POLAR PARK
ASCOT RACECOURSE
ELECTRO-VOICE
LIGHTING FOCUS
A new Fulcrum Acoustic audio system delivers state-of-the-art sound to Worcester Red Sox’s home ground.
A venue first at the famous racecourse with the introduction of Amazon’s Alexa for Smart Properties.
We speak to the E-V team about the recently-launched MTS Series, which sets a new standard for stadium audio.
We showcase sporting venue projects and state-of-the-art products from the lighting industry.
ISSUE 21 - DECEMBER | JANUARY 2021/22
THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TECHNOLOGY IN SPORTING VENUES
21 WELCOME
ur final issue of 2021 sees us head into 2022 with some uncertainty still surrounding the industry. While it’s certainly better than this time last year, the news of postponed matches, events and conferences is a stark reminder that we’re still navigating our way out of this pandemic. However, we’re remaining positive and looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year on a much more regular basis. In ISSUE 21, our cover story is Swansea.com Stadium, which I was lucky enough to visit last month to take a look at the impressive, new NEXO audio system installed by Vaughan Sound Installations. You can read more about the project on page 34. Over in the US, we’ve covered Polar Park’s new Fulcrum Acoustic setup and, a bit closer to home, there’s a feature on Pro Audio Systems’ work at EnviroVent Stadium. In this issue’s Kick Off, there’s a focus on lighting, with impressive venues from the likes of Signify and Musco Lighting. Definitely one to check out. Don’t forget to read our interview with the Electro-Voice team, too they’ve given us the inside track on the new MTS Series, which promises to set a new standard for stadium sound. I was lucky enough to hear it in person at Wigan Athletic’s DW Stadium... it’s seriously impressive. Finally, I just want to take the opportunity to wish you all the best for Christmas and New Year. Stay safe and enjoy the break. See you in 2022!
O
Sam Hughes Editorial Director
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21 INSIDE…
Cover Image: Swansea City AFC / Athena Picture Agency Ltd Editorial Director Sam Hughes s.hughes@mondiale.co.uk
Commercial Director Jamie Dixon j.dixon@mondiale.co.uk
Digital Content Manager James Robertson j.robertson@mondiale.co.uk
Design & Production Dan Seaton d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk
Dave Bell d.bell@mondiale.co.uk
Finance Director Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk
Credit Control ar@mondiale.co.uk
Group Chairman Damian Walsh
TEAM TALK
006 Dan Smith, LG Business Solutions USA 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
VENUE FOCUS AUDIO
048 Polar Park | Worcester, USA 052 EnviroVent Stadium | Harrogate, England
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BROADCAST
010 Europa-Park Stadium | Freiburg, Germany
056 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup | Dubai, UAE
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EXTRA TIME
012 Lighting
060 Venue Tech Directory
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062 In Detail | TSL Products
INTERVIEW 024 Electro-Voice | MTS Series
THE FULL PITCH 034 Swansea.com Stadium | Swansea, Wales 040 Bryant-Denny Stadium | Alabama, USA
063 Event Diary 064 Full Time | George Vaughan, Ascot Racecourse
DAN SMITH - VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LG BUSINESS SOLUTIONS USA The Age of DVLED: How Bigger, Brighter, Bolder Displays Shaped the Sporting World Images: LG hen arena and stadiums first
with light bulb-based signs, and text-only
2000s and 2010s, the latest DVLED innovations
began featuring direct view
functionality was standard for several decades.
are introducing significant performance
LED (or DVLED) displays as
As manufacturers and researchers made use of
benefits and rewriting the rules of where and
scoreboards, they represented
new color options, developed multi-coloured
how any content can be shared in a sports
the apex of digital display technology. Today,
DVLED signs, and integrated computerized
setting.
innovative engineers and manufacturers have
control, new operations such as basic graphics
Currently, one of the biggest advantages of
pushed DVLED display technology to once-
and the illusion of moving text or images
DVLED technology is the ability to customize
unimaginable heights, with individual LEDs (or
revolutionized the value of the technology.
