CROKE PARK
COCA-COLA ARENA
JACKY VOSS
AUDIO FOCUS
The Dublin stadium’s transformation has been completed, with a new audio system from NEXO.
Dubai’s multipurpose arena has opened with state-of-the-art audio, lighting and video systems in place.
Riedel’s Corporate Business Development Manager discusses an array of sporting projects and more.
A closer look at impressive products and exciting sporting venue projects from the world of audio.
ISSUE 07 - AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019
THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TECHNOLOGY IN SPORTING VENUES
ISSUE 07 - AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019 WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM
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07 WELCOME
t’s been an incredible summer of sport, with the Wimbledon Championships, the ICC Cricket World Cup and the European Games 2019 all offering up iconic moments that will live long in the memory. We’ve taken a closer look behind the scenes of those events - focussing on the venues and technology that give us the setting and further enhance the experience. At The All England Lawn Tennis Club, No.1 Court has been given a total revamp, with SCX Special Projects having designed, engineered and installed a new roof - similar to the one they installed at Centre Court 10 years ago. Not only that, Camatic Seating provided a major upgrade, too, installing high-end seats for the venue. For the Cricket World Cup and European Games, we delve into the world of broadcast - finding out more about the state-of-the-art technology used. We’ve taken an in-depth look at Dublin’s Croke Park - the home of GAA which has seen a full audio overhaul recently completed. There’s Coca-Cola Arena out in Dubai, too - a new indoor venue that is sure to be a fixture in the sporting calendar. Finally, make sure you check out our interview with Riedel’s Corporate Business Development Manager, Jacky Voss, who spoke to us about her work with Bundesliga in developing referee communications within stadiums.
I
Sam Hughes Editor
Foto Stadion Beijing: © Arup, Chris Dite
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CROKE PARK
COCA-COLA ARENA
JACKY VOSS
AUDIO FOCUS
The Dublin stadium’s transformation has been completed, with a new audio system from NEXO.
Dubai’s multipurpose arena has opened with state-of-the-art audio, lighting and video systems in place.
Riedel’s Corporate Business Development Manager discusses an array of sporting projects and more.
A closer look at impressive products and exciting sporting venue projects from the world of audio.
ISSUE 07 - AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019
THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TECHNOLOGY IN SPORTING VENUES
ISSUE 07 - AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019 WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM
Cover image courtesy of AELTC / Thomas Lovelock Editor Sam Hughes s.hughes@mondiale.co.uk
Deputy Editor Emma Bilardi e.bilardi@mondiale.co.uk
Editorial Assistant Emma Davidson e.davidson@mondiale.co.uk
Digital Editorial Assistant James Robertson j.robertson@mondiale.co.uk
Senior Account Manager Jamie Dixon j.dixon@mondiale.co.uk
Account Manager Laura Iles l.iles@mondiale.co.uk
Production Zoe Willcox z.willcox@mondiale.co.uk
Mel Capper
07 INSIDE…
TEAM TALK
006 Matt Cairns, Eleven Sports
r.rogerson-thorley@mondiale.co.uk
DRAWING BOARD
Finance Director Amanda Giles
068 Philips Stadion | Eindhoven, Netherlands
072 Goodwood Racecourse | Chichester, England
076 Guangzhou Gymnasium | Guangzhou, China eSPORTS
010 Stadiumi Kombëtare | Drenas, Kosovo
080 The Fortress | Florida, USA
012 Stade de Sclessin | Liege, Belgium
AUGMENTED REALITY
014 Dalian Yifang F.C Soccer Academy | Dalian, China
086 Pakistan Super League | UAE & Pakistan BROADCAST
CEO Justin Gawne j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk
AUDIO
VIDEO
m.capper@mondiale.co.uk
Managing Editor Rachael Rogerson-Thorley
VENUE FOCUS
090 Polish Football Association | Warsaw, Poland
KICK OFF
092 European Games 2019 | Minsk, Belarus
016 Audio
098 Cricket World Cup | England & Wales, UK
INTERVIEW
EXTRA TIME
a.giles@mondiale.co.uk
Credit Control ar@mondiale.co.uk
034 Jacky Voss, Riedel
103 Atlona
Group Chairman Damian Walsh MONDO | STADIA is published by Mondiale Media Limited, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK Tel: +44 161 476 8340 Printed By Buxton Press WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM
102 ADJ 105 ENCO
THE FULL PITCH 042 Croke Park | Dublin, Ireland 052 Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, United Arab Emirates 062 All England Lawn Tennis Club | London, England
106 IBC Preview 108 World Football Summit 110 Daktronics & Tripleplay | Product Showcase 112 Event Diary 114 Full Time
MATT CAIRNS, ELEVEN SPORTS MEDIA Connecting Fans with the Brand
Images: Eleven Sports Media fter celebrating a decade in the
seen them achieve commercial success at clubs
well as Eleven managing a range of commercial
industry, Eleven Sports Media
such as Middlesbrough, Newcastle United,
activations. With a strong focus on activation, it
have seen the evolution of the
Crystal Palace and Watford.
was quickly identified that brands, both regional
brand to fan experience within
While the basis for any successful partner
and national, were demanding richer branded
UK stadia first hand. Fans are demanding a
programme has always been to utilise available
content, access to high profile events in the
more connected, engaging and interactive
space on the club’s perimeter advertising
stadium and the use of bespoke partner IP.
environment, but rather than seeing this as an
boards, Eleven believe that the traditional
The new-look partner programme took a multi-
obstacle, clubs are using these opportunities
approach was in need of modernisation.
tier approach, with Leeds United’s commercial
to find new and innovative ways to drive
Eleven’s CEO Matt Cairns said: “We saw there
team managing ‘Digital Partners’ with titanium,
commercial revenues, creating additional value
was very little structure to most commercial
platinum, gold, silver and bronze levels. Eleven
for commercial partners and strengthening the
partner programmes and it was our strong
managed the lower tier under the title of Leeds
relationship between club, brand and fanbase.
belief, along with a few others in the market,
United Business Club.
Launched in January 2018, the new iteration
that the singular core principle of a tiered
Partners at every level are now able to
of the Leeds United Partner Programme has
partnership structure combined with the use
engage with the club’s fans at various digital
proven to be a huge commercial success for
of ‘segmented LED’ could glean much greater
touchpoints within the Elland Road stadium,
all stakeholders, the club’s commercial team,
revenues than what were being achieved.”
beyond the club’s official social media channels,
the brands associated with the partnership
Working with Leeds United’s commercial
and even with the local business community
and the fans who have enjoyed the award-
team, comprising of Stuart Dodsley and Paul
at exclusive events. Eleven had helped provide
winning content on Eleven Sports Media’s fan
Bell, Eleven worked to construct a partner
a fully-integrated partner programme which
engagement channels, StadiumTV and StatTV.
programme which built on the principles of
provided additional value and took activation
Eleven’s experience in constructing partner
LED exposure, but also included the added
to a whole new level by providing key insights
programmes by bringing together a range of
value of Eleven’s owned digital fan engagement
to the clubs, and campaign activation to the
digital communication channels had already
channels, StadiumTV, StatTV and StatTracker as
partners and brands who joined the programme.
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TEAM TALK
“In the 2018/19 campaign we broke commercial records,” said Paul Bell, Leeds United’s Executive Director. “The additional inventory provided by Eleven has certainly helped to deliver additional exposure and value to our clients. Rather than just a simple LED advertising offer we were able to present a broader package of digital rights that delivered for our clients beyond the match days. “The Partner events that we hold during the season have proven to be extremely popular and well attended. The campaign reporting provided from Eleven has given the sales team high quality, detailed analysis of the reach of the digital campaigns that have been delivered, and importantly a strong and compelling reason for clients to renew, and in many cases upgrade to a higher level digital package.” He continued: “We have also just started to use the Insight Analysis tool provided by Eleven. These insights are providing an enhanced level of insight into potential prospective clients,
007
TEAM TALK
008
both regionally and nationally, and providing
value and additional revenues the digital
packages and Club Partner programme. The
our sales team with warm leads and contact
partners programme has brought. “Prior to the
investment from Eleven helped to underpin the
information.”
installation of the perimeter LED system we had
purchase cost of the system itself.
As with any partner programme, the client
spent a significant amount of time analysing the
“When we look at the additional revenues
experience is important, but equally important
market and looking at the most efficient way
that we are now generating from the digital
is the commercial revenue, which the solution
of monetising the system,” explained Paul. “It
LED perimeter and digital LED ribbon we are
provides and the success for Eleven Sports
was vital, particularly in the Championship that
confident that we are now achieving a per
Media has come in many forms. Financially
we could add additional value to our existing
minute value for our LED minutes that is higher
their own rights to the partner programme is
commercial partners programme and increase
than typical Premier League LED values.”
fully-subscribed and they have 50 extremely
revenues to the club.
Paul concluded: “It has been a pleasure working
happy partners enjoying exposure and brand
“As part of our commercial model we agreed a
with Eleven and introducing the Digital Partners
recognition in the Leeds United Business
multi-year deal with Eleven, providing a level
Programme to Yorkshire. Throughout the
Club. It is also important to note that Eleven’s
of inventory on the crowd facing LED and on the
implementation phase the additional support
platforms; StadiumTV, StatTV and StatTracker
mid-tier LED ribbon in return for a minimum
and guidance provided from Matt and the rest of
were devised to engage and entertain a club’s
revenue guarantee; areas in which Eleven were
the Eleven team was extremely helpful.”
fans, providing them with a level of original and
experienced in selling, particularly the lower
bespoke matchday related content never seen in
value packages, which are perfect for smaller
UK football previously.
local businesses, leaving the Leeds United
For Leeds United, the proof is in the added
sales team focused on the higher value digital
WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM
STADIUMI KOMBËTARE Drenas, Kosovo Renderings: FFK Kosova, Tabanlıoğlu Architects
lans for a new 30,000 seat stadium in Kosovo have recently been drawn and revealed. The state has been using Pristina’s Stadium Fadil Vokrri since the 2018 renovations, but with the venue only having a capacity of 13,000, Kosovo’s FA needed a new home to accommodate the high ticket demands. The Stadiumi Kombëtare will not be built in Pristina, but well outside the city in remote Drenas. The plot selected for the project lies some 20km from the city centre and just under 10km from the international airport. Due to its location and good road connection, the place offers vast space, but also requires significant infrastructure on site in order not to depend on Pristina. For that very reason, the stadium will be accompanied by a youth training complex with a dormitory and two training fields - one of them with a running track. Both training grounds will lie west of the stadium, while, in the east, a vast leisure complex is expected. It will comprise a supermarket, retail outlets, swimming pool, hotel, football museum and the dormitory. The main stadium itself, designed by renowned Istanbul practice Tabanlioglu, will combine low cost with functionality and innovative architecture. The first characteristic is to be met thanks to a combination of monolithic superstructure cast on site with repetitive prefabs made of both concrete and steel. Raw concrete and steel combinations will be softened by technical fabric enveloping the stadium on the roof and facades. The structure will rise at the main pedestrian access gates, particularly in the north east. This is where most fans will arrive and an opening of the venue towards Pristina creates a welcoming entrance, especially combined with cascading stairs. All five openings will add dynamics to the
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stadium, particularly when lit at night. Similar to the other planned facilities, the stadium is expected to be very cost-effective. Its footprint is limited only to what is necessary, though not at any expense. Instead of potentially cheaper single tier seats, it offers a double ring of 18 rows in the lower tier and 19 in the upper. Fans are placed nearly one-metre above field level, while the nearest seat is just five-metres away from the field’s ancillary area. Around the entire outline of the auditorium an underground parking site is planned, aiding the eastern main parking area. The main stand will offer a total of four levels of facilities, while in other areas all volumes are limited to bare minimum. The declared budget for the project has not yet been confirmed, but initial price tag announced for the project is 50 million euros. According to declarations from June, construction might begin by the end of 2019. If this happens, the stadium should be completed in 2021.
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STADE DE SCLESSIN Liege, Belgium Renderings: Standard de Liège, Assar Architects
or the first time since Euro 2000, Stade de Sclessin in Liege will see a major change. If the club gets its way, the famous three-tiered stands will finally be enclosed giving fans a new standard of services. Recently, representatives of Standard de Liège visited the city hall to file their planning application and finalise their renovations. They’d been working on it for over two years with Assar Architects, ever since they revealed the initial concept which planned to bring the stadium to life. Should proceedings go as planned, construction work will begin next year. Compared to early renders, reconstruction of Stade de Sclessin will be somewhat reduced in its final form. From the envisaged capacity of 40,000 seats the goal was scaled down to 35,000, as were ancillary facilities around the stadium. Net increase of some 4,000 seats would be owed to the new main stand in the east. The stadium is located in an industrial area that has marked the economy and history of the region. The purpose of the reworking of the stadium is to increase its capacity to offer some 35,000 seats in the UEFA version. The creation of an esplanade will accommodate spectators before and after the game. The esplanade will offer access to the stadium seating on the entire periphery and will also - apart from the national matches
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- go around the infrastructure and reach the entrance to the stands. Six reception levels are planned inside the stadium; they are all accessible from the esplanade. From the one-star welcome to the sixstar welcome, starting with the Tribunes, the PC1, the PC2, the Business Seats, the Lodges and the VIP reception. The reorganisation of the Stade du Standard de Liège is an opportunity to create a dynamic multi-purpose ensemble. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Liège Verviers Namur asked the Standard to build 6,000 sq metres of net rental office areas to replace and supplement the areas currently occupied along the platform three. This building called ‘administrative’ will offer additional hotel and cartering spaces, commercial opportunities, a fan shop, a creche, a playground, a ‘laser game’ area, a wellness and health area and the creation of a museum will recall the rich history of the Standard and the place. A conference room that can be used as a press centre will be a useful addition to the mixed complex.
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DALIAN YIFANG F.C SOCCER ACADEMY Dalian, China Renderings: Cruz y Arquitectos
ruz y Arquitectos, the Spanish architects behind Atletico Madrid’s impressive Wanda Metropolitano, has revealed its design plans for a new soccer academy / training centre for Chinese Super League side, Dalian Yifang F.C. The plans for the new 145,000sq ft complex include 18 full-size football pitches and two seven-a-side pitches, as well as six multi-storey buildings that will line the site - complete with glass fronts - for the team facilities. Communicating through its media release, Cruz y Ortis Arquitectos said: “The purpose, from the beginning, has been to integrate the playing fields, its lighting towers and all the buildings of the training centre, creating this way a sequenced and recognisable set that, incorporating all these elements, is able to generate a new harmonious, exact and integrated landscape. “We are not in favour of opting for a solution by accumulation, in which the aforementioned elements find a relative position more or less ordered or hazardous and avoiding the simple juxtaposition of independent elements, that is one of our first purposes. “Our proposal aims to provide unity of landscape and geometric coherence to the whole.”
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The facilities for the football club include separate building for the first team, reserve team and youth teams. There is a club office and logistics centre, too, all of which overlook the training ground. The buildings are specifically arranged in a symbolic way, taking players on the same path that they will take on their journey from the youth team right through to the first team. “The line-positioned buildings form an aspirational pathway through the platform. It starts in the junior team’s pavilion, located in the lowest part of the plot, moving up the small gradient towards the highest point where the first team building is located, the pinnacle of their football career,” the Cruz y Arquitectos press release explained.
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KICK OFF | AUDIO A closer look at products and projects from the world of audio...
ARÉNA SÓSTÓ STADIUM COMMUNITY Located in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, MOL Aréna Sóstó (MOL Arena Salt Lake) has always been considered one of Hungary’s most important stadiums outside of Budapest. The multi-purpose stadium, home to the first division MOL Vidi Football Club, has recently undergone a full rebuild. The Interton Group, which specialises in the design and installation of audio, light, visual and control systems, was commissioned to design and install the audio system for the new stadium. With extensive stadium sound experience, Interton used acoustic modelling to prove its design, based on Community R Series loudspeakers as the optimum solution. A total of 64 Community R.5HP loudspeakers, flown in pairs under the leading edge of the canopy, cover the stadium’s four seated stands that combine to give a 14,201 capacity. The R.5HP is an ultra-compact three-way horn loaded weather-resistant loudspeaker system, engineered to provide maximum voice intelligibility and high quality music. A single high power Community RSH-462 exponential FocusedArray™ horn system is located in the stadium’s northwest corner to cover the playing field. Operated from a Yamaha TF3 mixer, the system is controlled by QSC Q-SYS via a graphical user interface, custom designed by Interton. QSC CXD-Q 016
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amplifiers were chosen to drive the Community loudspeakers, with input from Shure ULX-D wireless microphones. Géza Balogh, Interton Group’s Managing Director, commented: “We provided wireless iPad control of the whole audio system, so system adjustment can be made from any location and even while walking around the grandstands. It’s an added feature that the system operators are extremely happy with. “By combining Community’s non-metallic diaphragm UC1 high frequency driver with the M200 midrange driver coaxially within the mouth of the 12-inch low frequency horn, the R.5HP is an extremely powerful tool for voice announcement systems. The M200/UC1 combination provides effortless voice-power with high frequency sparkle that must be heard to be appreciated. In addition to flexible control, the main requirements for MOL Aréna Sóstó were the SPL and STI values and the installed system outperforms both of the specified parameters,” Géza concluded. www.communitypro.com
KICK OFF
HYPERX ESPORTS ARENA LAS VEGAS LAWO eSports - the world of competitive video gaming – has become an international phenomenon, with millions of fans watching both in person and on internet live streams, rooting for players that might take home millions of dollars in winnings. Where better to build a premium eSports venue than in the gaming capital of the world - Las Vegas, Nevada? That’s what Allied Esports International set out to do, with a new venue in the Luxor Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. “Our mission was to build a turnkey infrastructure to do many different live events, as well as produce content in a style and quality that meets or exceeds current broadcast standards,” said Drew Ohlmeyer, Head of Content, Allied Esports International and Esports Arena Las Vegas. To repurpose a former nightclub space, Allied hired CBT Systems to design and build an audiovisual system tailored for high-availability streaming video broadcasts. Darrel Wenhardt, President and CEO of CBT Systems, knew from the start that the space’s previous audio system was insufficient for the demands of Esports. CBT chose a Lawo mc²36 console for FOH duties, and a second mc²36 to power the streaming broadcast production control room. “We’ve worked extensively with Lawo, who have developed consoles specifically for these types of challenges,” explained Darrel. “They’re used around the world to manage major global events including sports, live performance and networked production infrastructures. Lawo was an easy and obvious choice and provided exactly what was needed, while also being able to offer custom workflows for the unique aspects of Esports events.” Working with CBT Systems, Allied Esports International began drafting plans in mid-2017 for a combined live performance / broadcast venue with audience seating, multiple cameras, concert-sized video screens, and a premium FOH system. During the events, the action would be packaged into broadcast quality programming streamed real time to subscribers worldwide.
