The Gridiron Football Club Unveils Bold New Look for Portsmouth Football Newsletter

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. — October 2026 — For the Portsmouth football community, tradition matters. Now, that tradition has a new look.

The Gridiron Football Club of Portsmouth has unveiled a redesigned community newsletter, The Gridiron, created to showcase Portsmouth football, celebrate its student-athletes and highlight the organization’s growing role in the community.

The new publication was designed by Portsmouth creative director and designer Tom Roskelly of Roskelly, Inc., bringing decades of experience in branding, publication design and visual communications to a project that began nearly two years ago.

What started as a simple request for design advice quickly evolved into a complete transformation of the publication.

“We initially asked Tom simply to take a look at what we had and offer some advice,” said Dan Sanderson, president of The Gridiron Football Club. “Instead, after seeing the project and understanding what we were trying to accomplish, Tom jumped in with both feet.”

Roskelly ultimately took the lead on the publication's design, layout and messaging, developing 28 different versionsbefore arriving at the final design.

“The difference his involvement made cannot be overstated,” Sanderson said. “Tom is a Portsmouth guy first — a community leader and a true artist. The level of talent and experience he brought to our newsletter was far beyond anything we could have hoped for.”

From The Portsmouth Football Times to The Gridiron

One of Roskelly's first recommendations was a change that went beyond the design itself: the publication needed a new name.

Previously known as The Portsmouth Football Times, the newsletter was renamed The Gridiron.

“The Gridiron already represents years of success, commitment and tradition within the Portsmouth football community,” Roskelly said. “There was tremendous value in building on that recognition rather than creating something entirely new.”

The new name is supported by a stronger visual identity designed to make the publication easier to read while giving greater prominence to its stories, photography and information.

“The information was already there,” Roskelly said. “What it needed was a design that made people want to stop, look, read and understand what The Gridiron is really about.”

The result is a publication intended to feel less like a traditional sports newsletter and more like a reflection of the people and community surrounding Portsmouth football.

More Than Football

The new The Gridiron goes beyond scores, schedules and game coverage.

The publication focuses on the student-athletes who represent Portsmouth, the accomplishments of the football program and the people and businesses that help support it.

Another important goal is to strengthen membership in The Gridiron Football Club by showing current and prospective members how their involvement can directly contribute to Portsmouth football.

For Sanderson, the publication represents another way to build connections between the football program and the broader Portsmouth community.

The redesign has also opened the door for local businesses to become involved as sponsors. Following the completion of the new publication, Sanderson secured two sponsors whose advertising support will help offset printing costs and make future editions possible.

“We could not have reached any higher,” Sanderson said. “We were simply fortunate that Tom shares a genuine passion for Portsmouth, this football program and the community we are trying to serve.”

A Portsmouth Project

For Roskelly, the project was also an opportunity to contribute to his hometown.

“The Gridiron has built something meaningful in Portsmouth,” Roskelly said. “My goal was to help them tell that story in a way that reflects the energy, pride and commitment behind the organization.”

The project also represents a familiar theme for Roskelly, whose work has included branding, publications and visual communications for organizations throughout Rhode Island and beyond.

This time, however, the project was close to home.

The result is a publication with a new name, a new visual identity and a renewed sense of purpose — one designed to celebrate Portsmouth football's history while looking ahead to its future.

With The Gridiron, the football club hopes to create a stronger connection among student-athletes, families, alumni, supporters, local businesses and the Portsmouth community.

And while the publication may have a new look, its purpose remains rooted in something familiar: supporting Portsmouth student-athletes, celebrating the tradition of Portsmouth football and helping build the future of the program.

Contact: Dan Sanderson at (401) 297-7954
broadbanddan@gmail.com

PortsmouthPatriotsFootball.org/Gridiron