the design to fit nearly any specific need,
pixels) now being produced at sub-millimeter
As with many technologies, the devices shrunk
resulting in virtually unlimited size and
size and enabling the design of ultra-high-
in size and grew in capability as the decades
viewing distance. Whether an arena needs
definition video displays in nearly any size or
passed, adding more sophisticated controls,
a sharp, bright display that is 20 feet long
shape with performance equal or superior to
delivering new possibilities and eventually
and two feet tall or a stadium wants a round,
any other technology.
becoming quite ubiquitous throughout arenas
triangular, or otherwise custom-shaped video
and stadiums. From menu boards to giant
display, DVLED can do that. There’s virtually
How It Started
concourse displays, direct view LED is now
nothing that cannot be achieved with today’s
The original monochromatic DVLED signs were
used virtually everywhere a fan can look.
DVLED tech, whether the need is indoors,
W
used in a variety of situations and locations
006
outdoors, on a ceiling or floor, wrapped around
where text was valuable, such as scoreboards
How It’s Going
columns or fitted to curved walls.
and jumbotrons where arena/stadium
Fast forward to 2021, and the evolution
In addition to obvious customisation options
operators could display scores and stats, and
of DVLED displays and technology is
such as size, shape and brightness, the LEDs
that basic design remains an effective eye-
striking. While the intervening decades
themselves, the tiny diodes that emit colored
catching piece of technology with copious uses
saw the popularisation of cathode ray tube
light, have advanced so far that millions of
more than 50 years later.
televisions and computer monitors, multi-
them can be packed onto single displays,
Focusing purely on the technology, these
bulb and eventually laser projectors, and the
offering custom resolution and pixel count.
displays’ ‘resolution’ has remained on par
indomitable ‘flatscreen’ technologies of the
The cost of individual LEDs goes up as they
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shrink in physical size, so stadiums and arenas
successfully engineered such high-quality
large displays, high brightness capabilities and
can maximize the value of their spending by
components that they are rated to last up to
easily replaceable modules which eliminate the
determining the exact required resolution,
100,000 hours at full brightness, and even
need for entire displays to be discarded when
size, aspect ratio and even curvature to meet
longer at real-world usage brightness. For
a single component fails, it becomes clear that
their needs. With industry-wide LED costs
quick reference, 100,000 hours of operation
continued DVLED research and development
and the cost of DVLED manufacturing falling
would be 24 hours a day for more than 11
is a vital mission for the arena/stadium
reliably year-over-year, DVLED is now an
years. It’s no surprise, then, that DVLED
development industry.
affordable option for just about any need.
displays are coveted for use in large sporting
One of the final remaining improvements
LG’s direct view LED also offers other
venues.
to be made is simplifying construction and
meaningful user benefits, including ambient
008
installation for DVLED displays. Many of
light sensors that automatically adjust display
What the Future Holds
today’s models require several days to install,
brightness for changing conditions when a
If current trends and needs continue, we
configure, and integrate with digital video
display is installed outside an arena/stadium.
may well find ourselves in a world where
delivery systems. But fear not! The great
Accessories (sold separately) can enable touch
DVLED displays become as ubiquitous as flat-
minds behind all the advances discussed here
and distance-interaction tools which turn an
panel LCD displays are now. Throughout its
are already solving this problem and launching
entire DVLED display into an interactive digital
evolution, DVLED tech has developed contrary
all-in-one DVLED displays which are easier to
experience.
to CRTs, LCDs and projection, starting out
install and program.
Considering growing global trends toward
physically large and becoming smaller over
If we zoom out and look at the full range
eco-consciousness and extending product life
time. The industry is at an inflection point
of display technologies in operation and
cycles to reduce e-waste, DVLED technology
where these displays are now becoming more
production today, DVLED has significant room
offers another major benefit: typically the
competitive with LCDs in size, resolution, and
for growth and innovation, and may even
longest performance duration of any current
even cost and installation simplicity.
enable arena and stadium applications that
display technology. In the top range of
When we consider the remaining benefits,
have not yet been imagined.