To attain these goals, copper network services were replaced with fibre for maximum bandwidth and connectivity, and an entirely new audio system was specified and installed: twin 24-fader Lawo mc²36 consoles; one for FOH sound, the other to mix finished audio for live streams. These consoles are networked via RAVENNA AoIP using a Lawo Nova 37 router; I/O includes four compact Lawo stageboxes, each with 32 Mic/Line I/O, 8 AES I/O, 8 GPIO and1 MADI port. Lawo A__mic8 units provide AES67 AoIP connections for multiple deployed microphones. Amazingly, the facility design and rebuild was accomplished in only five months, with Lawo personnel on site to support CBT Systems and Esports for commissioning and training. “This was an exhilarating project,” said Michael Mueller, Vice President of Sales for Lawo in the USA. “We were very excited to work with CBT Systems and Esports on this project. Lawo has been involved in traditional live sports broadcasts and entertainment production since our inception, and we’ve also provided networked audio production infrastructures for gaming and live streaming customers. So, the prospect of working in the growing field of e-sports is a great opportunity to marry live sound with broadcast/streaming technologies, using a unifying network platform.” Allied Esports’ new venue debuted in March 2018, and since then has become the go-to site to host high profile events with gaming personalities and arena-scale, high-stakes gaming competitions. Darrel is effusive in his praise of Lawo: “The Lawo team gave us great support and expedited delivery. They helped us meet the challenge of a compressed timeline for delivery to support multiple uses both now and in the future for our client, providing great sound and an easy-to-use and flexible platform for the audio team at Esports.” www.lawo.com
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HC LEV BENESOV ARENA AUDAC The HC Lev Benesov Ice Hockey Arena, located in the Czech Republic, is the home of the Men’s HC Lev Ice Hockey Team, and several youth teams. With a capacity of 3,000 the arena is used for game days and training. It’s also open to the public for ice-skating and figure skating. Speech intelligibility was poor in the tribunes and on the rink, so the arena decided it was time for a new, high-quality audio system. The poor acoustics in the arena proved to be a challenge, so Czech Republic based distributor, MusicData suggested a complete AUDAC installation that could meet all of the arena’s requirements. The team installed six AUDAC FX3.15 high-output cabinets together with four AUDAC FX1.18 subwoofers. This guaranteed enough power to provide accurate and detailed sound and deliver a clear reproduction of speech. Eight AUDAC SMQ500 WaveDynamics quad-channel amplifiers drive the cabinets. 018
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The team also implemented an AUDAC CMP30 all in one player to provide them with the right music, with the CMP30 they can easily choose between CD’s, MP3 or even radio stations. To ensure the safety within the building an AUDAC APM104MK2 digital paging microphone was installed to allow vocal messages in the arena, keeping the supporters informed about the games and in case of emergency spread safety messages. The AUDAC M2 multimedia digital audio mixer forms the heart of the entire audio installation and ensures complete audio distribution throughout the arena. Thanks to the new audio installation, the ice skaters of Benesov can enjoy their adventure on ice, while the HC Lev Benesov hockey team and their fans can enjoy their game day atmosphere safely and with perfect clarity. www.audac.eu
KICK OFF VTB ARENA | CENTRAL DYNAMO STADIUM L-ACOUSTICS When Moscow’s Dynamo Stadium was closed for demolition in 2008, the city turned its focus to the design and construction of a new multi-purpose facility that would better fit the metropole’s growing need for a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex. Opening its doors this year, the new VTB Arena includes the 26,000-capacity Central Dynamo Stadium, dedicated to football, and the Universal VTB Indoor Arena, a 13,000-capacity ice hockey facility. Both venues needed a sound system that could deliver power and quality for sporting events and entertainment alike. Russian L-Acoustics distributor, Sonoruss, was tasked with the challenge of designing and installing a PA that would not interfere with any other engineering systems, intrude on important video angles, or obstruct any view of the stadium’s large LED screens. Alexander Ananyev is the Acoustic Engineer at Sonoruss: “While both venues have clear primary uses, they are also multipurpose facilities that have to cater to other sports and other events, such as rock concerts and large-scale entertainment dates. We needed to ensure that there was uniform coverage, high SPL and the very best audio clarity possible.” Using L-Acoustics Soundvision acoustic simulation software, Sonoruss proposed several designs for the main stadium PA, but some way into the process the facility’s roof design was substantially changed, so Sonoruss had to go back to the drawing board: “We proposed all-new system designs that included electro-acoustical calculations, architectural visualisations, and evaluations by external agencies,” noted Alexander. “After lengthy negotiations and detailed analysis, the customer chose a solution based around the A Series medium throw range for the football stadium, and a K Series long throw configuration for the ice hockey arena.” The main Central Dynamo Stadium is the home of Russian football club FC Dynamo. It officially opened its doors on May 26 for the closing game of the 2018–19 Russian Premier League between FC Dynamo Moscow and Arsenal Tula. The PA for that space consists of 62 L-Acoustics ARCS II line source loudspeakers in 26 arrays located around the pitch-side edge of the roof canopy for coverage of the lower seats, 26 ARCS Focus loudspeakers and 45 L-Acoustics ARCS Wide in 29 arrays in delay positions further under the roof for the upper seating, and 30 L-Acoustics 5XT and 70 X8 short throw enclosures at suite level for the under-balcony spaces. The indoor Universal VTB Arena has a more varied programme. Its main focus is ice sports, but it also hosts mixed martial arts, boxing, basketball and entertainment events throughout its schedule. It hosted its first ice hockey game for resident team HC Dynamo Moscow in January 2019. For that system, Alexander specified L-Acoustics K2 line arrays. A total of 54 cabinets in six hangs flown around the central scoreboard location provide coverage of the bowl audience seating, while 18 L-Acoustics ARC Focus loudspeakers in six arrays of three are distributed evenly around the grid, to cover the bowl floor for sporting events where this is a requirement. Alexander is very pleased with how both solutions are performing and has received extremely positive feedback from the client: “We have succeeded,” he stated, “In creating a PA system that completely meets every one of the customer’s requirements. “A high-quality sound system is a must for a successful modern sports complex. “L-Acoustics technologies are powerful, lightweight and always form an aesthetically pleasing solution - something that was very important for the client in this instance,” concluded Alexander. “The L-Acoustics sound system at VTB Arena is an integral part of the audience experience.” www.l-acoustics.com
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BAYARENA ELECTRO-VOICE Located in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, BayArena is the home of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen Bundesliga football club. The club required an upgrade of its outdated audio network to enable high-quality audio streaming and complete remote monitoring with full redundancy, enhancing ease-of-use, overall system performance and reliability. In addition, the stadium technicians wanted a customised, graphical user interface for the studio control room to provide a better overview and ease of use. Following a competitive tender process, BayArena’s technical team opted for a network based on OMNEO IP technology to guarantee the best possible sound quality. Each of the four amplifier rooms, including the control room, have been networked via fast fibre-optic connections and equipped with two Electro-Voice N8000 digital audio matrix controllers, two Cisco switches, a total of 16 legacy amplifiers and new online uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit. Peter Bürgel, from PBS Mediasolutions - a Leverkusen-based professional installation company - explained more about the project: “This upgrade offers significant advantages for the customer, the entire sound reinforcement system can now be monitored via IRIS-Net software, the sound quality has been significantly improved with the new, low-latency, high-quality Dante audio signal; and full redundancy ensures that all functions are still available – 020
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even in the rare event of a device failure. In addition to the one-stop solution product portfolio, the stadium operators were also impressed by ElectroVoice’s outstanding price/performance ratio.” A further addition to the control room inventory at the BayArena sees a new Touch-PC playing a key role in monitoring the system. The graphical user interface of the IRIS-Net software displays all zones as well as direct links to each individual device. This translates into maximum security and direct access at a glance. “If a device should go down, the software immediately displays the relevant area, and at the same time an acoustically unnoticeable switch to live operation is initiated,” said Peter. Though the installation effort was considerable - by switching from CobraNet to a digital OMNEO IP network with full Dante audio functionality, each amplifier hub needed to be rewired - it was well worth it. “The new network not only meets all the network requirements demanded today, it is equipped for future expansion in this area. It already provides the basis for OCA, AES 67 and AES 70, so the decision is also an investment in the future,” concluded Peter. www.electrovoice.com
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AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA D.A.S. AUDIO The American Airlines Arena Miami is located in Downtown Miami, on the waterfront of Biscayne Bay, situated between the skyline of the city, the beautiful beaches and the nightlife of South Beach. It is home to the NBA Champions Miami Heat and also serves as a leading venue for concerts and live entertainment. With a seating capacity of 19,600 that can be tailored to the nature of the event, this multidisciplinary facility attracts a large number of visitors. The HEAT Group, responsible for the venue, has been committed to making the American Airlines Arena the premier sports and entertainment venue in South Florida, adding cutting-edge technology and investing in stateof-the-art renovations on an on-going basis. The atmosphere in the surroundings of the stadium is essential to influence the mood of visitors, so the quality of sound must be unbeatable and the intelligibility of the messages, before and after any event, is also crucial. “The installation of WR systems has truly been a success in all aspects,” said Jorge Arronte, Manager of Sound and Matrix. “We have been congratulated by fans of the HEAT regarding the improvements in both sound quality and intelligibility of the messages. These first-class products are a reflection of our commitment to deliver high-quality service to our clients. We are very pleased with the improvements in audio performance and look forward to working with DAS in the future.” DAS Audio was also utilised in the outdoor entertainment spaces: Café 601 and The Xfinity East Plaza. Café 601 features 10 DAS Audio WR-6412DX loudspeakers, 15 DAS Audio Artec 508 loudspeakers, 12 DAS Audio Artec 310 loudspeakers, eight DAS Audio Artec 510 loudspeakers and four DAS Audio Artec 322S bass reflex subwoofers. The Xfinity East Plaza is a 23,000 sq ft outdoor space located on the Eastside of the AA Arena. Heat fans are encouraged to arrive early and enjoy the cocktail bars, cafés and restaurants as well as the live music and entertainment on offer at the venue. After evaluating the requirements of the Xfinity East Plaza Project, Dave Vickery and Jorge Arronte deployed the Aero-50 line array system, DAS Audio LX-218CR subwoofers, DAS Audio road series 12A and 15A stage monitors, plus DAS Audio WR-6415 point source loudspeakers. “In the past few years we have rented sound systems for larger events, but with the addition of the new roofing structure over the East Plaza, we felt it was time to provide the installation with a powerful sound system,” Dave Vickery, Director of Broadcast Services said: “The main sound system is placed outdoors, under a large deck, and loudspeakers are distributed in columns throughout the space achieving excellent coverage.” The American Airlines Arena hosts the NBA’s Miami Heat stadium. The stadium has 2,105 VIP seats, 76 booths, 80 luxury suites and 19,600 standard 022
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seats. The architecture of the arena requires a line array system since it allows focusing the energy over the audience attenuating reflections on the ceiling and walls. The sound system is used before, during and after the game to create an atmosphere and build the energy of the fans, give voice announcements and improve the audience experience with special effects. The sound system offered high pressure and intelligibility over the audience area to ensure compliance with safety standards and evacuation systems as well as a wide dynamic range, high fidelity, controlled coverage and precise tonal balance. The system design had to guarantee uniform pressure distribution and homogenous frequency response over the entire audience. For that reason, during the design stage, modelling tools (AutoCAD, Sketchup) and acoustic simulation programs (EASE, EASE Focus) were used, which helped to accurately estimate the optimal configuration in a 360° distribution of the sound systems. For that purpose, eight line arrays were deployed, each with sixteen highperformance DAS Audio Aero 40 systems. Sixteen units of Aero-20 were used under the scoreboard to ensure an equally enjoyable audio experience in the first rows. DAS Audio worked on the sizing of the system, optimising the position and angle of each cluster, reducing possible differences in relative level and tonal balance over the audience. Four DAS Audio UX-218 systems were installed in four clusters extending the system’s frequency range to 30Hzs. The system had to be able to reproduce low frequencies with high-pressure levels, achieving a powerful sound suring the music acts played in the shows. The American Airlines Arena is a multi-disciplinary space, so it needs to be flexible to adapt to the requirements of each particular event. The challenge was to find a way to raise the systems above the catwalk when the main system wasn’t in use. To achieve this, custom rigging was designed with the help of Mountain Productions. Sound system alignment began by checking the smooth operation of the configuration (alignment, splay angles, amplification, limiters, signal routing, polarity and subsystems). Subsequently, significant measurements were taken at strategic points over the audience area in order to fully analyse the clusters (axis and off-axis) and characterise the acoustic response of the arena. A tonal response target was set over the audience area and the different throws of the sound systems (short, medium and long) were adjusted to compensate for the influence of room acoustics at the arena, aligning the delay and magnitude of the subsystems (subwoofers and scoreboard) to the main system. www.dasaudio.com
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STANFORD STADIUM MEYER SOUND Stanford University has completed the first phase of a major upgrade programme of sound reinforcement systems across its campus athletic venues. By early summer of this year, all-new Meyer Sound systems based on column array loudspeakers (CAL) with advanced beam-shaping technology were in place at the 50,000-capacity Stanford Stadium, the Avery Aquatic Centre, and the Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium, home field for the school’s softball team. Stanford Stadium and the Aquatic Centre were designed, engineered and installed by Diversified, a global technology solution provider, while Stanford worked with an electrical contractor to engineer and install Smith Stadium. Meyer Sound Design Services collaborated during the design phase, with prominent sports venue consulting firm WJHW providing oversight and guidance on the football stadium and aquatics systems. Stanford Stadium - home to PAC-12 Cardinal football - was built in the 1920’s as a mammoth bowl, seating upwards of 89,000, then completely reconstructed as a dual-deck stadium in 2006 for a more up-close fan experience. The system installed after the rebuild, based on conventional loudspeaker technology, was showing its age and its acoustical limitations. For this year’s renovation, the design team decided to rethink what was possible using the newest digital beam-shaping technology as incorporated in Meyer Sound’s self-powered column array loudspeakers. A total of 80 Meyer Sound column array loudspeakers were installed at the stadium, using all three models in the series: the 10ft high CAL 96 (with 96 individually 024
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processed and amplified loudspeakers) as well as the smaller CAL 64 and CAL 32 models.“The beam steering technology lets you put a loudspeaker in what otherwise would not be an optimal vertical location,” said Peter O’Neil, Director of Engineering at Diversified. “Horizontally it needs to be set in the right place, but in the vertical dimension you can use the beam steering to successfully cover the seating plan in a way often not otherwise possible.” “The extraordinary pattern control avoids problems often encountered in large stadium sound systems,” explained WJHW Associate Principal, Mark Graham. “One problem with distributed systems, when using long throw loudspeakers, is that if you don’t have the vertical control of the Meyer column arrays, you can have sound from one side of the stadium leaking over to the other side. And if it’s loud enough it will degrade intelligibility of the spoken word. But with the CALs and their narrow vertical pattern we can pretty much dictate exactly which seating areas each loudspeaker will cover and prevent that problem.” Mark also noted how the slender profile of the column speakers enables discreet coverage of problem areas of upper decks between lighting structures. “With conventional solutions crossfiring into those areas you can have horrible problems with time arrivals. But with these column arrays, we simply add a small pole, which is fairly inexpensive and unobtrusive architecturally, and you can steer sound right down into that area.” Although presenting a slender profile, the column array loudspeakers have ample power to punch through crowd excitement, according to Meyer Sound
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Director of Business Development, John Monitto. “Besides distributing the sound in an even, well-controlled manner, the CALs also give you very high peak output to deliver excellent intelligibility over crowd noise, even at high points of the game.” Despite the sophisticated digital technology, Peter is fully confident in the system’s long-term reliability. “It’s a proven solution,” he noted. “With a working base in other outdoor stadiums, including Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, which has been in use for several years. It holds up to the elements, and it also holds up to football games where you need the horsepower.” To cover seating areas where a column array solution was not appropriate, the Stanford Stadium system also incorporates 84 UPJunior and 10 UP-4XP loudspeakers. Nearby at the Avery Aquatic Center, two CAL 96 loudspeakers and one CAL 64 loudspeaker centred above the scoreboard provide an elegant point source solution for grandstand seating accommodating up to 2,480 spectators. “This was an interesting challenge because it’s an open facility with other pools around it, with practices scheduled at the same time as events,” said John. “They don’t want to be disturbed by what’s happening in the competition arena. So here CAL was a great point source solution, targeting a majority of the audience with only a minimum number of outfill loudspeakers needed.” The fill systems comprise nine Meyer Sound MM-4XP and two Meyer Sound UPJ-1XP loudspeakers. For events - such as synchronised swimming - that
require high fidelity, full-bandwidth music, the system provides controlled deep bass through three 750-LFC low frequency control elements deployed in a cardioid configuration. For the Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium, with a scalable capacity from 1,500 up to 3,500, a new Meyer Sound system provides two CAL 64 column array loudspeakers along with four UPJunior-XP loudspeakers. “Another great thing about a CAL solution is, you have flexibility to deal with scalable seating scenarios,” said John. “If you need to redistribute the sound, you can simply program another preset to steer it into a tighter or broader coverage pattern to fit the new seating configuration.” Another factor favouring a comprehensive Meyer Sound solution, was proven product longevity. “Several of the outdoor facilities here had installed MSL-3 systems more than 25 years ago and they are still working well,” John said. “It shows what we put into weather protection research back then, and we continue to evolve that technology to further extend the life of products with exposure to the elements.” Future phases of the facility upgrading program will include new Meyer Sound systems for Laird Q. Cagan Stadium at Maloney Field (soccer and lacrosse) and Klein Field at Sunken Diamond (baseball). www.meyersound.com
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P12 NEXO NEXO’S new P12 is an ultra-versatile multi-purpose loudspeaker, bringing technical innovation to a wide range of sound reinforcement applications. Surprisingly, given NEXO’s long-standing reputation for point-source loudspeakers, this is the first time the company has designed a 12-inch enclosure. The much-anticipated P12 promises to establish a new benchmark for the all-purpose point-source cabinet. Inside the curvilinear enclosure of custom birch and poplar plywood, the P12 employs a purpose-designed 12-inch LF Neodymium driver and three -inch diaphragm high frequency driver in a coaxial configuration. The cabinet footprint is very compact, measuring 531mm by 432mm by 317mm. Frequency response is 60Hz-20kHz, and the SPL is an impressive 138dB peak (passive), 140dB peak (active mode), making it the most powerful pointsource design in its class in today’s market. In an innovative design twist, which allows the user to customise their P12 cabinet, the horn flanges can be interchanged to deliver a variety of directivities - from the 60° by 60° that is provided as standard, to a 90° by 40° or an asymmetrical 50° - 100° by 40°, the interchangeable flanges are marketed as accessories. Switching between different directivities can be accomplished in just 15 seconds, easily removing the steel grille and replacing the flare, which uses a magnetic fixing. Less than 20kg in weight, the ergonomic design of the P12 includes carry handles on both sides, pole mount fitting with an ingeniously positioned Speakon
connector behind it to allow tidy cable management and threaded inserts for connection of mounting accessories. P12 can be used on a pole-mount with the L15 subbass cabinet, wall-mounted or flown in landscape mode beneath a L15 enclosure, using a specially designed yoke bracket. The variable directivity feature will effectively treble the deployment of any inventory of P12 floor monitors, and the cabinet is designed for the rigours of touring use, with an extra-robust grille and scratch-resistant paint finish. With a switch on the back of the cabinet, the P12 is easy to reconfigure from passive to active mode, where it achieves 140dB peak SPL. This is the first NEXO loudspeaker to be purpose designed to use the processing capacity of the new NXAMP4x2mk2 amplifier, although it is fully compatible with the larger NXAMP4x4. The processing in the NXAMP4x2mk2 is very precise, with separate set-ups for each directivity, providing perfect coverage. Touring and installation versions of the P12 will be produced in black and white scratch-resistant paint finishes, the first use of a new paint process, which is described by Joseph Carcopino, NEXO’s Head of R&D as: ‘a hundred times better than before.’ Applied using a special process, the paint finish prepares the P12 for use in all climate conditions. IP54 certification is provided for the installation version of the P12. www.nexo-sa.com
