The world of collegiate football recruiting is highly competitive, with universities vying for the attention and commitment of the nation's most promising athletes.
We're proud to partner with MIZZOU Football, to create an unforgettable experience for these *hopefully* incoming players, that showcases our university's spirit and commitment to excellence in an entirely unique and exciting way!
June recruitment is always a blast, and our team of Event Planning + Management Specialists, DJs, and Lighting Techs look forward to working with the staff at MU each year, to design and create an atmosphere of excitement, camaraderie, and prestige.
The Scene: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium
Transforming the South End Zone Locker Room, Mudroom, and Columns Club at the MU Football Stadium in Columbia, MO into an energetic hub for young football enthusiasts and their families was no small feat.
The stadium, which now holds up to 61,620 attendees, is a massive complex located in the heart of Columbia, Missouri, and is a symbol of the university's storied football history. It's totally normal for our team to do 20,000 steps each working just one day of events here. So you basically have to be an athlete to work in this industry folks.
The transformation for this event is a testament to our team's adaptability and creative prowess. Not to mention a testament to how lighting can change an entire space.
Go Time: Event Day Production
This summer's Friday Night Photo Shoot on the field was full of excitement, giddy eyes, and luxury cars, compliments of Rusty Drewing.
Our Co-Owner and Lead DJ Jonathan, a.k.a. Jonny Fuzion, had the honor of DJing for the coaches, players, and the entire MU Football staff as they ran their lifestyle photo shoot for the recruits.
TEAM BIOS
Jonathan is a bit of a local celebrity, as he is a well known (and truly phenomenal) Bilingual DJ/MC. He is also the founder of @LatinNightComo - the original and hottest Latin Night dance party in Mid-Missouri. On top of that, Jonathan is also well known in the local business community, and an active member of the board of directors for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
Lisa is also well known in the business community, and sits on the Special Events Committee for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
This husband and wife team built Blue Diamond Events and XSIV Entertainment from the ground up, starting as a DJ company and expanding into a luxury entertainment and planning empire - right here in the Midwest!
Go Time: Event Day Production
Our Event Planning + Production Lead, Lisa Wampler and the XSIV Entertainment Day-of Dream Team, led the transformation process with a keen eye for detail.
The setup began Saturday morning in 2 locations: the Show Me Club and The Columns Club.
Our team was tasked with a variety of installs for photo ops, including the installation of 40ft of our Faux Tropical Leaf Greenery Wall underneath the screen in the Show Me Club to enhance the otherwise boring wall beneath it, and bring out the underlying jungle feel (think "Eye of the Tiger" jungle vibes) that our MU Partners love to emulate throughout these events.
We also sourced a custom woodcut Gold Rush sign for the creative team to use as a prop for another photo shoot location.
In the Columns Club, we installed a gold sequin backdrop that Live Your Story JC decorated with gold burst balloons in the for a "Gold Carpet" experience as guests entered the space for dinner.
Our team worked diligently all morning in the Columns Club, counting our dinner rental essentials from A-1 Party & Event Rentals, steaming our in house linens, and setting the tables before Allen's Florist arrived with centerpieces. Our team also welcomed in each restaurant's catering staff as they arrived throughout the afternoon / evening, to begin preparing dishes onsite and set-up their individual buffet items for dinner.
Elevating Your Experience: Music is a MUST HAVE!
Our DJ + Lighting Team came equipped with a full setup that included 2 more large moving heads, a fog machine, speakers, a mixer, computer, and hard drive filled with the carefully curated event playlist. The music for this event was chosen by the client, and aimed at creating an energetic atmosphere that would resonate with this group of 16-18 year old attendees and their families.
The playlist featured a mix of Top 40, hip-hop, and rap tracks, all radio edits to ensure a family-friendly environment. The music created an upbeat backdrop to the photo shoots throughout the building, echoing the Go Hard or Go Home spirit of the MU Football team.
Photo Shoot Necessities: Illuminating the Experience
One of the standout features of the weekend's services was our team's creative use of event lighting. XSIV Entertainment Decor Uplighting was strategically positioned in the Mudroom hallway, with fixtures running along each side, and two giant intelligent lighting fixtures with criss-crossed smoke-filled beams sat at the end of the hall, illuminating the fierce graphic on the back wall.
A fog machine further enhanced the atmosphere, creating a visually immersive environment that put the recruits in the right Game Day mindset for the perfect pose. This dynamic and dramatic use of lighting set the tone for the entire photo shoot.
Once our DJ and Lead Planner had finished up in the ShowMe Club, it was time for Lisa to book it back up to the Columns Club to meet the day-of planning + coordination team for the dining experience everyone had been looking forward to - the "Taste of Missouri" dinner reception.
Dinner Party Design, Planning + Day-of Management:
"A Taste of Missouri" Dinner in The Columns Club
Throughout the morning and into the afternoon our planning + coordination team worked tirelessly to decorate this space as planned, taking great care to be sure that every linen was steamed, all the chargers were facing the same direction, every knife was spot free, and every water cup was filled and ready for guests to arrive. It really is all in the details and presentation is something we hold of the utmost importance on the planning and coordination team here at XSIV Entertainment!
During dinner, our team was busy assisting catering staff to be sure sure salads were plated on time, tables were cleared as guests finished their meals, and that each restaurant's catering team had everything they needed to serve our guests at the buffet.
We had QUITE the spread for our June 24th Taste of Missouri Dinner!
The Menu
Caesar Salad
Sushi Rolls
Snow Crab
King Crab
St. Louis Style Fried Rice
Imo's Pizza
Toasted Ravioli
Shrimp Pasta
Chicken Piccata
Brisket
Burnt Ends
Green Beans
Mashed Potatoes
Cheesy Corn
Hickory Pit Beans
Mac & Cheese
Cheesecake Bites
Mini Cannoli Platter
Brownies
Fluffy Butt Cookies
Gold Candy Buffet
Buck's Ice Cream
Floor Plan Design + Rental Sourcing: Saturday Night Socials in The Bunker Club
We wanted to created a relaxed club vibe for the Saturday Night Parent Social to finish off the weekend's events. So we brought in some luxury rentals from Exclusive Events out of St. Louis, and designed the perfect flow for the Bunker Club festivities. We think the glow furniture was the perfect touch to liven up this fun gathering! Top it off with a candy buffet, and bar service from Room 38 and BAM! That's what we like to call relaxed, but still classy entertainment done right.
The Final Whistle
By the time the event came to a close, our team had successfully transformed a typical recruitment event into an unforgettable experience. Every element, from the music and lighting to the carefully planned timeline, was designed to impress prospective recruits and their families while showcasing the unique spirit of MU Football.
The success of this event demonstrated our team's ability to craft immersive, memorable experiences tailored to each client's specific needs. Our team served as an effective support system and service provider for MU Football's recruitment staff, helping their program stand out in a highly competitive field. Through thoughtful planning and execution, we helped take their recruitment weekend to the next level - creating a thrilling experience, and leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.
Cheers to a successful recruitment season, and an even more successful Fall football season! #MIZ