DVLED display products, manufacturers have
which include energy efficiency, thin builds for
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EUROPA-PARK STADIUM Freiburg, Germany Image: HPP Architects
he Europa-Park Stadium, designed by HPP Architects for its client Stadion Freiburg Objektträger GmbH & Co. (SFG), was created as the home venue of SC Freiburg. Work on the site, with an area of approx. 44,300 m², has been in full swing since 2018 – now the completed stadium has been filled with life for the first time. The venue was officially opened on 7 October 2021 with an opening ceremony followed by a friendly game against FC St. Pauli. On 16 October, the atmosphere in the stadium will reach fever pitch for the first time in a Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig. “The new SC stadium is a wonderful fit for Freiburg and it suits the club perfectly. It is not only functional, but also convincing in terms of urban design and architecture. The stadium sits in naturally between ‘Wolfsbuck’, the airfield and the university where it is easily recognizable. It will be another centre of identification for the SC fans, and also for all citizens of Freiburg”, summarised Freiburg’s mayor responsible for the building authority, Prof. Dr. Martin Haag. SC Freiburg took the decision to create a new stadium some years ago in order to remain competitive over the long term and further establish itself in the Bundesliga. In a consultation process in 2017 the general contractor Köster GmbH and HPP Architekten GmbH won the commission for realisation and planning of the new stadium. The coherent and timeless elegance of the finished construction ensures that it blends seamlessly into the gentle topography of the Wolfswinkel in the west of Freiburg. Due to its proximity to the airport and the associated height limitation, the stadium is designed with flat orthogonal roof geometry, whilst external diagonal tension rods lend an unmistakable character. In response to the basic octagonal shape of the stadium’s interior, the main access
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points are situated at the corners, creating a dynamic effect and sense of identity. The architecture focuses on the essentials: clear structure, functionality and cost-effectiveness, but also above all on sensory experience with an abundance of openness and transparency. The Freiburg stadium unites a wide range of sports and non-sports event areas under one roof. The business, conference and event areas are designed in such a way that they can be operated independently during and outside the football matches. Sustainability was also given due consideration in the retrofitting of the whole roof with 15,000 m² photovoltaic panels. “The slightly raised aspect on an elevation suggests the motif of a place of pilgrimage – the stadium becomes an eye-catcher and attraction”, explains HPP Senior Partner Antonino Vultaggio. Apart from using a clear architectural language, a shared experience for the fans was focused right from the start. A viewing gap between the upper and lower tiers makes it possible for fans to experience the interior of the stadium as soon as they enter. Through this permanent reference to the playing field, the surrounding promenade becomes a place for the public to linger and engage with one another - before, after and during the game. The promenade offers everyone - whether walking or sitting in a wheelchair - an equal stadium experience. Also the grandstands are arranged in such a way that the spectators can enjoy a perfect view of the pitch from any direction and immerse themselves in the roiling atmosphere. In the south, the promenade principle gives way to the fan wall: “Here, a continuous tier from the base all the way up to the roof provides space for up to 8.700 standing spectators to celebrate and perform their tifos,” said HPP Senior Partner, Antonino Vultaggio.
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KICK OFF | LIGHTING A closer look at products and projects from the world of lighting.