ICLIVE X SERIES RENKUS-HEINZ The culmination of over a decade of experience in steerable line arrays, the ICLive X Series is the latest evolution of the medium-format, steerable line array. The ICLive X module can be arrayed up to 12 units tall, or can be used in combination with the ICLive XL, allowing taller, more directional arrays to be constructed for a surprisingly reasonable cost. The ICLX and ICLXL array modules connect with a simple and nearly invisible, metal-to-metal array system. For permanent installation, they are assembled with flat-head bolts. For portable applications, the bolts are simply replaced with quick-release pins, allowing one cabinet version to serve in both install and production markets without compromise in either. RHAON II beam-steering and control via Ethernet are standard, and Dante audio-over-Ethernet is available as an option. Digital beam steering puts ICLive X’s substantial output where it belongs: on the spectators, and away from walls and ceilings. The ICLive X Series benefits from the full range of RHAON II beam-steering, including conventional and uni-beams, moveable beam centres and multiple beams, each individually adjustable for aiming, opening angle and level. Iconyx transparent technology controls sound with the most advanced, intelligent DSP. Multi-channel Class-D digital amplifiers with integral DSP engines control every single array element with programmable precision. High-current audiophile output stages power each individual lightweight, efficient transducer in the Iconyx array. In addition to beam steering, the onboard DSP provides 12 total filters of parametric EQ (eight fully parametric, high and low shelf and high and low pass filters) as well as up to 170 milliseconds of delay. Each array module has two Ethernet connections, which can be used as a two-port switch, making daisy-chaining possible. Dante units can be configured as either switched, or redundant network operation, though daisy-chaining is not possible in redundant mode. ICLive X is the most versatile, high-powered, steerable line array on the market and its extreme flexibility makes it suitable for almost any live sound application. www.renkus-heinz.com 026
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A-SERIES D&B AUDIOTECHNIK When d&b audiotechnik launched the A-Series ‘augmented array’ loudspeaker system, it marked the introduction of an entirely new loudspeaker system concept. A-Series is, indeed, different - designed to provide flexibility in both physical setup and acoustic control, and comprehensive coverage for a wide range of applications, including stadia. It combines variable splay angles, two approaches to acoustic optimisation, and an advanced waveguide design, addressing applications where coverage flexibility in both the horizontal and the vertical is paramount. The concept is to combine the flexibility of a point source cluster with the powerful control options of a d&b line array. As Wolfgang Schulz, Product Manager at d&b says: “A-Series offers a new set of scalable solutions that work as a standalone system or in combination with the full range of d&b systems. The flexibility of the splay angles, the Midrange Directivity Control function and the ArrayProcessing capabilities enable the A-Series to address a huge range of applications with coverage consistency that is unparalleled.” The A-Series consists of the AL60 and AL90 loudspeakers, with 60˚ and 90˚ horizontal pattern control respectively, down to 370 Hz. The range also includes the ALi60 and ALi90 variants for permanent installation. The AL60 and AL90 share a passive 2-way design; a single 1.4” exit HF compression driver with a 3” diaphragm mounted to a wave shaping device, and two 10” neodymium LF drivers. The combination of sophisticated waveguide design and the symmetrical bipolar arrangement of the LF drivers allows a smooth overlap of the adjacent frequency bands in the crossover design. The wave segments of each cabinet couple without gaps and sum up
coherently. The message is clear: in notoriously sound-tricky stadia, which often present awkward audience layouts, the A-Series offers a simple and efficient, yet standout solution. Two cabinets can be driven by each amplifier channel, and the number of loudspeakers required is kept to a minimum, reducing both the overall weight of the system and sightline interference, while speech intelligibility is maximised. Arrays of two to four loudspeakers can be deployed horizontally or vertically, covering wider areas with vertical splay that spans a range of 50° to 150°, and with higher SPL than a point source system. What’s more, where single point source loudspeakers would compromise coverage and potentially not meet evacuation specifications, the A-Series, in conjunction with d&b amplifiers, can form part of a compliant voice evacuation system. Variable splay angles allow arrays of up to four A-Series loudspeakers to adapt precisely to venue shapes in five-degree increments from -10° to +10°. Narrow or broad coverage, horizontal arrays or vertical: sound is directed only to where it should be and no further. It’s impressive stuff. A further innovation is the new acoustic refinement approach: Midrange Directivity Control (MDC), which keeps midrange directivity symmetrical at every possible splay angle, ensuring that the critical vocal range is crystal clear, wherever the listener is placed within a stadium. Similarly, coherent high frequency dispersion is maintained through sophisticated waveguide design, whichever way it’s splayed – so everyone experiences the same full-impact sonic thrill that cuts through the roar of the crowd. www.dbaudio.com
OTTOCANALI 12K4 POWERSOFT The Ottocanali 12K4 is a flexible and reliable eight-channel power amplifier with a total of 12,000W at four ohms, ideal for multi-zone applications in medium to large-scale installs. Ottocanali 12K4 supports any combination of lo-Z loudspeakers, mono-bridgeable channel pairs and 70V/100V Hi-Z distributed lines with no need for output step-up transformers. The Ottocanali 12K4 features switchable main/aux signal inputs and offers a wide range of system control, alarms, GPI/O and monitoring functions as well as sound shaping options. The Ottocanali 12K4 implements redundant universal switch mode power supplies with PFC and patented SRM (Smart Rails Management) technology, maximising reliability, efficiency and reducing power consumption. The Ottocanali 12K4 DSP+D heralds a new and innovative level of signal
processing, providing non-boolean routing and mixing, multi-stage equalisation with raised-cosine, IIR and FIR filters, delay up to two seconds in input processing and 100 milliseconds for time alignment, gain and polarity adjustment, crossover, peak limiters, TruePower limiters and active damping control. Powersoft’s legendary efficiency saves valuable energy, keeping both operational cost and carbon footprint at a minimum. The Ottocanali 12K4 shines with outstandingly low power consumption and heat dissipation; this dramatically reduces costs from the AC mains supply and air conditioning/ cooling systems - not to mention the benefits to the environment for a greener planet. www.powersoft-audio.com 027
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KF SERIES EAW The KF Series, comprising of the 300, 700 and new 800 range, is a premium family of point source and line source loudspeakers boasting a very high output to size/weight ratio. The series features exceptional pattern control due to symmetrical design, large horn and spaced subwoofers, ensuring superior performance in a very easy to work with package. The vertical directivity of every arrayed system conforms to the curvature of the array while the symmetrical design of every module provides absolute uniformity over the horizontal coverage area and spectacular imaging when used in stereo. The addition of EAW Focussing processing provides the hallmark level of clarity and detail for which EAW systems are known. New to the KF Series is the KF810 line array system, which offers best-inclass output, true broadband pattern control, and integrated three-way performance. The KF810P incorporates specific design features tailored for the installation market: clean aesthetics offered in black or white, invisible wiring, and concealed three-point rigging. A weather rated option allows for long-term 028
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permanent installation in demanding environments backed by EAW’s full warranty. Engineered for a wide variety of applications, the compact KF810 module is comprised of dual three-inch voice coil high frequency compression drivers, four five-inch mid-frequency transducers and two three-inch voice coil high power 10-inch low frequency drivers. The output of these sources unites through an integrated horn that occupies nearly the entire forward face of the loudspeaker enclosure, delivering up to 145dB with accurate pattern control to 250Hz to master the most challenging acoustic spaces. www.eaw.com
PROFESSIONAL
Bose ArenaMatch DeltaQ array loudspeakers Outdoor sound that stands its ground Bose Professional ArenaMatch loudspeakers bring proven DeltaQ sound quality and flexibility to outdoor installations — sports stadiums, arenas, outdoor entertainment centers, and more. Featuring an IP55 durable and reliable outdoor loudspeaker arrays that bring consistent, intelligible sound to every listener.
Learn more at PRO.BOSE.COM
NEXT-GENERATION ARRAY TECHNOLOGY
©2019 Bose Corporation.
weather rating, ArenaMatch DeltaQ modules make it easy to create
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VERA20I TW AUDIO The VERA20i loudspeaker is equipped with two 10-inch chassis for low-mid frequencies, and a newly developed waveguide with a 1.4-inch mid-high compression driver. Measuring just 60cm in width, the loudspeaker forms part of a vertical array of up to 24 elements. Compared with typical double eight-inch systems, the VERA20i‘s two 10-inch drivers are able to reproduce up to 6dB more output in the low-mid frequency range with lower distortion. The newly developed 1.4-inch compression driver and waveguide are reproducing a smooth and accurate midrange response for natural vocal and music reproduction. The low frequency crossover point around 1 kHz guarantees a precise and uniform coverage even in the sensitive transition range. The extraordinarily fast transient response replays the high frequencies in a very detailed and crisp way. The compact and appealing design of the enclosure allows a subtle presentation of the VERA20i, especially when sightlines have to be considered, or an array needs to be fitted unobtrusively within the architectural surrounding. The fully integrated, nearly invisible installation four-point rigging hardware supports the discreet optical aspect. A special feature of the loudspeaker is the logarithmic scaling of the intermediate angles between angles, it enables angles smaller than one degree to achieve a more accurate directivity of the upper array elements over a longer distance. In addition, costs for expensive pins and additional frames between subwoofer and tops do not apply. www.twaudio.de
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A-Series
Assume nothing. It takes very little time for the A-Series to reveal its true colors: Coverage options to spare. Extra clever acoustic control. More flexibility. Fewer compromises. Approach sound reinforcement from a different angle: dbaudio.com/a-series
More art. Less noise.
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WE THINK YOU’RE THE PERFECT MATCH The UK Sports & Venues Summit takes place at the London Stadium on the 21st November 2019 & we’d love you to join us!
With an exciting line-up of events and competitions coming to the UK in the forthcoming years, this summit takes an in-depth look at the challenges and complexities of running stadia and venues. This Summit is an excellent opportunity to get off the bench and get involved with key stakeholders and suppliers, share ideas and best practice, and understand upcoming procurement opportunities in the sector. The format of the Summit is highly interactive to encourage discussion on key industry topics; with panels and workshops tailored to these topics. We are in the business of making connections for our delegates, so although the schedule is full of amazing content, there are ample networking opportunities.
Find out more about the programme & speakers now! +44 20 77092350
summit@majoreventsint.com
07 INTERVIEW
“We cooperated with the Bundesliga in testing various headset configurations and microphones in a bid to come up with the optimal system to deal with the ambient noise in a sold-out stadium... I mean, you can imagine the noise of 80,000 people at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.� Jacky Voss Corporate Business Development Manager Riedel
INTERVIEW
JACKY VOSS Corporate Business Development Manager, Riedel Can you give us a little bit of background on your career?
Basically, Bundesliga directly approached us knowing that our intercom
My educational background is in electrical engineering, so I was an
systems are sophisticated and very reliable, but to put it quite simply, the
engineer initially - and that is actually how I started with Riedel about 10
beltpacks were simply too big for what they needed. So, they asked if we
years ago.
could help by creating a smaller beltpack device – whether it was half the
I’ve been a System Engineer, a Project Manager – working on all kinds of
size or just thinner, they needed our expertise in that field.
projects, such as Formula 1 – the communication systems for the cars and
Of course, we were happy to pick up that project and, within four months
Red Bull Air Race - the live transmission from the airplane. Then, I was
time, we had a working prototype. Basically, we stripped down the regular
the Technical Project Manager - and overall Project Manager - for Red
Bolero S belt pack – getting rid of the display and a couple of buttons, as
Bull Stratos, designing the capsule and everything.
well as reducing the battery capacity by one third, which is still sufficient
From there, I further developed into a different position – and now I
as it provides 10 hours – more than enough for a referee to officiate a
work directly under Thomas Riedel (Founder of Riedel) in the area of
game. It’s IP67 rated, too, so pretty perfect in terms of what they needed.
business development and corporate business development. I’ve been
So, while we were creating the new Bolero, we cooperated with the
involved in several different projects, with the one I’m working on now
Bundesliga in testing various headset configurations and microphones in
being Managed Sport Services. So, under that umbrella, there is a range of
a bid to come up with the optimal system to deal with the ambient noise
different, smaller topics, with one of those being referee communications
in a sold-out stadium. That is something that we had to get right – I
– that is a big project for us at Riedel right now. We have successfully
mean, you can imagine the noise of 80,000 people at Signal Iduna Park in
implemented intercom systems in every single stadium in the Bundesliga
Dortmund, for example.
and 2. Bundesliga in Germany, as well as the Swiss Super League. We’ve
After that whole process, we ended up with a setup that worked really
worked with FIFA and the NFL also.
well. Our approach was quite different, as we’re used to working with the broadcast industry, who are obviously quite technical. With
Can you explain what Riedel offer for stadiums and sporting venues?
the Bundesliga project, we were instead working with referees and
Well, in general, Riedel is a manufacturer of intercoms and signal
professional communications equipment, so that’s why we definitely
distribution equipment, so when it comes to stadia and sporting venues,
wanted to have that under our Managed Sport Services – offering fully
we do implementations of the infrastructure to route audio and video
managed systems in each stadium, with the central remote operation
signals, but also communications solutions and the whole fibre backbone
centre at Riedel’s headquarters in Wuppertal, Germany. When it comes
of a venue – so, we have all kinds of different applications in stadiums.
to game day, we are able to talk back to the referee; adjusting volumes,
Sometimes, we completely equip the whole stadium with intercom -
thresholds, filters and so on. It’s been a great achievement, one that is
wired and wireless.
really appreciated by the referees themselves as they don’t care too much for the technical side of things – they just want a working, reliable system
How did the partnership with the Bundesliga start?
that won’t let them down.
The Bundesliga partnership is quite interesting - I mean, in general, our customers are usually from the broadcast industry. However, when we
So, were those developments made exclusively for the Bundesliga?
introduced the Bolero wireless intercom system in May 2017, I believe
They initiated the project and we were happy to exclusively develop that
that, shortly after, the Bundesliga introduced Video Assistant Referees.
for the Bundesliga, but, from there, it spread like wildfire, so we had other
Initially, they used the audio system that had been in place before, which
leagues approaching us saying ‘We’re not too happy with our old version,
had some stability issues, so it wasn’t working too well.
can you introduce us to your new solution?’ We’ve since demonstrated
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INTERVIEW
to different leagues, which has led us to persuade the biggest league in
and filter the whistle for the referee – just lots of little tweaks that we do
the world – at least in terms of revenue – the NFL to adopt the Bolero S
during a game. That’s pretty neat and really appreciated by the different
system. It’s not just the top end of the scale in terms of leagues, though –
leagues - they like that a lot. But, as I said, American football, for example,
we are able to scale the system down and offer a lower budget solution for
they only want to be heard once they push a button. You know, sometimes
smaller leagues.
they yell at players and they don’t want anyone to hear it!
In general, though, it is a managed service - we do not sell this solution, we do not sell those small beltpacks and we don’t just dry-hire them. We
Are there any particular difficulties that you came across during the
really want to be in charge of the system, and we want to manage it for
installation process?
the customer in order to make it work, you know - make it live up to our
In the beginning, during the roll out process, if you are working at 36
standards, let’s say.
different stadiums across Germany, you will find different circumstances. Sometimes the connections are fairly easy, sometimes you have to take
Working on leagues of different sizes, do you find there is much
some time in figuring out how to route the signals. That was a challenge;
variation in terms of what is needed when it comes to the bigger
we had to do site visits in every stadium, talk to the clubs or to the owner
stadiums compared to the smaller ones?
of the stadium and prepare everything well enough to allow us to install
No, with soccer, it’s pretty similar, but if you talk to other sports, like
everything properly.
rugby or American football, obviously they have different workflows
To be honest, there wasn’t really a blueprint or a guide in terms of how
and different ways to operate communication systems. For example, in
to set everything up in those 36 different stadiums. It was a series of
American football, usually they use external PTT buttons - they call it the
individual projects – we had to take a close look and document all the
easy button. While, in soccer, they don’t have time to push any buttons.
different stadiums to see which installations really worked. But it worked
This leads up to, what I would say, is one of our USPs – soccer referees
quite well and was actually pretty fast, too, considering.
don’t operate any buttons, so we basically adjust the voice activation
Also, one aspect we had to consider was the positioning of the antenna.
threshold on the flight, so if a referee shows up at Signal Iduna Park, it’s
We have two of the antennas in the stadium itself in order to cover the
a different situation than a referee showing up in a small stadium in 2.
pitch. The second antenna is located right next to the first basically as
Bundesliga where you only have a couple of thousand fans cheering. We
we don’t need two antennas to do the range – it’s purely a back up. We
are able to listen into the audio, adjust the voice activation threshold
also have one antenna in close proximity to the mixed zone where the pre
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and post-match interviews take place as that is usually pretty close to the
What is the process like when it comes to setting up for a tournament or
referees’ locker rooms, which gives us coverage there, too.
sporting event?
So, the procedure is that the referee comes in, they take the beltpack out of
Well that’s a bit easier, or, should I say, different – it’s not a permanent fixed
the charger, turn it on, talk back to our team in Wuppertal, do a first check,
installation that’s going to live in the stadium for the next few years. The
then start warming up and doing a second check. We have a full game day
typical approach here is the same for any major tournament or event, such
run down to go through and they are able to talk back to either the central
as the Olympics or the World Cup. We build everything in mobile racks and
video operation room where there fellow referees are located – in Germany,
we just ship everything for a temporary installation. Afterwards, you de-rig
that is in Cologne – or they can also talk back to our engineers in our remote
everything and go back home, so that’s a little bit of a different story! We have
operation centre and check back if they have any problems that they would
people on site to support the system there, but we also are able to support
like us to solve.
everything remotely.
How long did it take to install the system in each stadium?
What has been your favourite stadium or sporting venue so far?
Overall, for Bundesliga stadiums, which we did last year, that took us eight
Well it was very impressive to be at the Super Bowl this year! Obviously,
weeks and, this year, I think it took us around 10 weeks for 2. Bundesliga.
that’s a totally different universe, all of a sudden you feel like you are in a different world. Atlanta was packed with people and there was a huge
Are there any other projects coming up for Riedel?
compound around the stadium – you actually had to go through several
We did the FIFA Women’s World Cup, with our communications system in
different securities to actually get in the venue. But, in terms of how the half-
every stadium used for the tournament in France. We did the FIFA U20s World
time show was set up and how it all worked together – it was really, really
Cup in Poland and we’ll be doing the FIFA U17 World Cup in Brazil.
impressive. Plus, the stadium itself! I’m an engineer and a bit of a geek, so,
038
WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM
INTERVIEW
to me, that roof structure is unbelievable. I had to take a time-lapse video
seconds, whatever you set it to. It’s just a really neat and simple idea that
of it opening and closing like an iris – it’s incredible how someone can
works so well.
come up with something like that, especially in that size. Also, the video
Also, we are currently working on improving Bolero S. I can’t quite reveal
screen that goes right around just under the roof is very, very impressive.
too much about that yet, but you can be sure that they are on the way.
