and hand-assembled to create the dimensional effect that makes marquee signage so visually striking. The globe bulbs weren't just for show — they lit up the space and gave the signs that unmistakable marquee glow. Displayed side by side, the three signs created a bold branded moment that anchored the entire ESPN House experience.

As Emeka Ofodile, ESPN's Vice President of Sports Marketing, put it: "The ESPN House serves as a reflection of that journey and gives fans a taste of that experience, coupled with a look and feel that is uniquely and authentically Nashville." The signs we built were part of that authenticity — handcrafted, dimensional, and designed to feel like they belonged in Nashville's storied entertainment district.

Whether it's a one-time event activation or a permanent installation for your restaurant, bar, or corporate space, custom layered marquee signs create brand moments that people remember. Explore our custom logo signs and see what your brand looks like lit up. Visit Vintage Marquee Lights to start your custom quote.

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