SIGNIFY OPTUS STADIUM | ALLIANZ STADIUM | WANDA METROPOLITANO At Signify, we have spent the last 80 years thinking about how to continually improve the live sports experience. Formerly Philips Lighting, we are the world leader in providing professional customers and consumers with quality, energy efficient LED lighting and connected systems. We pride ourselves on providing long term engagement with sports venues, working hand in hand with them to build a complete fan experience; from the architectural stage to health and safety, as well as working directly with broadcasters to ensure the perfect lighting for television. Our connected lighting brings data to devices, apps and people – redefining what light can do and how you use it. We have established ourselves as a trusted lighting partner for top sporting venues all over the world, continually finding innovative ways to improve the live event experience. The benefits of our lighting reach beyond the fans, as sports teams begin to explore the use of biodynamic lighting in the dressing room to help improve the mood of the players and enhance performance. The last couple of years have been tough for live sporting events. One part of ensuring health and safety for sports venues is having an appropriate disinfection protocol - lighting can help with this. UV-C lighting, known for its viral and bacterial disinfectant properties has been historically used in locations like hospitals and schools. Our UV-C products are now being used by professional sports teams, like PSV Eindhoven, RB Leipzig and English Gallagher Premiership Rugby Union Club Harlequins,
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in the dressing rooms and in fan areas to go beyond the basic ‘mop and wipe’ approach in disinfecting surfaces. By turning to technology like this, sporting venues can safeguard their staff, fans, and players. Sports venues must also look to their role in bigger issues like sustainability. New innovations in lighting – 3D printing, energy efficient LEDs, intelligent IOT connectivity, to name a few – can dramatically reduce a stadium’s carbon footprint. In 2020, we achieved carbon neutrality for our own global operations and have set course to double our positive impact on the environment and society by 2025. Here are just some of the sports organisations that we have worked with around the world, to show how lighting can help achieve both revenue and climate goals. Optus Stadium (Perth) The lighting system includes more than 22,000 controllable LED light fittings which are managed through Signify’s Interact Sports lighting management software. Interact Sports has the flexibility to create a completely immersive lighting experience for fans at the 60,000-capacity venue, making it ideal for a wide variety of events. It enables remote reconfiguration and monitoring of the LED connected lighting to create a multipurpose arena for fans to watch anything from their home football and cricket teams to
KICK OFF
world-famous rock bands. Music and lighting can be merged together in advance, making it easy to create visually stunning pre-match and half-time light shows. The LED floodlights meet all the requirements for HDTV broadcasting standards for sports lighting. Hospitality areas and offices inside the stadium are also lit with LED lighting that can be added to the remote management dashboard giving easy control of the whole stadium’s lighting via a cloud-based system, accessible from any location over any networked device. Allianz Stadium (Juventus FC) The iconic arena now boasts 396 Philips ArenaVision LED fixtures installed on the roof and on the technical walkways. By upgrading the pitch lighting to the highest standards, the Allianz Stadium can elevate the entertainment experience to a whole new level during football matches and events. The pitch lighting system meets the needs of TV broadcasters and football federations for Ultra HD television and super slow motion action replays. In addition, it requires no warm-up time and is flexible enough to allow illumination of specific parts of the pitch before a football match or as part of a light show. Bowl lighting is controlled by a touch panel, enabling control and synchronisation with music, graphics and video. The system can be used to extend the match day experience and increase engagement with fans, while also supporting other types of events, which increases flexibility and provides new revenue potential. Hospitality areas are illuminated with warm white and dynamic lighting. As a result, the stadium is able to create a more prestigious and unique fan environment, engage new fans and further improve the profitability of hospitality areas. Wanda Metropolitano (Atletico Madrid) Wanda Metropolitano was the first 100% LED lighting stadium installation in the world. Connected LED lighting offer unique opportunities for synchronisation and integration of different stadium systems. The primary objective of the project was to enhance the fan experience for those enjoying the game in the