The way they used that for the show was spectacular. So, I think that is the most impressive stadium that I have seen so far – definitely a highlight for me, personally. Is there anything new coming from Riedel? We are constantly developing new things and trying to improve. Bolero will have a new firmware version shortly, in which we have implemented some more features. That is, basically, what we are trying to do constantly – sometimes its bigger things, sometimes its small tweaks, but I’m a huge fan of those smaller updates, too! For instance, the last firmware upgrade for Bolero brought what I think is the coolest feature ever for a wireless intercom belt pack, which is a functionality where you can program a button to replay the last call. That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen on an intercom belt pack - if you miss a call, you just push the button and it replays the last 10 or 15
039
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07 THE FULL PITCH
042 Croke Park | Dublin, Ireland 052 Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, United Arab Emirates 062 All England Lawn Tennis Club | London, England
THE FULL PITCH
CROKE PARK Dublin, Ireland
Images: NEXO & MONDO | STADIA
C
roke Park officially opened back in 1884 and has, since then, become the heart of Irish sporting life. The iconic venue, which is the national stadium of Ireland and home to the
Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), has a capacity for 82,300 people, making it the third largest stadium in Europe, behind FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou and Wembley Stadium in London.
044
The stadium is primarily used by the GAA to host Gaelic
playing music and speech intelligibility,� explained Brian
games, such as the annual All-Ireland finals in both
Conlon, Head of Stadium Operations & Projects.
football and hurling, as well as being a popular venue
Mongey Communications, the full-service audiovisual and
choice for huge concerts and events. Croke Park has seen
communications provider from Kildare, was intimately
the likes of U2, Westlife, Neil Diamond, Take That, One
involved with the planning of the upgrade, working
Direction and Spice Girls all play to sold-out crowds.
alongside technology consultancy, Vanguardia. Mongey,
With a range of events held at the Dublin venue, the GAA
having been involved with Croke Park for 15 years, was
- the managing body for the stadium - understood the
instrumental in guiding the GAA, the managing body
importance of improving the audio system, particularly
for the stadium, to a world-class audio setup, which not
as the existing setup had aged somewhat. The GAA’s
only benefits its regular audience of sports fans but also
criteria for the audio upgrade focussed on qualitative
elevates its provision for concert sound.
improvements to the stadium facilities for voice alarm
The audio system design options for the bowl, done in
and evacuation (VA), and for announcement and music
accordance with relevant British Standard guidelines and
reinforcement for matchday entertainment (PA).
industry-standard practices, looked at the reinforcement
“The audio system in the stadium was in the region of 20
of live and pre-recorded entertainment audio during
years old. Technology moves very quickly and certainly we
sporting events, audio reproduction for video content, and
were very conscious that it was time for us to pay attention
reinforcement for pitch-side interviews.
to the improvements made in technology, in regards to
In addition to improving audio throughout the stadium,
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THE FULL PITCH
the brief required the new system to have the capability to
curved cluster containing eight modules. Powered by
supplement coverage for concert use.
NEXO’s proprietary NXAMP4x4 amplifiers and controlled
“One great feature that it’s given the stadium is the ability
over a Dante network, the new system addresses the three
for a touring rig to come in and use the loudspeakers
grandstands of Croke Park. The 18 identical clusters give
addressing the upper terraces in the Hogan, Cusack and
uniform coverage across all seats, as well as significant
Davin stands - this delivers high-quality audio to those
improvements in SPL without infringing the very stringent
areas, which they weren’t able to achieve before,” revealed
noise regulations applied to the stadium’s events. The
Kevin McGrath, Project Manager, Mongey Communications.
fourth side of the stadium, known as Hill 16, is maintained
“From a reputational point-of-view, the GAA wanted
as traditional standing terraces and has a discrete audio
a best-in-class production type sound system,” Kevin
system.
added. “Croke Park Stadium is in a highly residential
The GAA’s stated goal of equipping Croke Park with the
neighbourhood, so it doesn’t host that many live music
highest international level of technical facilities, allowing
shows. However, when they do, they host the top artists in
them to attract the finest performers in the world, required
the world, like Coldplay, U2, the Rolling Stones and Taylor
a well-researched supply chain. Mongey and Vanguardia
Swift, so the GAA wanted to ensure that audio coverage was
refined their choices down to three different suppliers,
top-flight in all areas of the stadium.”
focussing on the issues of price: performance ratios, the
The stadium roof canopy now carries 18 clusters of NEXO’s
manufacturer’s ability to deliver and engineering issues,
GEO S12-ST specialist long-throw loudspeakers, each
such as the number of loudspeakers necessary to do the job.
045
THE FULL PITCH
046
“Our first dealings with NEXO included the examination of
last summer, Croke Park has hosted a wide variety of
reference sites like the Stade de France, and we found them
events. In addition to the normal annual calendar of
highly credible,” said Kevin. “The company’s support from
sporting fixtures, His Holiness Pope Francis visited Ireland
the planning to the implementation was near flawless.”
as part of the World Meeting of Families 2018. It was the
Croke Park’s amplification hubs had been upgraded earlier
first visit by a reigning pontiff to Ireland since 1979 - and
in the year, with 8km of electrical cabling installed as part
one of the highlights was the Festival of Families at Croke
of that project. RG Jones were tasked with rebuilding all
Park, which was attended by 53,392 people. Musically
the Croke Park racks and doing all the cabling, from the
speaking, Michael Bublé returned to the stage at Croke
marshalling boxes back to the NEXO NXAMPs, together
Park and was the first to use the installed sound equipment
with the power distribution and cabling to route the
for acoustic reinforcement for the upper terraces.
controlling Dante network straight into the amplifiers.
In every one of these cases - all significant sporting,
The installation of almost 150 NEXO loudspeakers was
cultural and concert occasions - the NEXO system has
certainly a challenge for the Mongey team, with only
met with universally positive reviews. Audio quality is
a small window of opportunity in between a Rolling
vastly improved and bears favourable comparison with
Stones concert and the Gaelic hurling and camogie
international best in class standards. In addition to
championships, which was soon followed by the Papal
meeting the required life safety standards in full, the new
visit.
equipment provides very high-quality public address for
“We had two weeks for the physical installation work,”
general announcements. Reinforcement of live and pre-
continued Kevin. “We created the sub-assemblies, fixed
recorded entertainment audio during sporting events and
into custom-built steel frames. Given the height of the roof
audio reproduction for video content has been deemed
canopy and the weight of the loudspeaker clusters, the only
exceptional, and commentary and feedback on both pitch-
way to do it was to send the riggers onto the top of the roof
side interview and concert audio reinforcement has been
to haul the arrays up into place. With all the wiring done
universally positive.
from the top side of the canopy, they were then bolted into
“Everyone is very pleased - there have been a lot of
place under the roof structure, which had been modified
positive comments. With the age of the old system, it
with special steelwork to hold them.”
has been a dramatic improvement in terms of the sound
Impressively, the Mongey team completed the installation
quality from the new NEXO loudspeakers,” concluded
of all 18 clusters in less than two weeks, meaning there was
Kevin.
an extra week for finetuning the network, and testing and
The lighting at the stadium is provided by Thorn Lighting,
commissioning the system.
with the Croke Park team keen to go down the route of LED
Kevin added: “We probably shouldn’t tell people how
lighting throughout the venue.
quickly we got the job done, as it might encourage
“We did a trial of Thorn LED lighting just in our tunnel
other stadium owners to expect the same from their
area throughout the three main stands. It was an effective
integrators!”
project and we are considering it for the rest of the
With the advantages of the Dante network, the stadium
stadium, however, the footprint across seven levels is vast.
can now deploy pitch side mixing positions very easily,
Currently any upgrade works we do in office spaces, and so
depending on the entertainment content.
on, would incorporate LED as a preferred replacement,”
Since the bulk of the new system was brought into service
said Brian.
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THE FULL PITCH
048
“We had several proposals, but we decided, based on case
The team at Croke Park have one eye on the future when
studies and warranties, to go with Thorn Lighting.”
it comes to 5G stadiums. In late 2018, the venue deployed
The visual aspect of the stadium has also been addressed,
a 39 sector shared Distributed Antenna System (DAS)
too, with Daktronics screens installed at Croke Park.
that carries all networks. Consisting of over 480 antennas
“Similar to the upgrade of the loudspeaker system,
and 40km of cabling, the system provides support for 3G
technology had moved on. The requirement to have much
and 4G mobile traffic, with a capacity for over 100,000
clearer, digitally enhanced screens that can be clearly
devices. It allows for an easy upgrade to 5G services when
viewed from extreme angles was high on our agenda,”
they become available, too - making Croke Park a truly
Brian explained.
connected stadium.
“Additionally, we needed technology that could absorb the
“We’re also engaged in a Smart Stadium partnership with
glare from the sun. Another consideration of both projects
DCU, Microsoft and Intel. Croke Park is used as a test bed
was weight loading. The roof structure here in Croke Park
whereby IOT gateways and sensors have been installed to
had to take loadings into account as the screen on the
better understand crowd and environmental dynamics in a
Davin stand is hung directly from the roof, much like the
controlled space,” said Brian.
loudspeaker clusters.”
The forward-thinking attitude extends to the turf at Croke
The stadium had Ross Video technology installed some
Park, as Brian explained further: “Last year, we purchased
years before in anticipation of replacing the screens.
a farm in North County Dublin where we have started
“This meant the back-end technology had been addressed
to grow our own turf for the post-concert replacement
and, when the new screens were installed, we were
process. Ordinarily, we sourced the turf from the UK,
ready to up our game on visual comms within the bowl.
however, having our own turf on our doorsteps mitigates
Additionally, we installed a ribbon board on the Davin
against many risks. We have a very good relationship with
stand which we use as a scoreboard and clock - that
County Turf who would have provided the replacement
replaced an older system too,” said Brian.
turf in the past and they continue to harvest the turf at our
“We are always conscious of fan engagement and we
new venture for us.
continue to strive to raise the bar using our Daktronics
The installation of sub metering and smart technologies
screen technology, now coupled with our new in bowl
has allowed us to track our usage and gauge performance
loudspeaker system.”
issues with some of our larger plants and equipment,
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THE NEW REFERENCE POINT
w w w . r o b e . c z
THE FULL PITCH
hence allowing us make savings on our utilities spend.
However, it’s not stopping there, either, as Brian
We use a temperature sensor on the pitch to ensure the
explained, there is certainly more to come: “For a stadium
undersoil heating system is activated only when the
this size, with its footfall and high usage levels, there is a
temperature falls below a certain level.
huge amount of maintenance required on an ongoing basis.
“We have also trialled LED grow lights for the pitch as this
We constantly have plans for upgrades and sustainability
technology is improving at a rapid rate.”
is at the fore, playing an increasingly important role in our
With a new state-of-the-art NEXO audio system in place,
decision making.”
alongside the existing lighting and visual technology already installed, Croke Park is maintaining an incredibly high standard befitting of its status as one of the best multifunctional stadiums in Europe.
INSTALLER: Mongey Communications | CONSULTANTS: Vanguardia | BRANDS: NEXO, Thorn Lighting, Daktronics | WEBSITES: www.nexo-sa.com, www.thornlighting.co.uk, www. daktronics.com, www.mongey.ie, www.vanguardia.co.uk 050
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THE FULL PITCH
COCA-COLA ARENA Dubai, UAE
Images: Coca-Cola Arena
W
ith touring acts and events including the Middle East on the circuit more and more these days, it was only a matter of time before the region was in desperate need of a large,
indoor venue that can be used all year round. Three years ago, DXB Entertainment and AEG Ogden Australia were instructed to build said venue for owner, MERAAS at City Walk, Dubai. After a relatively short build period for a project of this scope, the Coca-Cola Arena is now open and has hosted its first collection of events. The Coca-Cola Arena is the first and largest, fully airconditioned, multipurpose indoor arena in the Middle East. The design is based around the O2 Arena in London, UK, adopting a generic arena bowl layout with the stage at one end, although it is hugely versatile and the set-up of the bowl can be changed depending on the type of event at any given time. Along with touring productions, comedy gigs and exhibitions, the arena is also capable of hosting sporting events such as ice hockey, basketball and tennis, to name just a few. Director of Technical & Production at the Coca-Cola Arena, Malcolm Giles picks up the story: “We don’t have any dedicated sports equipment attached to the venue, but we do have the ability to host a number of sports, and the required floor is brought in. We have sufficient power, enough for a generator to cool an ice rink, for example. We also have draining ditches in place, so anything that requires water can be drained out.” Depending on the seating layout, up to 44-metres by 88-metres of floor space can be achieved. Sporting events that take place in the round - it’s not usual to set up a concert in the round - make use of the standard automated retractable seats, as well as some areas that have a demountable seating system. The seated capacity excluding the 42 hospitality suites, VIP suites and royal suites is 13,000 - although this is determined by the activity inside the venue - which increases by 1,400 when the hospitality areas are included. With standing included, the full arena can accommodate 17,000. Additionally, the arena has a horizontal and a vertical draping system, so more intimate sporting events or live gigs can also feel at home in the arena. Technology within the Coca-Cola Arena, whether it be audio, lighting or visual has been designed and installed with the future in mind, even the roof structure, as the rigging points and the roof weight are rather unique in a venue of this type. Malcolm continued: “All of the rigging is carried out from the catwalks, so there is no climbing, and no rope access. The rigging beams run the length of the catwalks at 4.8-metres apart, and rigging points are created by bridle method using SWR, and the apex of
THE FULL PITCH
054
bridle vary from 18-metres to 22-metres. In essence, the
should the client require it. “We then have six preset delay
arena is very flexible in terms of rigging, and height wise it
rings covering the upper tier using JBL’s VTX V20’s, which
should more than cover most of the shows that are coming
are permanently installed, and we have a small satellite
through. Weight wise we have 90 tonnes over the stage
system that covers sporting events,” Malcolm explained.
area, 60 tonnes in the middle and 40 tonnes at the far end.
Clients are not required to use any of the PA, however, the
All three zones can be hung simultaneously, so the total
use of the venue’s rigging points are mandatory for any
roof weight is 190 metric tonnes.”
event taking place.
Utilising some of that roof weight is the in-house PA
The JBL PA is driven by Crown IT4x3500HD amplifiers
system from JBL Professional. It is a fully functioning
connected via a Dante network and accessed via JBL’s
system that provides ample audio coverage for sporting
Performance Manager - a software application that
events and end-stage concerts, however, it is common
reduces design time, simplifies networking and automates
that any live touring production would bring in its own
control interface configuration. A BSS Soundweb London
audio setup using preferred rider equipment. In that
BLU-806DA processor is also integrated into the system,
scenario, the JBL system is still used for PA/VA. The main
and is used when the bowl audio needs to be cut off to
PA comprises two hangs of JBL VTX A12’s, 18 boxes flown
make an emergency announcement. A Meyer Sound Galaxy
either side of the stage, plus two side hangs consisting of
816 processor is also available at FOH for access into the
12 cabinets. To provide low-end frequency, there are eight
system and for touring EQ.
JBL VTX S28 subwoofers flown per side, and a further eight
And as far as communication goes, Malcolm added: “A lot
are groundstacked under the stage.
of the communication between the stage positions and the
The Coca-Cola Arena is among the first VTX A12
control room are carried out in Riedel’s MediorNet. We’ve
installations globally, and is the largest install of the
tried to make the venue very connection-friendly. From a
new product series in the Middle Eastern region to date.
broadcast point of view, we have 30 boxes around the arena
According to the JBL website: ‘The VTX A12 was designed
that all route back to the broadcast room. Each box has two
from scratch to address the unique challenges of rental
triax, two SMPTE, four fibre and two data connections, all
companies, FOH engineers and tour sound production
running through the building.”
crews. Next-generation JBL transducer technology and
Another element of technology that uses the rigging points
a high-frequency waveguide design deliver unmatched
is the LED screens. These are not permanently installed,
performance, sensitivity and coverage’. In order to
as they can be configured in different ways depending on
encourage the use of the in-house system at the arena,
the application. For sporting games, the 140 sq metres of
it was imperative that a high-performing system was
R4 4.8mm LED screens from local supplier, PIXCOM, form
specified that would be able to cater for a variety of
a scoreboard that is flown in the centre of the arena. The
applications.
scoreboard is made up of eight pieces - four that measure
An extra, moveable support package is also available to
6.5-metres by four-metres and four at 2.5-metres by
clients using the arena. A further 12 JBL VTX A12 line array
four-metres.
cabinets, as well as 24 JBL VTX S28 subwoofers can be
However, if the arena is being used in end stage mode, the
temporarily installed to extend the permanent system,
LED screens can be installed as required, using up to and
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THE FULL PITCH
TECHNICAL INFORMATION AUDIO: 48 x JBL VTX A12 line array cabinet; 48 x JBL VTX S28 subwoofers; 36 x JBL’s VTX V20 loudspeaker; Crown IT4x3500HD amplifiers; 1 x Meyer Sound Galaxy 816 processor; 1 x BSS Soundweb London BLU806DA processor; 1 x Riedel MediorNet system LIGHTING: 191 x Ephesus Prism RGBA LED fixture; 74 x Ephesus Arena Pro Colour Tuneable fixture; 104 x Arena Luci 160 DMX LED Profile unit; 6 x Lycian M2 long-throw 2,500W spot; 1 x Zero 88 FLX console LED DISPLAYS | DIGITAL SIGNAGE: 576 x PIXCOM R4 4.8mm LED screen panel; Tripleplay TripleTV platform with a combination of DVB-S/S2, HDMI and HD-SDI interface; Tripleplay TripleSign digital signage system; Tripleplay TripleCare management and monitoring system; Tripleplay low latency encoder; Tripleplay TripleVOD on demand video server; Tripleplay TripleChoice interactive themed user interface
056
including the 576 panels within the inventory. “For live
and events lighting packages and control systems in line
events, the screens are often configured as IMAG screens,”
with the tender requirements, fulfilling the specifications
continued Malcolm. “All of the equipment that is owned
through three Eaton brands - Ephesus for lighting fixtures,
by the venue is to help our clients save money and time.
a lighting console from Zero 88 and iLight / Eaton for
Anything that is part of our inventory, we don’t charge for,
control and infrastructure.
we only charge installation costs.”
Peter takes up the story: “The tender stipulated that
Similarly for lighting, clients can make use of it as they
specific sports lighting criteria needed to be attained for
wish. This element of the arena was delivered by Eaton
lighting levels, which applied to both standards and lux
Lighting Systems from the UK, through a collaboration
that would also be TV / broadcast friendly. The team also
with locally based, BMTC, a dealer of Eaton products in the
wanted a solution that would enable the whole arena to
Middle East region, which also took responsibility for the
become dynamic, and change colours and textures, so
installation of the lighting fixtures and control systems
we chose 191 Ephesus Prism RGBA LED fixtures. These
within the venue.
are positioned all over the venue so they can light it and
Much of the project needed to be procured from UK
the seating stands, plus surrounding elements for both
companies, because at least some of the investment
sporting and non-sporting events, such as concerts.”
secured by the venue’s owners, MERAAS, emanated from
“In-house lighting has been catered around RGB lighting.
the UK, so a UK connection was necessary. Although Eaton
It allows us to produce an atmospheric colour wash for
Lighting Systems doesn’t have an exclusive distributor in
walk-ins and with it being LED it’s instantaneous. If it’s a
the Middle East, it has worked on other MERAAS projects
gala dinner, the wash lighting is there, if it’s a concert, the
including Dubai Parks & Resorts, LEGOLAND Dubai,
LD can take the DMX feed and control the house lights as
Riverland Dubai and City Walk 2 - a shopping mall in
well,” Malcolm explained.
very close proximity to the arena. It was due to the latter
Peter added: “Each light is individually controllable and
that the local Eaton Lighting Systems team was invited
can be used in different setups. In any situation, they
to make a presentation to the design team for Coca-Cola
can change colour in the upper, middle and lower tiers of
Arena working in conjunction with DAR - then designer,
seating and across the arena floor. This enables the arena
architect and consultant for the project - and its sub-
being to be illuminated in a vibrant array of different
consultant, NSW-based Webb Australia.
configurations.”
