As the NFL prepares to celebrate 60 years of gridiron history with Super Bowl LX, the spectacle on the field is being matched by an equally historic feat of artistic craftsmanship. This year, the official theme art for the milestone game isn’t just a digital graphic—it is a physical masterpiece born from a unique collaboration between California artist Erin Fong and the master printers at DATAGRAPHIC.
By merging mid-century letterpress techniques with state-of-the-art sculpted embossing, this partnership has produced a commemorative print — which also serves as the official design for the game day tickets and programs — that captures the soul of the game through color, texture, and fine printing tradition.
The Chromatic Vision of Erin Fong
Erin Fong, a San Francisco Bay Area artist known for her deep exploration of the psychological impact of color, was selected to design the official theme art. Her work often reframes the world through a vibrant lens, and for Super Bowl LX, she sought to create a modern interpretation of traditional craftsmanship.
Working from her studio, Fong utilized a vintage 1960s Vandercook press to bring her vision to life. The centerpiece of the design features the words “SUPER BOWL LX” rendered in bold, antique wood type. To honor the two sides of the league, Fong hand-inked a stunning gradient that stretches from a bright, energetic pink to a deep “bay blue.” This transition isn’t just aesthetic; it represents the AFC and NFC championship teams who will eventually collide on the field for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Each print was hand-fed through the press, ensuring that the ink hit the paper with the unmistakable “bite” of letterpress—a tactile reminder of the 60 years of history this game represents.
DATAGRAPHIC’s Sculpted Embossing Transformation
Once the vibrant letterpress prints were completed in California, they were transported to our facility in Long Island for their three-dimensional, sculpted embossing transformation. At DATAGRAPHIC, we have spent 100 years refining and perfecting the art of fine printing, and we knew this project required something truly spectacular to compliment Fong’s bold color palette.
Our artisan platemakers began by transforming the iconic Vince Lombardi Trophy design into a high-relief image using our Datron CNC machine, which is capable of engraving the necessarily thick plates at an impressive 60,000 rpm. Using thousands of pounds of pressure, we then applied a dramatic, blind sculpted embossing to the colorful prints. Because this technique uses no ink, the “blind” element relies entirely on the raised areas, which create light and shadow to define the image. By pressing the relief through the reverse side of the paper, we created a raised version of the trophy that feels substantially deep and remarkably tactile.
The result is a striking shadow play: the trophy appears to emerge from the center of Fong’s gradient, creating a focal point that changes as the viewer moves around the piece.
DATAGRAPHIC + NFL = A Legacy of Innovation
This collaboration is the latest chapter in DATAGRAPHIC’s long history of working with the NFL to push the boundaries of what print can achieve. From the field to the front office, we have partnered on several innovative projects that blend luxury with technology.
Our portfolio includes high-stakes projects like the Foil Stamped Invitations with Variable Data Printing, which combined individual personalization with high-end metallic finishes. We’ve also produced the Digitally Printed Case Bound Book for NFL Digital, showcasing our ability to merge modern digital speeds with traditional bookbinding. Perhaps most notably, our work on the Super Bowl Friday Night Party invites and the Luxe Invitations with RFID Tags demonstrates our commitment to creating “event-entry” pieces that are as secure as they are beautiful. For Super Bowl LX, the design created by Fong and finished by DATAGRAPHIC will not only live as a limited edition print but will also serve as the official design for the game day tickets and the game day program.
A Collector’s Item for the Ages
These unique prints, along with several other wood type prints the NFL commissioned Fong to create, were framed and displayed in a dramatic installation inside Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA for fans to admire as they arrived for the Big Game. Our collaborative blind sculpted embossing letterpress print served as the central focal point of the display.
By combining Erin Fong’s profound explorations of color and vintage letterpress with DATAGRAPHIC’s century of printing expertise and innovation, the NFL has created more than just a commemorative piece of memorabilia. They have created a sensory experience—one that honors sixty years of football history through the timeless beauty of paper, ink, and pressure. As fans hold their tickets and programs on game day, they won’t just be looking at a design—they’ll be feeling the history of the game in the palm of their hands.