stadium, and those watching a live or recorded broadcast at home. Signify’s Interact Sports software gives control of the fully connected and integrated LED lighting for the entire stadium including façade, pitch, hospitality and also exterior parking area lighting. The spectacular roof structure above the pitch is equipped with dynamic Philips Color Kinetics architectural lighting, creating dazzling light shows for visitors. The lighting on the façade can be synchronised via Interact Sports scene management software with the lighting in the parking area, helping to create a fully immersive experience. The façade lighting ensures the structure can be seen from afar and has become a city landmark and tourist attraction. The new lighting in the pitch area guarantees maximum quality for television transmission and meets the latest LaLiga, UEFA and FIFA broadcast standards. The pitch lighting can also be switched on and off instantaneously or integrated with other light shows on the façade or bowl. Maximum impact of each type of event is key and therefore the lighting can be easily configured over Interact Sports software to meet the requirements of a wide variety of events. The Atletico Madrid Premium ‘Neptuno’ and VIP hospitality areas are also equipped with the latest and most efficient, high-quality LED lighting. The new LED lighting and control system is expected to deliver energy savings of more than 60% compared to conventional technologies. The overall result is that visitors feel welcome and enjoy themselves from entry to exit, while the flexibility offered opens up new revenue streams for the stadium to increase profitability and expand its appeal as a venue. Alex Rowe, Commercial Lead - Sports & Arena Lighting www.signify.com
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MUSCO LIGHTING TOTAL LIGHT CONTROL—TLC FOR LED™ TECHNOLOGY AND MINI-PITCH SYSTEM™ For over four decades, Musco Lighting has led the way in designing and engineering sports lighting solutions at venues around the world. From grassroots pitches and training academies, to world-class stadiums and venues, to international events - Musco’s TLC for LED system continues as the solution of choice for clubs and organisations across the globe. One of Musco’s more recent innovations is enabling professional clubs to utilise their stadiums—which feature custom TLC for LED systems—and the areas around them to serve as social and recreational hubs to engage local communities, families, and youth. The Mini-Pitch System™ modular sports solution transforms unused and underutilised areas into a high-quality soccer pitch that includes lighting so activities can extend into the evening hours. In addition to Musco’s TLC for LED lighting, the mini-pitch includes fencing, goals, benches, and lockable storage. In just the past year, professional clubs in the U.K., U.S., Latin America, and Asia that had already partnered with Musco for their stadium lighting have had mini-pitches installed in locations adjacent to their venues. The new pitches provide outstanding play spaces and outlets for the clubs to engage their fans, enhance the match day experience, and connect with the local community through weekly activities and programs. After partnering with Musco on a custom-designed TLC for LED system at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, club leaders moved ahead with the installation of two mini-pitches on the southeast side of
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the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium campus. Tottenham Hotspur utilises the mini-pitches as a talent ID center for the club’s Academy and Global Football Development Team, hosting fan activities on match days, after school programming, fitness and exercise sessions for local residents, and for disability sports provisions. At Lynn Family Stadium in the U.S., home to Louisville City FC of the United Soccer League, a similar endeavor was undertaken with the installation of a Mini-Pitch System on the northeast side outside of the venue. In addition to exciting match day activities in coordination with Louisville City FC, the mini-pitch will serve as a new recreational hub for youth and families in the neighbourhoods around the venue. “It means a lot to our organisation to partner with the Louisville community in such a meaningful way, bringing a new level of excitement to Lynn Family Stadium and expanding recreational opportunities for local kids and families,” said Brad Estes, President of Louisville City FC. “We couldn’t be happier with the solutions and expertise Musco provided to help make that happen.” www.musco.com
AUDIO SYSTEM DESIGN
|
ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC DESIGN PRODUCTION
|
LIFE SAFETY SYSTEM DESIGN |
|
NETWORK & WI-FI DESIGN
VIDEO SYSTEM INTEGRATION |
INSTALLATION
SERVICE & MAINTENANCE
NETWORK As venue integration and production technologies develop into all IP-based protocols, Pro Media is at the forefront of design to provide converged network solutions that incorporate data management, high density Wi-Fi, and the backbone for the installed integrated audio, control and video network.
LIFE SAFETY SYSTEM DESIGN Pro Media designs AV and Life Safety Systems that are innovative and operate on integrated and redundant network platforms, coupled with electro-acoustic design solutions to meet with building standards requirements. The designs are project managed and implemented within large-scale stadiums, arenas and corporate AV venues that require both high quality performance and life safety systems.
AUDIO SYSTEM DESIGN We have been revolutionising the design and application of both professional and commercial audio systems for over 55 years, so it is no surprise that our global-based expertise in providing large format distributed and point source sound reinforcement systems for a large range of venues is unrivaled.
ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC DESIGN At Pro Media, we have a team of highly qualified and experienced in-house electro-acoustic design engineers that create loudspeaker solutions that work both technically and commercially to address all aspects of our clients’ requirements, vastly increasing the efficiency of the development process. We also provide on-site measurement and analysis of audio systems performance, room acoustics and development of 3D acoustic models.