Eaton Lighting Systems’ Project Manager, Peter Coles
The 74 Ephesus Arena Pro Colour Tuneables that make-
was involved from the design stage to the final delivery.
up the primary sports lighting package needed to be
The company was responsible for supplying the sports
expandable to allow the arena to be used for multiple
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Untitled-1 1
05/06/2019 14:35:05
THE FULL PITCH
058
sports events across large, medium or small sections
“The console is ultimately portable and hugely powerful
of the venue. For the small section of the arena, the
with a small footprint. Free apps are available for wireless
equipment had to meet the required lighting levels for
monitoring of the lighting rig, plus support for a range of
tennis, basketball, volleyball, table tennis and badminton.
networking accessories. Inbuilt tools include the award-
This is provided by the Arena Pro Colour Tuneables. For
winning ‘RigSync’, helpful step-by-step ‘Guidance’, and
the medium to large area, Eaton simply provided overlay
‘Auto Palettes’ to assist with the prep work. Colours can be
points so that fixtures can be installed later, as and when
quickly and accurately selected and applied via the multi-
the requirement arises.
touch ‘Colour & Image Picker’, the encoder wheels, or by
For lighting control, which not only looks after all the
selecting colours contained within ‘Mood Boards’ by LEE
Eaton Lighting System fixtures, but also the 104 Arena Luci
Filters.”
160 DMX LED Profile units that are in place for the aisle
Completing the lighting package are six Lycian M2 long-
lighting, a Zero 88 FLX console takes centre stage. There
throw 2,500W spots and a movable platform that can be
is also an architectural control system that facilitates
positioned according to the event mode. These, as well as
controlling lights from the building management system,
all the other lighting fixtures are now the responsibility
touchscreens located in the security room, the VOC room,
of Goran Salkovic, Head of Lighting, and his team at the
or via an app for day-to-day operations. This can call up all
arena.
the different settings including cleaning, load-in, working,
Another company with an existing relationship is
special events and sports lighting.
Tripleplay, which has worked with AEG Ogden to provide
The main catwalk has an IP based DMX system running
IP television and digital signage to a number of its sites
on a dedicated IP fibre network that enables control of all
including Qudos Bank Arena, Cairns Conference Centre in
the sports and arena lighting either via the architectural
Australia and the Hamburg and Mercedes Benz Arena’s in
control system, or via the in-house FLX lighting console.
Germany.
“FLX was selected for its intuitive and hands-on control of
For the Coca-Cola Arena, Tripleplay was responsible for
lighting and LED fixtures, which includes a touch monitor
providing the software and hardware platform, as well
output for quick access to palettes / show overview,” Peter
as using its extensive experience in this sector to advise
continued.
on where to install screens, what type of screens to use
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Real-time networks for video, audio & communication
INFRASTRUCTURE
MEDIORNET
COMMUNICATION
BOLERO
FOR ANY
Radio & intercom
NETWORKS
INTELLIGENT
See us at IBC booth 10.A31
CCTV & accreditation
SECURITY
CCTV
FORMAT
www.riedel.net
THE FULL PITCH
and general knowledge on how to maximise the user and
to the redundant server without a loss in service. This high
commercial experience in the stadium.
availability provides a unique level of reliability for such
Amer Alzaiem, Tripleplay’s Regional Director for Middle
a prestigious site. Behind each screen is a player, which
East said: “The platform provided by Tripleplay had to
is controlled by the central servers that deliver either live
have the ability to provide engaging content for visitors
TV streams or multi-media content combined with live or
to the arena, provide commercial opportunities, promote
stored video and data. If there is a loss in the connection to
forthcoming events, as well as provide transport and
the server, the players are able to use stored local content
weather information. In addition, the ability to live stream
so there are no blank screens. Content is zoned to ensure
the events taking place to defined sections of the arena
the right messages and material go to the right parts of the
and the VIP suites was an important requirement. With the
venue.
VIP boxes, guests have the ability to watch live streams
Tripleplay’s CEO, Steve Rickless said of the install: “One
with sub-second responses, live television channels and
of the main strengths of Tripleplay’s product range is
find information about the event through their interactive
its ability to interface with different third party systems.
portal.
Through its BacNet interface it is able to link into the
“We also managed to integrate a wide range of third party
building management system and allow content to
systems including the fire alarm, EPOS and scoreboard,
react based on information provided in real-time about
that obviously helped to add more value to the system
the building such as a fire alarm going off. The ability
operation and performance.”
to provide digital menu boards and dynamic pricing is
The Tripleplay products that have been installed at the
provided through its electronic point of sales interface,
arena include TripleTV for IPTV, TripleSign for digital
giving the arena complete flexibility in what products to
signage, TripleCare for management and monitoring
offer at what events. Other interfaces include the ability
and a range of HD and 4k players behind the screens. The
to get live data from the internet for transport, weather or
company deployed its event engine to manage moments of
news.”
exclusivity and provide complete control of the screens to
With so much technology packed into one space, and
ensure they are being managed efficiently and meeting the
with nothing else like it in the region, it won’t come as a
environmental requirements for the site.
surprise to know that the arena is already starting to get
Content, live streams and management is controlled
booked up. The need for an indoor venue capable of hosting
centrally through redundant servers that provide hot
sports, as well as concerts to avoid the hot and humid
standby resilience. Monitoring the system and application
conditions outside, has existed for a long time, and it has
is constant and if there is an issue, it is able to switch over
finally been delivered to spectacular effect.
CONTRACTORS / INSTALLERS: DXB Entertainment, AEG Ogden Australia, BMTC | BRANDS: JBL, Crown, BSS, Meyer Sound, Riedel, PIXCOM, Ephesus, Zero 88, iLight, Eaton Lighting Systems, Lycian, Arena Luci, Tripleplay | WEBSITES: www.coca-cola-arena.com, www.dxbentertainments.com, www.aegogden.com, bmtc.ae, www.jblpro.com, www.crownaudio. com, bssaudio.com, meyersound.com, www.riedel.net, pixcom.ae, ephesuslighting.com, zero88.com, www.ilight.co.uk, eatonlightingsystems.com, www.lycian.com, www.arenaluci. com, www.tripleplay.tv 060
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Retractable roof over No.1 Court at Wimbledon (c)AELTC/Bob Martin
A winning double at Wimbledon Retractable pitch at Tottenham Hotspur (c)THFC
We are proud to have worked alongside the All England Lawn Tennis Club to engineer and install our second retractable roof at Wimbledon, this time over the iconic No.1 Court. May play continue, whatever the weather. We also created and installed the world-first dividing retractable pitch – and grow lights – at Tottenham Hotspur’s stunning new stadium, the pivoting seats at Wembley, the removable crossing at Ascot, and much more besides…
Pivoting seats at Wembley
Find out more at scxspecialprojects.co.uk Removable course crossing at Ascot
THE FULL PITCH
THE ALL ENGLAND LAWN TENNIS CLUB NO. 1 COURT London, England
Images: The AELTC, Ben Queenborough, Joe Toth, Simon Bruty, Thomas Lovelock, Camatic Seating
T
he All England Lawn Tennis Club
2009, which saw a new, retractable roof installed. No.
(AELTC) is one of the most iconic
1 Court, which was opened in 1997, was still without a
sporting venues - best known for for the
roof until earlier this year.
Wimbledon Championships, the only
Robert Deatker, Estate Director, The AELTC takes
Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass. While
up the story: “It was through our Master Planning
The Championships have become renowned right
process that we determined a refurbishment of No.1
across the world, the AELTC still operates as a private
Court was required. The decision was based on two
members’ tennis club.
key drivers: first, the hospitality facilities that were
In the grounds of AELTC, there are 18 grass courts,
situated in temporary accommodation in the southern
eight American Clay courts and five indoor courts,
end of the grounds would be more advantageously
two Greenset Velvelux and three Greenset Trophy. In
located in a permanent, quality space, and second,
Aorangi Park, there are 20 grass courts for practice
given the success of the Centre Court retractable roof
before and during The Championships and two green
that was completed in 2009, we decided it would be
acrylic courts. The area covers over 42 acres in total.
beneficial for our second largest stadium - No.1 Court
The two ‘show courts’ are Centre Court and No. 1
- to be fitted with a retractable roof, too.
Court, with the former undergoing renovation in
“The next step was to consider what form the
064
refurbishment would take. Do we knock it down and start
rolled out or retracted in an average time of 8.5 minutes
again? Do we refurbish what is there? In the end, we
and weighs around 1,000 tonnes, yet glides effortlessly
decided to undertake a significant project that would add
above the 12,000-strong crowd. As well as its obvious role
a new fixed and retractable roof, 15 hospitality suites, and
in ensuring that rain doesn’t stop play, the retractable roof
improve a lot of back-of-house areas that would support
can also be used as a gantry for overhead lights.
not only the No.1 Court hospitality offering, but also more
“The building process and schedule for the No.1 Court
widely The Championships and whole estate.”
Project was unique,” said Robert. “As complex projects go,
The decision to implement the upgrades at No. 1 Court as
this was definitely up there as one of the most complicated
part of a wider plan was all about improvement for The
projects I’ve worked on in my career. Partly because of
Wimbledon Championships, as Robert explained further:
the engineering challenge of taking an existing structure
“The overall aim of the No.1 Court Project was to improve
and placing a new structure on top of it, dealing with
the guest experience at The Championships, whether
the kinetic aspect of a retractable roof with 11 100-tonne
that be the more than 12,000 members of the public who
trusses moving up and down the rails, and the expansion
can continue to enjoy tennis on No.1 Court no matter the
that occurred both above and below the ground.
weather, to the international broadcasters who now have
“But, adding to the complexity was the requirement that
additional choice in matches to show when it rains, to the
the No.1 Court had to be operational each year for The
players who have understandably wished to be scheduled
Championships, so you end up breaking the build into a
on Centre Court previously with its guarantee of match
series of three nine-month projects, which each needed
time and who now know they will have that reassurance on
to be delivered on time and within a tight budget. The No.1
No.1 Court as well.”
Court Project was very complex and it took a lot of skill and
Having engineered the original Centre Court roof in 2009,
collaboration between many different parties to bring it to
SCX Special Projects was enlisted to help with the No. 1
a successful completion.”
Court project. The bespoke engineering arm of Sheffield-
SCX Special Projects had staff on-site operating both roofs
based company designed, engineered and installed the new
throughout the tournament. Lead Engineer at SCX Special
retractable roof over No.1 Court, which was used for the
Projects, John Biggin, reflected on the months leading up
first time during the 2019 Wimbledon Championships.
to the tournament: “It’s a hugely complex structure, but it
The concertina-style roof is built using eleven trusses
could not have been delivered more smoothly. It’s a great
that span the 75-metre width of the stadium. The trusses
testament to what we delivered first time around on Centre
are divided into two groups, both of which can travel
Court that our approach is largely unchanged for No.1
independently to any position as required. The trusses
Court. The mechanical design is fundamentally the same:
are stored at the north end of No.1 Court when not in
it’s the electronics to control the roof that have moved on
use, leaving the south end of the stadium open to natural
considerably.”
sunlight to help the grass courts grow. The roof can be fully
The No.1 Court roof was closed fully for the first time due
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THE FULL PITCH
to fading light during the women’s singles match between
free, as well as prove comfortable for many hours to deal
Donna Vekic and Alison Riske.
with those long five-set matches!”
Andy Whitworth, SCX Special Projects’ Managing
The team at Camatic Seating proposed its Quantum
Director, said: “2019 has been a very proud year for SCX
model, which features an ergonomic curved back, high
at Wimbledon. It’s a huge privilege to design, build and
density foam lining and a counter-weight tip up system.
install a second roof for AELTC at one of the world’s most
Furthermore, it is a beam-mounted system which takes
prestigious sporting venues.
a fraction of the time to install or move when compared
“The No.1 Court project demonstrates our capability to
to the old traditional leg-fixings - of which many are still
deliver unique engineering solutions on a world stage.
being installed across venues in the UK.
Our knowledge and expertise in kinetic architecture - the
The end result has seen Camatic Seating deliver the same,
discipline of engineering and safely controlling huge
impeccable standards seen in the other courts at The
moving structures - was key to the project’s success.”
AELTC, offering uniformity of the seating right across the
As well as the new roof structure, The AELTC wanted to
venue.
upgrade the seating at No. 1 Court, too, with the contractor,
“We were all very proud of the stadium’s successful launch
Sir Robert McAlpine, choosing to work with Camatic
at The No.1 Court Celebration in support of the Wimbledon
Seating following a tender process.
Foundation in May,” Robert added. “Personally, I was very
Camatic Seating had an existing relationship with The
proud of the team involved, how they all pulled together,
AELTC having manufactured and installed VIP-style
from the contractors, to the suppliers, to the internal team
seating at Centre Court and a number of the outer courts.
here at the All England Club, to deliver what is quite an
Sherif Harding, European Sales Manager for Camatic
exceptional stadium.
Seating, explained what the brief was from the venue:
“We received great feedback from the people who attended
“Rather like Centre Court, The AELTC wanted to install
during The Championships, and operationally it worked
a seat which would prove to be a major upgrade on the
perfectly when we closed the roof on four occasions with
existing plastic tip-up seats and reduce down time due
late play.
to seat damage during The Championships, all the while
“A big project such as this creates a fantastic ‘feel good’
without suffering any capacity reduction.
factor when everyone works together and delivers
“The procurement phase started in early 2018, with on site
something they can all be proud of. We had a great
installation running between January and April 2019.
Championships this year, and the refurbished No.1 Court
“There was a particular desire to switch to a plush, padded
played an integral role in that, which is very satisfying.”
seat which would be both weatherproof and maintenance
ENGINEER: SCX Special Projects | CONTRACTOR: Sir Robert McAlpine | SEATING: Camatic Seating | WEBSITES: www.scxspecialprojects.co.uk, www.srm.com, www.camatic.com 065
LAMP FREE LASER PROJECTORS WUXGA / 4K / 8K RESOLUTION 20,000 ILLUMINATION 1-CHIP & 3-CHIP DLP
1.2MM / 1.5MM / 1.9MM / 2.5MM PIXEL PITCH 2D & 3D LED WALL
www.digitalprojection.com Mondo-Stadia-Full-Page-July-2018.indd 1
The Visionaries Choice 25/07/2018 09:15
07 VENUE FOCUS
AUDIO
AUGMENTED REALITY
068 Philips Stadion | Eindhoven, Netherlands
086 Pakistan Super League | UAE & Pakistan
VIDEO
BROADCAST
072 Goodwood Racecourse | Chichester, England
090 Polish Football Association | Warsaw, Poland
076 Guangzhou Gymnasium | Guangzhou, China
092 European Games 2019 | Minsk, Belarus
eSPORTS 080 The Fortress | Florida, USA
098 Cricket World Cup | England & Wales, UK
AUDIO
PHILIPS STADION Eindhoven, Netherlands
Images: Bose
C
onstructed in 1910 as a sports field for Philips employees, the venue was established as the Philips Sportpark. Then, in 1913, PSV Eindhoven began to use the ground as its
home stadium. Since then, Philips Stadion has been through numerous extensions and developments as PSV Eindhoven grew in stature. The first was a wooden stand that was erected in
070
1916, which then saw seating and standing terraces enclose
specifically for the more vocal fans, 13 hospitality lounges,
the field. A total renovation began in 1969, which saw
four business suites, 46 business rooms and 1,186 business
the stadium become completely enclosed and every seat
seats. Philips Stadion is not just a football stadium, with
covered. That was completed in 1977, giving the venue a
congress facilities, three different restaurants, shops
total capacity of 26,500 - including 12,000 standing spaces
and offices all located in the ground. As the stadium has
- at the time. The 1990s saw Philips Stadion become a
become much more multifunctional, it’s no longer a centre
two-tiered ground, with extensive commercial spaces, VIP
of activity on matchdays alone.
seats, offices, press room and youth hall all introduced. All
The modernisation has continued even further, with the
four stands were completed in 2002, giving the stadium its
club deciding to upgrade its audio system in a bid to take
current capacity of 35,000.
the stadium to the next level. With this in mind, Philips
Now, after all the renovations over the years, Philips
Stadion has become the very first venue in the world to
Stadion is seen as one of Netherlands leading venues
install ArenaMatch DeltaQ loudspeaker line arrays and
and currently holds a four-star rating by UEFA. As well
ArenaMatch Utility loudspeakers from Bose Professional.
as hosting all of PSV Eindhoven’s home games, the
The club enlisted the help of audio, video and lighting
Netherlands national team have played fixtures there
sales and rental firm, Bazelmans AV, which completed the
since 1971. The Eindhoven stadium was also used for three
installation of the loudspeakers. The project was completed
games at Euro 2000, as well as the 2006 UEFA Cup Final
in time for the kick off of PSV Eindhoven’s first game of the
and various concerts.
second half of the season on January 27 2019.
A number of modernisation projects have seen different
“The design of the sound system was made especially for
sections of the stadium introduced, such as the Family
Philips Stadion,” explained Frans Janssen, Commercial
Corner for children and their parents, areas that are
Director for Bazelmans AV, which is headquartered in
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AUDIO
Veldhoven, Netherlands.
quality, consistency, vocal clarity and flexibility to
The system includes the following Bose Professional
outdoor venues such as sports stadiums, arenas, outdoor
components: 128 ArenaMatch outdoor line array modules,
entertainment centres and elsewhere.
56 ArenaMatch Utility AMU206 and 24 ArenaMatch Utility
Bose Professional announced the launch of ArenaMatch
AMU108 loudspeakers, as well as more than two dozen
to coincide with the unveiling of the installation at Philips
RoomMatch Utility RMU105 and RMU208 loudspeakers.
Stadion. The one-off collaboration with Bose Professional
Over 50 PowerMatch PM8500N and PM4250N networked
was made possible by an alliance between Heijmans, ABC
amplifiers drive the Philips Stadion system, which is
Finance, Bazelmans AV and PSV Eindhoven.
managed and optimised by a dozen ControlSpace EX-
Frans concluded: “The design of the sound system was
1280C processors.
made especially for the Philips Stadion. The sound boxes
The combination of the latest Bose Professional
and equipment are of the highest quality. This increases
loudspeakers, power amplifiers and signal processors
the perception of the PSV matches held here to Champions
enables Philips Stadion to play high-quality music via
League level - the level at which we want to be.�
loudspeaker arrays, while at the same time, delivering clearly audible voice announcements to every seat in the venue. The new Bose Professional ArenaMatch line of loudspeakers is designed to deliver improved sound
INSTALLER: Bazelmans AV | BRAND: Bose | WEBSITES: www.pro.bose.com, www.bazelmans.com 071
VIDEO
GOODWOOD RACECOURSE Chichester, England
Images: ADI
G
oodwood Racecourse is a horse racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, owned by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House.
