From Classroom to Kickoff: CMII Students Bring Atlanta’s Soccer Story to Life Through Immersive Media

ATLANTA - This summer, visitors to the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) will have the opportunity to step inside the world of soccer like never before.

As part of Georgia State University's Summer of Soccer celebration, CMII will host its Immersive Soccer Experience on Monday, June 22, and Monday, July 6, from 12 to 4 p.m. The free experience transforms CMII's Augmented Reality (AR) Cave into a 270-degree journey through the history, science, culture and global impact of the world's most popular sport, culminating with Atlanta's role as a growing soccer capital and home to Atlanta United FC.

The experience is the culmination of a semester-long collaboration among CMII students, faculty and Atlanta United that began long before the first visuals appeared on the walls of the AR Cave.

At the start of the spring semester, CMII welcomed leaders from Atlanta United FC to campus to share how storytelling shapes the fan experience both on and off the pitch. Matt Moore, Ivy Scott, Nick Sanchez, Joe Freihofer and Chris Jordan met with Professor of Practice Jason Drakeford's Designing Story Experiences class, offering students an inside look at branding, content creation and audience engagement for one of Major League Soccer's most successful organizations.

The visit sparked conversations that would ultimately shape a unique interdisciplinary project.

Building on those industry insights, Drakeford's Designing Immersive Story Experiences students partnered with students in Professor Meta Gary's Designing Education Experiences class to create an immersive storytelling experience centered on soccer's global influence and local impact.

Later in the semester, Atlanta United invited the GSU students involved in the cross-disciplinary collaboration to their 20,000-square-foot broadcast facility, giving the group a behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional sports storytelling. During the visit, the students toured the state-of-the-art production spaces, multi-camera studios and control room ("The Hub"). They also filmed an interview with Brad Guzan, the club's legendary goalkeeper, for their GSU immersive film project. This opportunity gave them further insights and deepened their understanding of story design and Atlanta's soccer culture.

Working together throughout the semester, students formed five creative teams, each responsible for a different chapter of the story. One team explored the history of soccer and its evolution across centuries and continents. Others focused on the science behind the game, the rules that unite fans around the world, the significance of international competition and the cities that host the sport's biggest moments. Together, these narratives created a larger immersive story about soccer's cultural impact and enduring global appeal.

Students were tasked with designing the experience specifically for CMII's VR/AR Cave, a unique environment that surrounds visitors with dynamic visuals across six projection-mapped screens. The project required students to think beyond traditional media formats, considering how audiences move through a space, interact with information and experience stories in a fully immersive environment.

The result was an immersive student showcase showing the collaborative, industry-connected learning that defines CMII. Students combined storytelling, design, technology and educational strategy while working with industry leaders from one of Atlanta's most recognizable sports organizations.

For Drakeford, the project continues the tradition of connecting students with real-world industry projects and making true impact within the community. In 2025, his students partnered with the National Center for Civil and Human Rights to create an immersive experience focused on voting rights. This year, that spirit of collaboration turned toward another force capable of bringing people together across cultures, languages and generations: soccer.

Now, the public has a chance to experience the final product. The Immersive Soccer Experience will be open on Monday, June 22, and Monday, July 6, from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Creative Media Industries Institute as part of Georgia State University's Summer of Soccer programming. Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the stories, innovation and creativity that emerge when students, educators and industry partners come together around a shared passion.

To learn more about Summer of Soccer events at Georgia State University, click here.