JOIN US AT OUR BOOTH AT ISE 2022 BARCELONA, SPAIN | FEBRUARY 1-4, 2022
BOOTH 7 T 7 5 0
EXHIBITOR 2022 Registered Office 104 The Green, Twickenham TW2 5AG, UK
Please register to attend the show as our guest for free at www.iseurope.org using the invitation code: K6EWVFC0
Phone +44 (0)20 8185 0801
Web promediaaudiovideo.com
KICK OFF AEON LED LED STADIUM LIGHTING
For centuries, metal halide lights were the standard choice for sports stadiums. However, this is starting to change. Today’s stadiums rely more and more heavily on LED lighting, and for several beneficial reasons. From energy savings to time savings, making the switch to LED makes sense for today’s stadiums. LEDs can also create a fan experience with integrated lighting that can add colour and excitement to the event with RGB capabilities controlled by DMX. That makes LED lights valuable to stadiums because they can be used for multi-purpose events. As LED technology has improved, RGBA/RGBW capabilities in bigger facilities as become a reality. This allows facilities to set dynamic scenes for a goal celebration, player intros, & hype videos not only for indoor arenas but also big outdoor stadiums. Create an environment that engages the fans with the action on the field. Whether you want to colour the outside of the building to lighting up the field of play in different colours, you can create something truly unique in your facility. The full spectrum LED colour capabilities brings events into the new decade with a new fan experience that will make people eager to come back to your facility. The visibility of your space also improves when you switch to LED. LED light tends to render colours more accurately and to produce less glare than other lighting options for stadiums. This means a better player and spectator experience. AEON LED Luminaires have some of the best visibility on the market, with no glare and accurate colour rendering, giving you the most benefit. This increased visibility means that the lights are better for broadcasts, including 4K broadcasts. LED lighting from AEON LED also has a wide beam angle so that you can light more of your space with fewer lights. However, you want even light coverage and with our photometric studies AEON LED can provide you with a solution that exceeds broadcasts standards. With the multiple beam angles, you don’t have wasted light spreading beyond the designed beam angle. That means more efficient lighting! Stadium managers are making the switch to LED because LED
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lighting has an instant-on function. This means the moment you switch the lights on; they are as bright and vibrant as they will be when you switch them off. You do not have to wait for the lights to warm up, which can delay gameplay. AEON uses HyLink, which is a wireless lighting control solution that enables considerable energy savings and lowers operating costs by automating, customising and controlling the behavior of lights. You can control a couple of lights or hundreds of lights from your laptop, tablet or smartphone. The most obvious reason that someone will switch from metal halide to LED lights is to save energy, which leads to saving money. LED luminaries like those from AEON can save 75% or more in energy use and costs. Since stadium lights run for hours on end most of the season, this can add to a significant amount of saving. Most stadium managers find that the energy savings offset the higher installation costs very quickly. Another perk of LED lighting is the longer lifespan compared to other types of stadium lighting. Since changing stadium lights involves quite a bit of work, LED luminaires can last for many years without fading or burning out. AEON LED Luminaires have proprietary technology built into each light that reduces the risk of damage from heat as well, so you end up with lights that have a 100,000-hour rating, which means many years of use. You will spend less time and energy replacing lights and can focus those resources on other aspects of your facility’s maintenance. With dimming capabilities, you can go to 75% when you don’t need all the lights on at one time. Stadiums need proper lighting for safety and enjoyment. If you are looking for new lighting options for your stadium, consider making the switch to LED. It’s time to your stadium lighting and start enjoying the benefits of LED. www.aeonledlighting.com
KICK OFF
EQUIPSON LIGHTSHARK LightShark, Equipson’s award winning range of multiprotocol control products, have already revolutionised the entertainment industry by delivering powerful intermediate tools that are not limited by their features. This versatile range gives lighting engineers working in all types of venues – from small theatres to large stadia - hardware and software control of up to eight DMX universes and 4000+ DMX channels, all completely integrated via smartphones and tablets. The range is also fully compatible with other manufacturer’s equipment because the products work with industry-standard DMX and Artnet lighting protocols, as well as any Operating System (Android, Linux, Windows and macOS). Heading the LightShark range is the LS-1, an easy to use hardware lighting console that offers a great price/performance ratio. With assignable faders, rotary controls and a full suite of connection and interfacing options, the LS-1 marries LightShark’s powerful FX software engine with an intuitive, ergonomic hardware control surface. Four encoders, 10 master playbacks, a colour builtin display and a complete set of RGB buttons give users a full console platform that can easily cope with shows of all sizes and complexities. What’s more, LS-1 is tiny and very portable – small enough to fit into airplane carry-on luggage. LightShark’s range also includes the LS-Core, the world’s smallest 8-universe lighting console and the only console of its size to offer completely integrated hardware and software control via up to three smartphones and/or tablets. This stripped-back version of the LS-1 has the same lighting control software and processing hardware but without the console and with fewer hardware controls. It does, however, offer every feature a customer needs