Synonymous with racing, the first public race meeting took place here in 1802, the year after the third Duke of Richmond first held a private race meeting for the officers of the Sussex Militia and members of the Goodwood hunt. Up until 1801, the officers held their annual races in nearby Petworth Park, courtesy of the Earl of Egremont, until their invitation was withdrawn. The Duke of Richmond came to the rescue, allowing the officers to race on the Harroway, a narrow ridge on top of the South Downs. The private meeting was so successful it was decided that a public race meeting would be held the following year, over three days. Horse racing was suspended during the First and Second World Wars, but Goodwood’s popularity grew again during the second half of the 20th century. A record one-day
VIDEO
crowd of 55,000 attended in 1953 and well over a third were found on the Trundle. Members of the public can still enjoy free, grandstand views of Goodwood Racecourse from its north-east slopes. Today, the racecourse welcomes over 100,000 race goers. With visibility being both a challenge and a top priority, Goodwood installed a new high resolution rotating LED screen, designed to enhance the visitor experience. The new 60 sq metre screen was delivered by British LED manufacturer, ADI, which provide big screen technology for all major English horse racing events. The giant display is one of the biggest screens installed in European horse racing. Its custom design, engineered specifically for Goodwood Racecourse, allows it to be positioned at different heights on a telescopic mast, and rotate to face any direction on the course. The design offers a much more flexible solution than a traditional screen, giving Goodwood the ability to position it to face different areas of the course to suit its wide ranging calendar of events. The screens unique design allows it to be lowered out of sight, below track level, when not in use. This was a key consideration during the planning process, given Goodwood’s exposure to high winds, and its position in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Goodwood Racecourse General Manager, Alex Eade said: “We pride ourselves on having the most beautiful racecourse in the world and, with that, comes a responsibility to deliver an experience to match. Big screens play a vital role in enhancing the race day for our visitors, and we’re delighted to have partnered with ADI to install a new permanent display. We had a unique set of challenges related to the proposed position and functionality of the screen but, under ADI’s expert guidance, we were able to overcome those challenges and we’re very happy with the result. “We’re looking forward to developing content for the big screen that will delight and entertain our visitors blending racing action with stats, live odds, interviews, partner content and features from across the course. The fact the screen can move to face different areas of the course means we have real flexibility for how we use the
“We pride ourselves on having the most beautiful racecourse in the world and, with that, comes a responsibility to deliver an experience to match.”
screen for different events throughout the season.” ADI Director, Nick Robinson added: “We’ve worked with Goodwood for over a decade, supplying mobile big screen technology across the course. We’re excited to extend our relationship and help take the race day experience to the next level by installing Goodwood’s first permanent LED display.” The giant new screen was unveiled at Goodwood’s opening Saturday racing fixture and will be in action again for every major event.
BRAND: ADI | WEBSITES: www.adi.tv 074
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Introducing the XQ-series subwoofers
XQ-subwoofers are designed to give the biggest punch from the smallest footprint in space limited installations!
Hall 8.0 stand F85 Frankfurt am Main 2-5.4.2019 Live Demos at Concert Sound Arena
www.auraaudio.fi
GUANGZHOU GYMNASIUM Guangzhou, China
Images: RGBlink
G
076
uangzhou Gymnasium indoor stadium has
assembly can be raised and lowered to event requirements,
impressively enhanced its facilities with
making maintenance a straightforward exercise.
a newly installed suspended LED display.
At either end of the stadium, two further 40 sq metre
Comprising a multi-sided arena display,
LED display screens have been installed, while perimeter
this display, along with additional LED display screens
signage, also in LED, has been installed on the mezzanine
set around the arena, were supplied by Shenzhen-based,
edge completing the coverage.
MR LED. With the multipurpose venue used extensively
To process and deliver video to this wide range of displays
for indoor sports, including the very popular basketball
just a single RGBlink X7 universal video processor ihas
league, the displays are a welcome addition.
been installed, allowing multiple displays to be configured
The central arena display - a series of 5mm pitch displays
and used as a single display system. The video and media
hanging centrally over the courts - is made up of upper
sources, including PC based scoring and media display
and lower continuous rings, each at 4,352 x 1,280 pixels
applications, are connected directly to the X7, which
and 4,032 x 1,280 pixels respectively, forming ticker style
converts and scales video to each individual display
messaging displays. Between these two rings are back-to-
requirements via presets configured directly on the
back displays - two 40 sq metre central displays at 1,888
processor.
x 800 pixels capped at either side with a pair of poster/
The two ring displays and the perimeter displays, all of
banner displays at 1,024 x 800 pixels each. The complete
which are long narrow strips, are nonetheless utilised for
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VIDEO
a full range of graphical displays. The X7 splices across
important project.” The project support from the RGBlink
multiple outputs and maps the video sources across these.
team has been impressive, helping to bring together all
With the configurations stored as presets, X7 allows
the video displays seamlessly, so we have really been able
seamlessly pixel-to-pixel spliced video to be delivered
deliver a complete solution for the stadium.”
to these displays, reducing the complexity and need for
Configuration and control of the X7 universal video
specialist input media.
processor is undertaken remotely from the RGBlink
Similarly, camera feeds are connected directly to X7 as
XPOSE software platform. While all processing and
needed from the in-house broadcast infrastructure. These
settings are maintained on the X7 hardware, XPOSE offers
camera sources - again via presets - are able to display
a modern and intuitive drag-and-drop style GUI from
as windows/PIPs or brought to full screen on individual
which operators have a clear view of both the current live
displays, on demand, in exactly the formats required for
output operations, as well as presets. Sources streamed
the particular resolution needed.
from the processor to XPOSE, allow the operators to have
With all sources needing to be connected at a single
virtual views of each preset on demand directly inside
processor, not only was the installation process simplified,
the software. A PC workstation with XPOSE is installed
but the system also provides for an optimised user
in the control room overlooking the court installation at
experience for the operators as well as enhancing the
Guangzhou Gymnasium installation, along with preview
overall video performance.
monitoring directly from the X7.
“RGBlink has a strong reputation in the market,” said Mr Wang of MR LED. “We were really pleased to use X7 on this
INSTALLER: MR LED | BRAND: RGBlink | WEBSITES: www.mrled.cn, www.rgblink.com 077
THURSDAY 13 TH FEBRUARY 2020 ISE, RAI AMSTERDAM
INTERESTED IN AGORA 2020? CONTACT SAM (S.HUGHES@MONDIALE.CO.UK) SPONSORSHIP: JAMIE (J.DIXON@MONDIALE.CO.UK) OR LAURA (L.ILES@MONDIALE.CO.UK)
The first MONDO | STADIA presents AGORA was held at ISE in 2019, with the sporting venue conference focussing on technology, the latest developments in the industry and future projects. Through panel discussions, case studies and expert keynote speakers, AGORA explores the benefits of the latest technology, trends and techniques - analysing the impact it has and will have at modern stadiums and sporting venues around the globe. From enhancing the fan experience and modernising stadium infrastructure, through to the planning of ceremonies and events, AGORA provides valuable insight that will help to increase knowledge and performance for future stadium and sporting venue projects. AGORA will return as a full-day conference at ISE 2020, offering sporting venue managers and event organisers the chance to network with technology innovators and industry experts.
PRE REGISTER AT
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SUPPORTERS
THE FORTRESS Florida, USA
Images: Full Sail University, Calrec
F
080
lorida’s Full Sail University has recently
“We are excited about these additions to our campus as we
become home to the largest eSports arena to
continue to strive to make Full Sail the premier destination
date, on any college or university campus in
for students who want to pursue careers in entertainment
the USA. Spanning 11,200+ sq ft, the state-of-
and media, and specifically, gaming and the various
the-art eSports arena has been built in support of Armada,
aspects of the live event industry,” said Ken Goldstone,
the university’s collegiate level varsity eSports team, as
Chief Operating Officer, Full Sail University.
well as other professional industry eSports initiatives. The
“Whether it be the business aspects of video game and
arena will also be used for a variety of third-party gaming
sports management, the information technology behind
events, collegiate tournaments, live-streamed eSports
synchronised gaming within eSports, to shoutcasting,
competitions, and live concerts.
live production, game creation, streaming live-casts,
Planning and design of the project dates back to early
and more, there are a multitude of diverse skills and
2017, with construction starting in June 2018, and the
opportunities for our students to explore. In addition,
official opening taking place on 21 May 2019. The US$6m
these efforts support our establishment as a leading global
project, named The Fortress, is a customisable facility that
destination for students who want to participate in the
can support 1 vs 1 games, as well as 100 eSports athletes
eSports lifestyle as part of their college experience, be it as
playing simultaneously, and includes occupancy for over
a top competitive player, a casual player, a social follower
500.
and fan of eSports, or an individual selected to learn from
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ESPORTS
081
ESPORTS
082
our industry partners.”
well. We have that flexibility because of the nature of our
The arena has been built with the help of Orlando-based
campus and the fact that we have several sound stages.”
systems integrator, Pro Sound and Video. One of the
For camera requirements inside the arena, Full Sail has
key factors in its design was Full Sail’s desire to have an
deployed four Sony HXC-FB80’s - typically running in
ultra-flexible space. “Flexibility was really important to
1080p - including a jib, along with Sony HXCU-FB80
us,” explained Vince Lepore, Director, Event Technical
CCUs and RCP-1500 remote-control panels to cover the
Operations, Full Sail University. “We put a lot of effort
arena. The facility is wired for an additional four cameras
into designing the room so that we could do a traditional
depending on the needs of the show. Up to a dozen
end-stage configuration, as well as an in-the-round
Marshall POV cameras will be added later this year to cover
configuration. What we didn’t want to have to do was
players during MOBA competitions.
rehang the loudspeakers, the lighting rigs, the LED walls
The Fortress is also equipped with all LED lighting, which
and everything; we wanted to be able to just flip between
includes ARRI L7 LED fresnels, Martin by HARMAN Mac
the two configurations in a reasonable amount of time.
Quantum Profiles, Mac Aura XBs and RUSH Par 2 RGBW
That was one of the big elements of our design criteria and
zoom fixtures. Chauvet’s H-605FC LEDs operate as the
drove a lot of the technology decisions.”
house lights, and all are controlled using an MA Lighting
Inside the arena are a variety of Absen 2.9mm LED walls,
grandMA3 Light.
which includes a 36ft by 11.5ft upstage LED wall known as
The audio system features an L-Acoustics Kiva II
the ‘Main Tron’, as well as a halo-shaped LED display -
loudspeaker setup as the main PA, coupled with L-R SB15
‘Ring Tron’ - measuring 24ft in diameter, housed in the
arrays for end-stage configurations. For in-the-round
centre of the arena. The competition area also features
configurations a ring of L-Acoustics X12 loudspeakers and
four central LED walls hanging inside the ‘Ring Tron’ and
SB15 subwoofers have been installed. Mixing requirements
six LED banner displays. The LED displays are driven by
are taken care of by a Yamaha CL3 console.
three Green Hippo Karst+ Hippotizer media servers. Three
To complete the audio inventory inside the bowl, Full
Datapath FX4-SDI video processors and one Barco S3-4K
Sail has deployed eight channels of Shure Axient wireless
video processor are also in place at the arena.
microphone systems - along with Shure Beta58 handheld
“The challenge was to create a facility that would allow us
transmitters and AD1 bodypack transmitters - four DPA
to have an in-the-round or end-stage configuration. So
Microphones headset microphones, and four channels of
we have the ‘Ring Tron’ as the visual centrepiece for the
Shure PSM1000 wireless in-ear monitors.
room for in-the-round and the ‘Main Tron’ for an end-
Aside from the main arena, the control room - located
stage setup,” continued Vince. “The four smaller LED walls
on the second floor adjacent to the main arena - is tech
that hang inside of the ‘Ring Tron’ are all on trusses and
heavy. Top of the list is the Ross Video gear that includes
motors, so we can place them in different areas of the room
a 3M/E Carbonite Black switcher (36-in, 22-out), Ultrix
very easily. The whole arena is quite flexible, so it gives us
router (112-in, 112-out), Ross Xpression graphics, and a
a lot of options as to how we configure the space.”
variety of OpenGear terminal equipment. Other key pieces
When it comes to the location of the caster desk, Vince and
include a 12-channel EVS XS3 replay server, a monitor wall
team also had flexibility in mind. Full Sail already has an
composed of six Sony 43-inch displays, and a Guntermann
eSports caster desk, which can be located on a riser inside
& Drunck KVM system.
The Fortress, or can be positioned inside one of the many
The audio room features a Calrec Brio 36 console (fitted
large sound stages immediately adjacent to the arena. “We
with Dante, MADI, and Waves I/O cards) and a Calrec
have some flexibility with the caster desk, and it’s going to
Hydra2 fixed format I/O (48-in, 16-out).
be an interesting element for us,” said Vince. “Some people
It isn’t the first time the university has installed Calrec
want to be inside the arena, and we have the capability
products though, a Calrec Summa console has been in
to do that. Or we also have a news-desk setup in one of
place in the Film Department, up until the arena was
the nearby sound stages that could be used for casters as
installed with the new Calrec Brio 36 console, when the
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Summa was replaced for a second Brio 36, at the same
Communications are handled by two RTS Telex ODIN
time. “We really like the Summa’s layout and features, but
OMNEO digital intercom systems. While, a Waves
one of the main features that really appealed to us is the
SoundGrid Server One, and Genelec monitors and
Hydra2 modular rack,” Vince continued. “We were able
subwoofer - purchased through dealer, Magic Audio are
to load it with a mix of analogue I/O and Dante cards. Our
alos in place at the control room.
entire production facility uses Dante to transport audio
“We believe at Magic Audio, the Genelec Line of Studio
between the different rooms, so having the Summa on the
Monitors are the finest you can buy. They have great
Dante network as well was a bonus. The modular rack also
solutions for any room, or Studio situation. Full Sail
gives us the ability to be flexible in the future with our I/O,
University is the perfect place to show off the studio
and of course it allows us to teach the Hydra2 network to
monitors. Dana Roun is our main contact there, and has
our students.”
always been very helpful in deciding what the best options
Duane Moore, Course Director of Broadcast Production,
are for Full Sail. They have purchased many systems,
explained how Calrec’s use throughout the broadcast
which are mainly the SAM Series Genelecs, because of their
industry was also a leading factor. “The students are using
tuning capabilities, and overall pristine sound quality, and
the Calrec Brio to learn live production audio and to mix
control. The Fortress is an incredible project, and that’s
sound for their live shows in the broadcast studio,” he said.
why it’s receiving all the deserved attention,” said Jim
“We chose the Brio because Calrec consoles are high-
McCormick, President of Magic Audio.
quality, they have the features needed to teach audio for
With the tagline of being the largest eSports arena to
live broadcast, and are likely what students will use in the
date on any college or university campus in the USA, it
industry after graduating.”
will come as no surprise that companies in the eSports
The Brio console is a big upgrade for our students from
industry want to partner up with the arena. The first such
the analogue board they were using before,” added Jeff
deal was recently announced, with Full Sail becoming the
Planck, Program Director of Film. “With the touch of a few
exclusive university partner of Magic Gaming, a first-of-
buttons, they can now create and use preset ‘shows’ and
its-kind partnership in the NBA 2K League. The multiyear
‘memories’ that customise the Brio for their specific show.
partnership will feature prominent in-game exposure on
The Brio also provides convenient network interoperability
Magic Gaming’s home court, as well as opportunities for
with the other studios on campus featuring Calrec
collaborative digital content to be displayed at both Magic
consoles.”
Gaming’s practice studio and The Fortress. The two will
Scott Dansby, Director of Industry Relations at Full Sail,
also bring additional eSports events to the greater Orlando
elaborated further on the decision to invest in the new
community.
Calrec consoles: “We chose to purchase all of our units
“We put a lot of energy into both the in-venue experience
based on Calrec’s reputation of making high-quality, live-
and the experience streaming out on the internet. We
broadcast audio consoles. The new Brio’s deliver the core
do have plans to stream as many events as possible,”
functionality that students need to learn in a broadcast
concluded Vince. “We are currently using the campus
audio console, but at a price point that made sense for us.
internet connectivity to do that, but we’ve got some plans
Since these systems are used throughout the industry, we
to hopefully bring fibre for video services directly into the
knew we’d be giving our students experience on a board
facility. Right now, we’re just excited to get everything up
they’ll likely be using in the future, and throughout their
and running, and we’ve had an amazing response from
careers.”
students and outside people alike.”
SYSTEM INTEGRATOR: Pro Sound & Video | BRANDS: Absen, Green Hippo, Sony, L-Acoustics, Yamaha, Shure, DPA Microphones, ARRI, Ross Video, Calrec, Genelec, RTS, Martin by HARMAN, MA Lighting, Datapath, Barco, Chauvet | WEBSITES: www.prosound.net, www.absen.com, www.green-hippo.com, www.sony.com, www.l-acoustics.com, www.yamahaproaudio. com, www.shure.com, www.dpamicrophones.com, www.arri.com, www.rossvideo.com, calrec.com, www.genelec.com, rtsintercoms.com, www.martin.com, www.malighting.com, www. datapath.co.uk, www.barco.com, www.chauvetprofessional.com 084
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PAKISTAN SUPER LEAGUE Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, Dubai | Karachi, Pakistan
Images: disguise
T
086
aking place this year between 14 February and
Junoon and solo stars Fawad Khan, Young Desi, Aima Baig
17 March, the Pakistan Super League, held its
and Shuja Haider.
Opening Ceremony at the Dubai International
Event management company ITW Trans Group
Cricket Stadium on that very first day, ahead
collaborated with specialists in large scale Opening
of the first game, which saw Islamabad United take on
Ceremonies, concerts, and events, The Musketeers. Having
Lahore Qalandars. This year marked the fourth season of
coordinated the creative vision behind the last three
the competition, with games taking place in both the UAE
Pakistan Super League Opening Ceremonies, Creative
and Pakistan across four different stadiums.
Director, Samer Feghali wanted to push the envelope of
Kicking off the event, obviously had to be a show-
live entertainment boundaries. This was achieved through
stopper, as it was broadcast to over 50 million people
the use of mind-blowing augmented reality (AR) graphics.
worldwide. Although headliner Pitbull had to pull out of his
“With an annual global audience of 50 million people, our
performance due to technical difficulties with his plane,
goal each year is to keep this an exciting and engaging
the show still went ahead with performances from global
component of the tournament, and to push the creative
acts, including iconic ‘70s funk band Boney M, Pakistan’s
vision for both the television audience, and those in the
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AUGMENTED REALITY
been done before. We worked with ITW, explaining they would be the first hosts ever to orchestrate an Opening
“Every time we ran a rehearsal, we could not pinpoint the stage exactly, so to calibrate with disguise and the stYpe cameras during setup within an hour was amazing.”