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to manage a total of 4192 DMX channels - and because it has an open interface, it can be controlled by external automation systems using UDP commands or even MIDI pad buttons. LS-Core also has its own built-in software, so there is no need to install anything onto a computer. All users need is a WiFi-enabled device to access the LS-Core’s in-built app via a web browser. Completing the LightShark range is the LS-Wing, a multi-protocol, multi-functional hardware controller that can take charge of virtually every lighting, music, video and media server software in use today. The unit sends OSC commands via ethernet networks to any device or software controlled by the OSC protocol and also uses ethernet networks to send UDP/IP commands. Developed as a 3 In 1 product, LS-Wing can be configured in three different modes - a straightforward fader wing, an OSC hardware controller or a standalone MIDI console for any device that accepts MIDI control via USB. In all three modes, LS-Wing has a built-in ArtNet/sACN to DMX converter node offering two Direct DMX universes. All DMX consoles in the LightShark range included a potent FX engine that allow users to create and synchronize effects on multiple parameters, and position fixtures on a grid so that the engine can automatically apply effects at the right point in relation to these fixtures. Spectacular lighting makes all the difference to the success of a show or an event and with LightShark, users now have the right tools - at the right price – to quickly and easily achieve all their creative ambitions. lightshark.es
21 INTERVIEW
“We embarked on a process of turning everything upside down and looking for new approaches to the problem of creating an extremely highoutput speaker that sounds great.” Bob Rieder Senior Global Product Manager, Installed Sound Electro-Voice
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INTERVIEW
ELECTRO-VOICE | MTS SERIES Bob Rieder - Senior Global Product Manager, Installed Sound Nolen Ryba - Senior Design Engineer Richard Leadbitter – Sales Manager, Installed Systems Arthur Achard - Sales Manager, Specialised Audio UK/IRL
Going back to the very beginning, can you give us
approaches to the problem of creating an extremely
some insight into Electro-Voice’s history in the
high-output speaker that sounds great. We spoke
sporting industry?
with specifiers and a cross section of people who were likely to use the loudspeaker to really understand what
Bob Rieder: We have a long history of working with
they needed from it. How loud does it need to be? At
stadiums – it goes way back to the very origins of
what distance? How far do you need it to throw? What
the company. The famous Notre Dame football coach
sort of bandwidth is needed? What kind of directivity
Knute Rockne, who was based close to Electro-Voice
control?
HQ in South Bend, Indiana at the time, wanted to find
We took that vast amount of information and turned it
a way of not having to scream at his players on the
into specifications – and they became our targets for
practice fields. The company founders gave him an
the MTS Series.
early loudspeaker system and he called it his “electric voice” – so the company was named by a guy using an
What were those targets you were working towards?
EV speaker in an early stadium application. BR: There were four key targets. First of all, the SPL What made Electro-Voice decide to come up with this
– it had to be a long-throw box, so clearly you need
new MTS Series?
output. Looking at the competition and crunching the numbers from the consultants, the target we came up
BR: Around 20 years ago, we had a leading position
with was 150 dB peak output, or better.
in stadium sound with a line of high-output horns called the MH Series. There are probably many of these
Second was the coverage - we wanted to have two
systems still installed in stadiums worldwide, but the
patterns. Most people said they could work with 60° x
series was discontinued for reasons that had nothing to
40° and 40° x 30° coverage patterns, but our approach
do with performance or demand. For several years, we
was not just to deliver pretty frequency response
didn’t have a successor to those models and we really
and directivity plots on axis. Instead, our goal was
wanted to create something that would update them in
to ensure that there would be minimal performance
terms of the technology. So, around 10 years ago, we
variation across the entire coverage area, so everybody
set out to come up with a replacement and went down
would have a similar sonic experience.
a couple of cul-de-sacs. We had a good product, but not something that we considered ground-breaking.