Ceremony of this kind, and once they gave the green light, it was all systems go.” The Opening Ceremony featured eye-catching elements of AR throughout the live broadcast. Bringing the event to life and working in collaboration with Musketeer were content generating experts, Bild Studios and Studio One. David Bajt and Scott Millar from Bild Studios technically produced and supplied all the equipment for the show, with Urs Nyffenegger, from Studio One, providing the AR animation elements. The teams used disguise gx 2 servers, designed for unparalleled generative content capacity, to render the AR content for the several artists performing, as well as the added spectacular elements. Creative Producer, Urs Nyffenegger said: “The Notch and disguise combination was essential for the success of the PSL Opening Ceremony due to the adaptability, flexibility and unparalleled realtime workflow capabilities. Everything we were able to accomplish on this project was only possible because of
stadium,” said Samer. “AR was something that we had
disguise.”
wanted to try for this event, but it was always going to be
A project as ambitious as this obviously threw up some
a risk - this duration of real-time AR rendering had never
challenges. One, as always was timing, then team had
087
AUGMENTED REALITY
just 45 days to get the show together, and on the day
you are really able to send ‘stuff’ everywhere,” said Scott.
itself, after the ceremony had finished, there was only
The disguise servers made calibrating the cameras prior
a 15-minute time slot to remove the stage, to make the
to the show simple and managed all the input from each
stadium pitch ready for the first game. “We have to take
camera. stYpe was the partner in camera tracking and
care of the pitch area and we have very limited time to
provided custom tracking heads and third-party software
take care of it,” continued Samer. “Every time we ran a
to allow accurate tracking of the project for all six cameras
rehearsal, we could not pinpoint the stage exactly, so to
involved. They were able to pull off all tracking on time,
calibrate with disguise and the stYpe cameras during setup
with an 80% increase in the clarity and quality.
within an hour was amazing.”
“I can’t imagine being able to pull this show off, with any
Another obstacle that arose last minute, was Pitbull
other system. I have used a lot of products on the market,
cancelling his headline act, through no fault of his own.
and to do the change of adapting over 15 minutes of show
Content had to be changed with just 24 hours notice.
content, 24 hours of the show, for a virtual DJ (VJ) we flew
Scott Millar from Bild Studios chose Notch and disguise
in was remarkable. We were able to plug in the VJs content,
because of the proven compatibility and solid combination,
without issue and integrate the AR, to a live camera,”
meaning it would be delivered on time. To overcome the
furthered Samer.
artist issue, a virtual DJ was flown out for the Opening
“We built virtual cubes with LEDs to accompany the music
Ceremony last minute. The user-friendly features of the
set for the headline artist, and without the VJ they would
disguise server meant the DJ content was immediately
have been black. Integrating his content was so easily
integrated with the compiled show.
assimilated I was amazed, it just worked with the disguise
“With disguise we were able to composite all six cameras
hardware, and in theory it is not so easy to accomplish,”
feeds, with camera delay, with AR, and with the graphics
added Urs from Studio One.
on top to present that composited output to the vision
After a month-long competition, Quetta Gladiators
mixer to the camera returns, and we were able to do that
defeated Peshawar Zalmi at the National Stadium
for two cameras per server. This is a huge benefit over
in Karachi to take their first title, and the game was
other systems. In the world of live events, with disguise,
concluded with an equally fitting Closing Ceremony.
END CLIENT: Pakistan Cricket Board | SHOW CONTENT: The Musketeers | EVENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY: ITW Trans Group | CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Samer Feghali | PRODUCERS: Bild Studios, Studio One | BRANDS: disguise, Notch, StYpe | WEBSITES: wearemusketeers.com, www.bildstudios.com, studio-one.io, www.disguise.one, www.notch.one, stype.tv 088
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POLSKI ZWIAZEK PILKI NOZNEJ Warsaw, Poland
Images: Blackmagic Design
B
090
ased in the capital city of Warsaw, the Polish
for companies specialising in a different skillset. One such
Football Association, Polski Zwiazek Pilki
company is live production specialist, transmisjelive,
Noznej (PZPN), is the governing body of
which produces all content for PZPN’s YouTube channel,
association football in Poland. Taking care
Łączy nas piłka (The Ball Connects Us). It includes action
of the football leagues, Polish national teams - including
from Poland’s men’s, women’s and youth teams, as well
men, women and juniors - and the Polish Cup, the football
as matches from Poland’s second league. “Our cameras
association will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year
give fans exclusive access to information and insights
during the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup.
that traditional broadcasters cannot deliver, and the huge
However, technology has come a long way in 100 years,
subscriber numbers on YouTube reflect that,” explained
and the way in which audiences watch football - or any
Artur Kuszel, Producer at transmisjelive.
other sport, in fact - has changed dramatically. Instead
For any PZPN event, transmisjelive deploys its Ultra HD OB
of fans only being able to watch in a sporting venue
system, which is built around an end-to-end Blackmagic
or in their own home, social media options are now in
Design workflow, including signal management through a
abundance, with dedicated live streaming platforms are
Smart Videohub. The new unit is described by Blackmagic
developing. New ways of enjoying sports is creating a need
Design as ‘the world’s first ultra HD mixed format router
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BROADCAST
with built-in video monitoring and spin knob router
Another key focus of the channel is to promote future
control’.
stars, so transmisjelive produce coverage of the Central
Alongside the Smart Videohub are six URSA broadcast
Junior League, which features the U19 teams from Poland’s
cameras, and their signals are routed to an ATEM 2 M/E
top flight, Ekstraklasa, and streams that to YouTube. “As
Production Studio 4K switcher with advanced broadcast
well as providing full coverage of the games themselves,
features. The team then overlays graphics and is able to
the setup also allows the youngsters to gain experience of
add slow motion replays into the programme mix.
being interviewed on camera from a much earlier age,”
“PZPN’s content schedule is designed to showcase
said Artur.
excellence at all levels of football, from league matches
Content is streamed to YouTube via OB System onsite,
that help build communities at a club level, through to
however, an additional layer of redundancy has been
international fixtures with the national squad,” continued
added with a second live PGM feed being sent back to
Artur. To demonstrate PZPN’s continued commitment to
transmisjelive’s remote production studio in Warsaw using
improving access to all levels of football in Poland it was
a joint-SIM bonded LTE connection.
important that transmisjelive implemented a broadcast
“We aim to provide PZPN with a stable livestream,
capable solution that was also capable of handling live
regardless of weather conditions, internet connection
streaming.
strength or the location we’re working from,” concluded
“The URSA Broadcast works perfectly for this scenario;
Artur. “The modular system we’ve implemented based
as a system, it is adaptable and means we can set up
on Blackmagic Design hardware has proven itself to be a
a professional multicamera production, even if the
robust and reliable setup, even in the most challenging
stadiums themselves lack the necessary infrastructure and
of conditions, while the addition of our own independent
connectivity to support it. That is all thanks to the modular
streaming connection ensures uninterrupted coverage of
nature of the Blackmagic solution,” he said.
matches.”
LIVE PRODUCTION SPECIALIST: transmisjelive | BRAND: Blackmagic Design | WEBSITES: www.transmisjelive.pl, www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk 091
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EUROPEAN GAMES 2019 Minsk, Belarus
T
his year, Belarus’ capital, Minsk, held the European Games 2019, one of world sports’ largest competitions. Bringing together 4,000 athletes from the European continent, the competition comprised of 15 sports, eight of which provided qualifying status
to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Held in the city’s Dinamo National Olympic Stadium, the event inevitably required stunning live-coverage and with host broadcaster ISB looking to raise its production capabilities, Belarus TV was chosen to elevate the games.
BROADCAST
094
Four new mobile production sets from the public
The flightcase studios also employ Grass Valley cameras,
broadcaster, including OB vans and support vans, were
with FOR.A vision mixers and Ross video routers. Yamaha
deployed to cover the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and
mixers manage the audio, with KVM systems from
the event’s most important games. Belarus TV deployed
Guntermann & Drunck.
the flightcase studios for the unilateral signals. All of the
For orchestration within the OB vans and flightcase
OB vans were newly commissioned and were developed
studios, Belarus TV opted for Broadcast Solutions’
and delivered by German system integration company,
proprietary control system, hi. It controls all production-
Broadcast Solutions at the beginning of this year. During
relevant areas in the vehicles such as video routers,
the games, Broadcast Solutions provided production
multiviewers, audio routers and tally. Intuitive touch
support with dedicated specialists that monitored the
controls and newly developed hi hardware controls
production and technology.
simplify day-to-day production operations in the OB vans.
“We are very happy to support ISB producing the TV
Esteban Galán, Head of Technical Operations at ISB,
programme for one of the most prestigious sports events
explained that the deployment of technical resources
that took place in Belarus so far, especially as a Belarusian
for the broadcasting involve, AoIP network interfaces,
company,” said Alexey Washjurine, Deputy CTO of Belarus
intercom systems, AudioCodecs and commentary units for
TV. “ISB’s trust in our teams and the newly acquired
the audio and communications and broadcast monitors for
production tools validates our decision to invest in
the production control. The actual broadcast production of
mobile production tools from Broadcast Solutions. During
the multilateral signals was accomplished with a total of
the event the OB vans worked smoothly and Broadcast
12 mobile units and over 200 cameras including specialty
Solutions’ support on-site was perfect.”
cameras, eight ENG crews and a number of fly-packs
Each mobile production set comprises of an 18-camera
for the venues with multiple FOP’s. Four MDS channels
HD OB van, a four-camera HD flightcase studio and a
and one bookable unilateral channel are also part of the
support vehicle. All four OB vans have an identical design
resources deployed. A total of 700 broadcast professionals
and work as 20-tonne semitrailers with two extensions
made sure that the signals were produced and were
and up to 18 cameras operating in HD - two wireless, two
reaching the 190 worldwide right holders at the IBC and
SuperSlomo and 14 standard HD-cameras. Onboard the OB
their home countries. In total ISB produced over 600
vans is a selection of Grass Valley cameras, vision mixers,
hours of live coverage and close to a total of 800 hours of
video routers, multiviewers and slow motion servers.
broadcast production.
The audio relies on Calrec broadcast consoles and audio
ISB have traditionally relied on a lot of AEQ and Kroma
routers. IHSE KVM systems secure access to computers and
by AEQ products, and for this occasion it didn’t make
workstations, and the intercoms are based on Riedel Artist
any exceptions. Working with AEQ’s equipment and its
systems.
technical support proved to be comfortable for the team,
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4/15/2019 8:10:06 AM
096
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allowing them to work with ease. The intercom system
partnering with Colosseo receiving a major technology
deployed by ISB was an AEQ Crossnet based system with
upgrade providing fans with the best possible level of
multi-channel AoIP and broadcast quality audio for the
game-day experience. Modernising the stadia control
communication channels.
room, Colosseo used its market leading single media
A total of around 45 user panels have been installed,
platform to create, manage and deliver all media content
most of them in the IBC and a few at the most important
to all the connected stadia LED displays. On top of that,
competition venues. The Dante Network allows for the
Colosseo also provided an interactive and digital signage
Crossnet to carry IFB’s originating from basically any point
solution for over 450 TV panels installed across the venue.
in the network and can be anything from international
This provided visitors with instant replays, highlights and
sound to mixed zone feeds or commentary guides for the
real time statistical information on one platform.
off tubes. Signals can be accessed through the NetBox 32
Visitor safety was also high on the events agenda and
and eight AD units and also the Netbox four MH’s that
Colosseo helped in fitting the venue with its stadia
have been deployed to be able to contribute with signals at
leading biometric face recognition turnstile system to
microphone level to the AoIP network. Signalling in these
seamlessly control and manage all access points. Over one
has been integrated using the studioboxes allowing for
hundred turnstiles and gates were equipped with Colosseo
remote control via classical and also virtual GPIO’s.
biometrical heads which scan the face of each visitor at an
The Venus 3 being capable of connecting locally to AoIP
express speed of under 0.5 seconds to instantly deny access
multi-channel networks becomes an ideal solution for the
to backlisted persons.
international contributions of commentary programme
The 2019 European Olympic Games saw some of the
and return audio. Also, the Venus 3 is used to interconnect
most innovative broadcast technology, providing fans
some venues with the commentary unit AEQ Phoenix ALIO.
with a unique, live experience. Helped along by sports
The ALIO is a portable AudioCodec with mixer functions
television pioneers ISB and Belarus TV, the stadium was
allowing for either local or remote control. This is perfect
exceptionally prepared for the event, both in technology
for when the talents at the commentary position are non-
and safety. The impressive coverage was watched
technical and need assistance.
and enjoyed by audiences worldwide immersing each
Olympia 3 is in another sound mixer that operates as an
individual in every area of the coverage.
independent or standalone commentary unit, or can be linked to a small, medium or large commentary system. The iconic stadium also prepared for the Games by
SYSTEM INTEGRATORS: Broadcast Solutions | BRANDS: AEQ, Grass Valley, Calrec, Ross Video, Yamaha, Riedel, Colosseo | WEBSITES: www.broadcastsolutions.de, www.aeq.eu, www.grassvalley.com, www.rossvideo.com, www.yamaha.com, www.riedel.com, www.colosseoeas.com, www.calrec.com 097
ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP Images: Motion Impossible
A
098
t this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup, viewers
Drive. The technology was specifically used to capture live
may have noticed that the coverage included
tracking shots and content for replays on and around the
shots at a somewhat different angle than
pitch, as well as the crowd.
they’re used to - a mole’s eye view of the pitch
Rob Drewett, CEO of Motion Impossible, takes up the story:
is, perhaps, the most accurate way to describe it. Viewers
“BatCam, who are preliminary a drone company, were
will have caught a glimpse of what essentially looked like
approached by Sunset and Vine to produce the same type
a remote-controlled car driving a camera around, with
of content that the FOX ROVER is creating for Fox Sports in
commentators even giving it a mention.
Australia. Fox Sports uses our budget range chassis called
The vehicle is the AGITO Sports from Motion Impossible
the M-Series with a MoVI carbon, but we wanted BatCam
- the only fully modular dolly system capable of working
to use our latest chassis, the AGITO Sports.
both on track and free roaming. Perfect for use in the
“The AGITO Sports was purposely built from the ground up
studio or on location, AGITO Sports offers a new way
to work as a dolly system that does not need track - it was
of moving a camera and delivers a whole new angle to
perfect for the job.
matches, making it the ideal choice for the ICC Cricket
“The ICC wanted to capture Spidercam-style footage
World Cup.
where a Spidercam could not be installed, as not all
For the ICC TV world feed, the AGITO Sports was operated
stadiums can take Spidercam. Incidentally, we ended
by UAV company, Batcam - which referred to it as Batcam
up being used on most of the big games, whether the
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Spidercam was there or not. The AGITO added movement
Using the AGITO Sports at the World Cup was a huge
into footage that was once filmed with a tripod, creating a
success, as Rob explained further: “The feedback was
layer of immersive content.”
great. In the beginning, the directors didn’t really know
During the World Cup, the AGITO Sports was going up and
what to expect, but, by the end of the tournarment, they
down the boundary line capturing the play - the wicket,
were using it all the time. They used it for instant replays,
the bowler’s run up and the batsman striking the ball
live coverage, player walk in and walk outs and drinks
and running between wickets. However, it was also used
breaks. The AGITO always gave a shot that was usable.”
to capture crowd reactions, too. With fan engagement in
“The AGITO has been used for football, rugby, athletics,
mind, it turned out to be a huge hit.
swimming, concerts, VR, live entertainment, dramas and
The AGITO Sports had to be low profile, so as not to get in
feature films,” Rob added.
the way of other cameras, but also to be in line with the
“We have only just begun the journey for the AGITO
guidelines on being a certain distance from the players and
capturing sports - soon, we will have an AGITO brain that
not getting in their eyeline. Even with certain restrictions,
will add a layer of intelligence to the system, much like the
the technology was accurate enough to do repeatable
type of technology you see in drones nowadays. Then, the
moves and recreate shots that normally take a lot of time
possibilities are endless.”
to set up.
BRAND: Motion Impossible | WEBSITE: www.motion-impossible.com 099
F RANKF U RT 2020
LA S V EGAS 2 02 0
A MS T E R DA M 2 0 2 0
mondodr.com | mondostadia.com | mondodrawards.com/emea-apac | mondodrawards.com/americas | mondostadia-agora.com
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PRODUCT FOCUS
EVENT DIARY
102 ADJ
112 Conferences & Exhibitions
103 Atlona 106 ENCO
EXPO
FINAL WHISTLE
106 IBC Preview
114 Jonas Djian, Marketing Manager & Sports Business Speaker
110 Daktronics & Tripleplay - Product Showcase
ADJ | Hydro Series he flagship of ADJ’s new IP65-rated Hydro Series of moving head fixtures is the Hydro Beam X2. This extremely bright and feature-packed luminaire is designed for outdoor events, tour production and permanent installation in environments where rain, humidity, dust or sand could impair the function of regular fixtures. Through a combination of precisionengineered optics and a potent Osram Sirius HRI 370W LL discharge lamp, the fixture generates a razor-sharp 3° beam that can be customised using a wide variety of beam manipulation tools to provide Lighting designers with a high level of creative freedom. These include a 14 position colour wheel (including both 3,200K and 5,600K CTO filters), 10 replaceable rotating gobos and two fixed beam reducers, two multi-faceted rotating prisms with layering feature and an independent frost filter. The second fixture in the new series, the Hydro Beam X1, is a compact yet potent moving head powered by an Osram Sirius HRI 100W discharge lamp. Combined with precision optics and a tight 3° beam angle allowing the fixture to generate an extremely powerful beam that travels over a long distance and is capable of creating a wide variety of
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stunning midair effects. Despite its small size, the X1 packs in plenty of beam-shaping features. Its colour wheel offers a diverse selection of 14 colour options, including UV and a CTB colour correction filter, including open white. A second wheel is loaded with a varied selection of 15 gobo patterns plus open, which include four beam reducers. The the versatile fixture also features a 16-facet rotating circular prism. The final model in the Hydro Series to date is the new Hydro Wash X7, a powerful LED wash fixture. With a compact footprint allowing for agile movement, this professional IP65rated fixture utilises the power of seven Osram 40W RGBW LEDs to generate a potent wash of coloured light. Each LED can be controlled individually, allowing for the creation of ‘eye candy’ effects as well as integration into a larger pixelmapped display. The fixture also boasts a motorised zoom function with an impressive range of six 40, allowing for both tight beams and broad washes. In addition to standard five-pin DMX input and output sockets, it is also equipped with an ADJ WiFLY DMX receiver that allows cable free control from a compatible lighting board or DMX bridge. www.adj.com
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ATLONA | OmniStream tlona’s latest OmniStream advances provide integrators and end users with a powerful audiovisual over IP feature set to drive and manage high-resolution content over the network, including distribution to video walls and system management within meeting spaces. Key performance enhancements include seamless high-speed switching and new daisy-chaining capabilities for OmniStream’s existing encoder grouping functionality. Atlona’s new fast switching feature, available in OmniStream Pro and R-Type encoders and decoders, greatly accelerates switching time for sources. The new switching mode actively manages EDID and HDCP negotiations between sources and destinations, including displays and video walls. With switching time reduced to less than 10 milliseconds, Atlona’s fast switching innovation outperforms competitive products for switching speed across packet-based audiovisual systems, making OmniStream an ideal fit for venues and stadia. Video wall performance is further strengthened with new integrated processing functionality. The embedded scaling, video processing and advanced video synchronisation mechanisms in OmniStream decoder ensure precise concurrence of content between each decoder and corresponding display tile. The result is a single, cohesive image magnified across all displays, without the appearance of ‘breaking up’ if video streams to decoders are mistimed. OmniStream’s integrated video processing also now supports 90º / 270º image rotation which enables verticallystacked video walls and portrait-mode, which is common in digital signage applications. The enhanced functionality provides users with an easier and affordable solution to feed and manage content in retail, hospitality and campus environments, where portrait-mode visuals captivate mobile audiences. Atlona continues to evolve its All-IP meeting space message with new zero UI functionality that automates presentations without the need for manual switching via a user interface or control screen. The zero UI meeting space utilises Atlona’s OmniStream encoder grouping strategy to automatically switch between sources in the meeting space or classroom. Upon sensing the presence of a new signal, the system will seamlessly transition to the corresponding encoder, and switch off routing from the previous encoder. Atlona’s All-IP meeting space solution accelerates transitions from legacy circuit-based systems to fully networked, IP-enabled environments. This strategy brings the power of large, enterprise-sized, IP-based systems to individual meeting spaces. The network switch becomes the switcher, creating an enormous amount of freedom to deliver right-
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sized switching systems without the limitations of a fixed I/O matrix. Atlona demonstrates new advances to OmniStream’s encoder grouping application, which delivers the autoswitching capability of a conventional audiovisual switcher. The architecture supports the assignment of several encoders to one group, with the decoder switching to an encoder when its HDMI input detects a new device. By leveraging OmniStream’s encoder daisy-chaining capability, users can connect multiple AT-OMNI-112 dual-channel encoders together. This allows integrators to simplify wiring requirements while utilising a single network drop to a switch or LAN and enables higher density installations by connecting two source devices per box. The All-IP meeting space architecture overcomes the limitations of legacy wired audiovisual systems in favour of optimal flexibility, simplified integration and infinite scalability available through a facility’s existing data networking infrastructure. This also ensures that every component on the network can be natively managed from any location, and removes the learning curve for IT administrators as audiovisual becomes just another element managed on the shared network. The complete All-IP Meeting Space architecture brings together IP-enabled Atlona OmniStream 4K/UHD encoders and decoders, control and peripherals The most recent addition to the OmniStream product line is the OmniStream 111 Wallplate (AT-OMNI-111-WP). The OmniStream 111 WP is a single-channel networked audiovisual encoder for HDMI 2.0 sources up to 4K60 Hz and high dynamic range, and supports embedded audio and RS-232 or IR control pass-through. The decora-style wallplate form factor integrates interchangeable black and white wallplates and faceplates. The OmniStream 111 WP is designed for high-performance, flexible distribution of audiovisual over standard and off-theshelf gigabit ethernet switches. This networked audiovisual encoder features advanced VC-2 visually lossless video compression technology with user-selectable, video quality optimisation engines designed for computer-generated imaging, or motion video content. The wallplate achieves extremely low, sub-frame latency when paired with OmniStream decoders. It is HDCP 2.2 compliant and ideal for the latest ultra high-definition and HDR sources. With its compact form factor, the OmniStream 111 WP enables convenient installation wherever an aesthetically appealing or discreet audiovisual source connection is required. www.atlona.com 103
COMING SOONâ&#x20AC;¦
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ENCO | enCaption4 he convergence of audiovisual and IP brings a wealth of new opportunities to organisations as to how they produce and manage media, whether live or repurposed. ENCO’s latest advances to its patented captioning solutions, come to market at a time when organisations seek to incorporate live captions into its audiovisual operations with greater frequency and efficiency - and easily find and repurpose existing content for online audiences. At InfoComm 2019, ENCO unveiled the now-shipping enCaption4 to the audiovisual industry. With its powerful, real-time, automated speech-to-text engine, enCaption4 offers a robust open captioning solution for live presentations, seminars, lectures and sermons. enCaption4’s flexible architecture offers customers on-premise or cloudbased options to generate live open captions over top of video. This flexibility ensures that enCaption4 is applicable in both legacy and IP-enabled audiovisual workflows, whether processing speech through a microphone for a single location; or distributing captions enterprise-wise from a cloud server over the IP network. ENCO’s recent announcement of NDI compatibility also makes enCaption4 well-suited to IP-based NDI video production and streaming environments. Commercial audiovisual facilities with an NDI infrastructure can automatically generate captions with enCaption4 through its NDI input stream, and output an NDI signal with captions keyed directly on top of the video stream. This capability simplifies the captioning workflow by eliminating the need for specialised encoding hardware. “There’s no question captioning workflows for live, prerecorded and even long-form content have also been greatly simplified as more organisations transition AV operations to IP networks,” said Ken Frommert, President of ENCO. “enCaption4 is built to help these organisations take advantage of these new opportunities for hearing-impaired,
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multi-lingual and other audiences with minimal to no manual intervention, and at an exceptionally efficient price point.” enCaption4’s cloud option also presents new opportunities for captioning live and existing content for online audiences. In a new partnership with StreamGuys, a content delivery network and streaming media provider, the two companies will show how businesses can extend the value of open captioning outside the local facility. Pairing StreamGuys’ SGrecast live recording and repurposing platform with enCaption4, users can generate automatic transcriptions of new recordings, and caption pre-recorded, archived files for streaming to mobile and the web. Users also have the power to export the captioned files (SRT or VTT), and save transcripts of any selected media content for later use. The integration also enables the ability to label and search for specific speakers. Ken added that feature sets in captioning solutions have expanded as speech-to-text conversion has grown faster and more reliable. “enCaption4 integrates several breakthrough technologies that make it ideal for serving a broad variety of audiences. For one, our multi-speaker identification isolates and processes separate microphone feeds to reduce confusion from cross-talk in live meetings and seminars. enCaption4 also supports more than 20 languages, with extensive dictionaries that correlate with its groundbreaking accuracy,” said Ken. enCaption4’s high accuracy rate (more than 90%) is made possible through breakthroughs in machine learning technology, which have helped ENCO to develop a deep neural network approach to voice recognition. Frommert adds that the synchronisation between speech and the onscreen appearance of captions has been reduced to about three seconds - a more than 50% reduction in latency from the previous generation of leading captioning solutions. www.enco.com 105
IBC AMSTERDAM 13 - 18th September
BC is the world’s most
attendees from 150 countries around the world,
trends and innovations.
influential media, entertainment
exhibiting more than 1,700 of the world’s key
Over the five day conference 1,700 delegates
and technology show. Six
technology suppliers and showcasing a debate-
and guests from across the globe will hear
leading international bodies are
leading conference.
from an outstanding line-up of 300+ speakers,
the partners behind IBC, representing both
From Lounge Talks exploring diversity and
enjoy fantastic networking opportunities and
exhibitors and visitors.
sustainability in media and entertainment to
demonstrations, presentations and briefings.
In 2018 IBC attracted more than 55,000
Tech Talks taking a deep dive into the latest tech
www.show.ibc.org
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RIEDEL SMARTPANELS Stand No. Hall 10 - A31 & A38 www.riedel.net
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At this year’s IBC, Riedel will: Showcase the NMOS-based Control Panel App for 1200 Series SmartPanels Premiere other powerful apps to boost the capabilities of the SmartPanels Present a new operational mode for the award-winning Bolero wireless intercom They will also celebrate: Ten years of MediorNet, our media network for audio, video and data signals The European premiere of our newest member of the Artist ecosystem Artist-1024
PROTOUCH TOTEM
BR REMOTE CAMBALL4
www.protouch.tech
Stand No. Hall 12.- F63 www.br-remote.com
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Portable. Powered by easily changeable batteries, with up to 24 hours of continuous usage Inscribed viewing angle of 360° Human level viewing height Powerful illumination, visible even in the brightest rooms
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CamBall4, programmable remote-controlled cameras for sports stadiums, tried, tested and evolved over 18 years High Definition picture, 1080p, smooth 30x optical zoom and focus 64 programmed moves, advanced motion control and metadata for AR and VR Rugged carbon fibre build with slip rings, waterproof for outdoor installation Expert technical service, customisation and integration into stadium infrastructure
IBC AMSTERDAM SPIDERCAM GMBH SPIDERCAM LIGHT Stand No. Holland Hall Mezzanine www.spidercam.tv • • • • •
Compact cable camera solution for sports arenas and halls Three-axis stabilised remote-head with active roll axis Small footprint – easy to place components Reduced dead space – increased flying height Wide range of HD and 4k cameras and lenses supported
ROBE T1 PROFILE Stand No. Hall 12 - B64 www.robe.cz/t1-profile • • •
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Specifically designed to fulfil the challenging requirements of theatre, television and touring within one comprehensive fixture. Now with the new revolutionary MSL™ (Multi-Spectral Light) LED engine Light output of up to 10.075 lm, CRI 90+, + - Green Correction Function, Cpulse special flicker free management for HD and UHD cameras Zoom Range -7° - 49° Effects including: rotating gobo wheel, animation wheel, framing shutters, six-facet rotating prism
ROBYCAM GLOBAL / MOVICOM LLC ROBYCAM COMPACT 3D Stand No. Hall 12 - G67 www.movicom.tv • • • • • •
Multidimensional modular cable camera system for indoor and smaller-size venues with 80m x 80m working zone Direct drive 3-axis digital gyro-stabilisation Compact, light-weight winches and dolly Integrated driftless Compass AR tracking Compatibility with wide range of cameras: UHD, 4K/HDR, 8K-ready DGUV 17/18 Conformance Certificate by DEKRA
COBALT DIGITAL 9992-ENC HEVC 4K Stand No. Hall 10 - B44 www.cobaltdigital.com • • • • •
High-end contribution multi-channel encoder for openGear frames Video encoding MPEG-2, MPEG-4-AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265). Audio support includes MPEG-1 Layer II, AAC-LC, HE-AAC, AC3, E-AC-3, and 5.1 surround Ancillary data support including closed captioning (EIA-608 and EIA-708), SCTE-104 to SCTE-35 and more Pay-as-you-go licensing structure
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NO PLANS TO RENAME SANTIAGO BERNABÉU FOR NOW In an interview for the World Football Summit website, ahead of his participation in WFS19, David Hopkinson, Head of Global Partnership for Real Madrid, said the club is not working on finding a corporate name for the stadium.
year ago, shortly after winning their 13th UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid hired David Hopkinson, longtime executive for the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, as new Head of Global Partnership. Among other achievements, as Chief Commercial Officer for MLSE, David had led what still remains, as the biggest naming rights deal in the history of North American sport. In 2017, Scotiabank reportedly agreed to pay 720m Euro to rename the former Air Canada Centre, home for the Toronto Raptors (NBA) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), for the following 20 years. According to different media reports, Real Madrid had been struggling to find a naming rights partner for the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, which was ready to overcome deep renovation. Brands seemed concerned that the corporate name would be overshadowed by the historic status of Santiago Bernabéu, but the dots between Toronto and Madrid connected easily. However, with the work on the iconic venue already ongoing, the strategy seems to have changed under his guidance. In a recent interview for the World Football Summit website ahead of his participation in WFS19, David said: “The club is not working on finding a corporate name for the stadium.” The Canadian executive believes that Real Madrid, the most valuable brand in sport according to Brand Finance, has a wide range of revenue opportunities to explore that don’t involve changing the name of the stadium. “I’m not sure that putting a corporate name would be the right thing to do. In fact, it would probably be the wrong thing. There are certain venues around the world that are so iconic, such as ours, Old Trafford and Madison Square Garden, that won’t benefit from a corporate name. My belief is that Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is one of those,” he explained. Utilising naming rights revenue to their full potential is a pending subject for European football. A recent report estimated the value of the Premier League stadium sponsorship deals at 142m Euro, but only 30% of top flight English teams had a venue sponsor last season. In LaLiga and the Serie A the amount is even smaller. In the US, 26 of the 32 NFL franchises are currently capitalsing on the branding potential of their arenas. In European football, only the German Bundesliga reach these figures. This significant gap
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reflects the substantial difference that still exists between the North American sport culture, where the question, ‘are we a business or a club?’, is mostly answered with a resounding ‘a business’. However, in European sport culture, the answer to that business-club question is still not clear. David, however, claims some iconic venues such as Old Trafford or Bernabéu would not benefit from a corporate name, which obviously doesn’t mean that Manchester United or Real Madrid should necessarily forgo the revenue opportunities that their venues can provide. JP Morgan Chase’s marquee partnership deal with the Madison Square Garden, reportedly worth almost 22m Euro per season, could set an interesting path to explore for clubs deeply connected to their grounds. Regardless of the name, David is certain that the future Bernabéu stadium will set a true turning point for the club. “I’m excited about this because this is not only a renovation. It’s such an extensive renovation it borders on a rebuilding and this will be a true modernisation of the facility. Retractable roof, premium amenities, a whole different suite of fan experiences unlocking everything that we can do digitally to change the way our fans experience the match. I think this is going to be a pivotal moment in the long history of this club,” he said. And since Real Madrid is a global benchmark, the impact of the new stadium will go far beyond the club. According to David, it will change the face of football globally and certainly change the face of Madrid, both in and outside of sport.
IV EDITION
24TH & 25TH SEPT. 2019, MADRID
INDUSTRY AWARDS BEST VENUE
PRESENTED BY:
Last year Wanda Metropolitano took the WFS Industry Award for the Best Venue home and entered our hall of fame! These are the three finalists that will be competing for the trophy this year:
LEVI’S STADIUM
MERCEDES BENZ STADIUM
NATIONAL SOCCER HALL OF FAME
JURY MEMBERS
JORGE BETANCOR POPULOUS
BORJA GONZÁLEZ ATHLETIC CLUB BILBAO
SAM HUGHES MONDO STADIA
BRENDAN LONG MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
RICARDO RONDON HKS
NICK SAUTNER EDEN PARK
JOIN THE FINALISTS, JURY MEMBERS AND SPEAKERS IN MADRID #WFS19 #WFSINDUSTRYAWARDS
awards@worldfootballsummit.com
DAKTRONICS & TRIPLEPLAY | PRODUCT SHOWCASE ONDO | STADIA made the trip to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Daktronics’ and Tripleplay’s showcase event, joining integrators and end users in learning more about the technology and how it can be used in sports and retail projects. The event began with presentations in the auditoriumstyle press room, which is home to an impressive 1.9mm 2.74-metres by 6.71-metres LED display. Patrick Hallierll, Managing Director of Daktronics UK, kicked off proceedings with an introduction to the company and its recent product innovations. Patrick explained how and why Daktronics have enjoyed so much success in the sports market, as well as going into the company’s two product lines - the Blue Series and Gold Series. The former is designed for use in airports, for
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example, while the latter is more of an industry standard solution. Following Patrick was Erroyl Duncan, Pre-Sales Manager, EMEA, Tripleplay, who gave an overview of the company, its main products, its partners and its huge, wide-ranging client base, which included sporting venues, like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, right through to hotels and the public sector. Erroyl provided some insight into the work Tripleplay have done at Spurs’ new ground, with over 1,600 screens installed showing everything from live matchday feeds to the menu boards for F&B kiosks. Tripleplay’s Mobile Media App (MMA), which allows clubs to engage with fans via mobile, was also demonstrated by Erroyl. Originally developed for Chelsea Football Club, the MMA application allows clubs to distribute media assets to
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phones and tablets Duncan also demonstrated Tripleplayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MMA application, which was originally developed for Chelsea Football Club when they were looking for a way to engage with the fans via mobile. The application allows users to take media content and distribute it to mobile phones and tablets. The final presentation in the press room was from Jason Melby, International Marketing Manager at Daktronics, who offered some in-depth insight into the choice between LED and LCD products, explaining what needs to be considered depending on the venue. For the presentations in the afternoon, delegates were taken to the West Quarter part of the stadium. Jason was again on hand to present Daktronicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; product range before inviting guests to check out the indoor range of screens up close. After a short break, guests were given some interesting insight into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium project, with Daktronicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior Project Manager, Rahman Amin, discussing best practices for installations and considerations that have to be taken depending on the site. Rahman explained that weight load, infrastructure, screen size, resolution, pixel pitch, location, heat and noise are all hugely important factors when it comes to installing a screen. A plan for maintenance in the future is seen as crucial, too,
as a way to keep one eye on the future. James Keen, Group Head of Marketing at Tripleplay, was up next discussing the importance of engagement for both fans and employees - and how to use technology to enhance that. James explained how technology keeps people engaged and encourages emotional connections, with a sense of belonging being something that both fans and employees crave. With the help of technology in engaging fans, there are a whole host of benefits, including increased ticket sales and a better atmosphere inside the stadium. Not only that, but James revealed that engaged fans are 2.5 times more likely to share club content, resulting in the message being spread further. The final presentation of the day was from Aidan Quibell, AV Engineer at Vanguardia, who spoke about the overall project and what technology was used. The brief from the club was to create the most technologically-advanced stadium in the world and this was achieved in no small part thanks to the 61 LED displays - almost 2,500 sq metres - installed. Following the presentations, a full tour of the stadium was organised, showing guests the incredible technology that had been discussed throughout the day in its place.
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EVENT DIARY 2019/20
IBC 12th - 17th September, Amsterdam, Netherlands www.ibc.org
Coliseum Summit MENA 30th - 31st October, Abu Dhabi, UAE www.coliseum-online.com
Coliseum Summit Europe 25th - 26th March, London, England www.coliseum-online.com
FSB 5th - 8th November, Cologne, Germany www.fsb-cologne.com
Prolight+Sound 31st March - 3rd April, Frankfurt, Germany www.pls.messefrankfurt.com
UK Sports & Venues Summit 21st November, London, England www.majoreventsinternational.com
NAB Show 18th - 22nd April, Las Vegas, USA www.nabshow.com
World Football Summit 24th - 25th September, Madrid, Spain www.worldfootballsummit.com
The Stadium Business Design & Development Summit 25th - 27th November, London, England www.stadiumdesignsummit.com
The Stadium Business Summit 21st - 22nd April, Manchester, England www.stadiumbusinesssummit.com
SPORTELMonaco 21st - 23rd October, Monaco, France www.sportelmonaco.com
ESSMA Summit 21st - 22nd January, Budapest, Hungary www.essmasummit.eu
Digital Signage Summit Russia 23th - 25th October, Moscow, Russia digitalsignagesummit.org/europe
Integrated Systems Europe 11th - 14th February, Amsterdam, Netherlands www.iseurope.org
ALSD International 28th - 29th October, Dublin, Ireland www.alsdinternational.com
MONDO | STADIA presents AGORA 13th February, Amsterdam, Netherlands www.mondostadia-agora.com
PLASA 15th - 17th September, London, England www.plasashow.com Coliseum Summit MENA September, Yas Island, UAE www.coliseum-online.com
Coliseum APAC May 2020, Beijing, China www.coliseum-online.com International Sports Convention 17th - 18th June, London, England www. internationalsportsconvention.com International Sports Convention 17th - 18th June, London, England www. internationalsportsconvention.com
07 FULL TIME
Who? Jonas Djian. Job title? Marketing Manager & Sports Business Speaker. Favourite stadium or sporting venue? Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Why? The incredible fan experience, the atmosphere created by the fans in the stadium and the quality / cost of the F&B options. Life motto? Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
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