The third target was to make MTS a full-range loudspeaker. In stadiums, all kinds of music is pumped
About three years ago, we embarked on a process of
through the loudspeakers, and if they deliver enough
turning everything upside down and looking for new
low end, they can be used without subwoofers in many
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installations. We also wanted to drive the high-frequency output so it plays to the upper end of the audio spectrum. I think it’s assumed that air absorption will work against the top octave in outdoor settings, so there’s no point in putting
“The target was to ensure the MTS Series was full range. In stadiums, all kinds of music is pumped through the loudspeakers, so it had to work with plenty of low end, allowing it to be used in lots of different applications without a subwoofer.” Bob Rieder
that high-frequency energy out there, but we beg to differ! The final target was full-bandwidth directivity control – and that’s why we offer two cardioid versions. We think people will be really impressed with how well the integrated cardioid module reduces output behind the loudspeaker. In fact, during a recent demo, someone commented that with the cardioid box and cardioid subs playing – even at high levels - you can stand behind the array and easily participate in a conference call. Can you explain in terms of the technology why the MTS Series is ideal for stadiums and large venues? Nolen Ryba: It can be used in any application where you need significant output at a significant distance. As you can imagine, with a super-high-output box like this, you need a bunch of transducers and they all need to work together in a constructive way. One of the key aspects of this is getting multiple high-frequency drivers to produce the desired
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INTERVIEW
coverage. The way we achieve that is through the horn and waveguide design. It’s a constant-directivity horn, but the source to it is an arc strip, rather than a circle. Then, the two waveguides couple the compression drivers onto that horn. BR: In a sense, the horizontal horn is the size and shape it wants to be and the arc strip fools the vertical aspect into thinking the horn is longer than it actually is. NR: The mid-high drivers feed into the horn through the waveguides. The design of those is not trivial –they are specifically designed to transform the circular plane wave into the arc-strip shape required for the horn. The drivers themselves are non-trivial technology, too – they’re coaxial with dual-annular diaphragms. One is optimised for midrange and one is optimised for high frequencies, so you get a lot of efficiency. There are four 15-inch woofers in there and those are also co-entrant on the same horn, so the device has a constant acoustic centre across all frequencies. They get the benefit of the horn loading as well – and that’s why you get the incredible mid-bass out of it. They are also ported through the perimeter of the horn, which gives you the best-case extension and directivity control on the bottom end. The real engineering challenge is making all of those transducers work together. You can throw them into the box in different ways, but unless you do it properly, it’s just not going to work to a very good standard at all. All the little details have to be dialled in just right for it all to work together – and the development of the whole MTS Series project is basically just trying to get all that stuff right. The proof is in the pudding! In your research meetings with various consultants, was there anything in particular that was a surprise in terms of what they were requesting? NR: For me, the cardioid was a surprise. It’s always been something on our radar, of course, but I can tell you that I was a little bit surprised by how much that was requested.
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INTERVIEW
Also, specifically out of our UK demo, we were surprised by the reaction of people saying that it could be used by live event production companies, who could just wheel it into a venue and aim it up into the stands. What was the feedback like in terms of the size of the MTS Series? It’s a larger box, but its quality does mean less is needed when it comes to installing in a venue… NR: That’s a great question, as the size was something that we felt was going to be a sensitive issue. However, for the most part, people weren’t Especially when you consider that there aren’t really many products in
particularly concerned – the overriding sentiment was if you’ve got the
this class that have it already. It did seem like there was a real desire for
output, you could make it big. The weight is not an issue, as mechanical
it, which stood out to me.
assistance will be used to put it in place anyway.
BR: I’d say the reason behind that request – and especially in the EU,
Richard Leadbitter: When we presented the semi-finished MTS Series to
where there are many noise restrictions – is that they want to keep the
consultants, one of the things that came back to us was the importance
sound from going outside the venue. If you’re shooting from the back,
of sustainability in stadiums and venues. The SPL was important in
the cardioid will reduce the energy that’s going outside the stadium.
the US, as you wouldn’t necessarily have a roof you can suspend things
But, by the same token, if you’re covering from the front, you don’t
on, but you may have a scoreboard from which you’ll need to fire a
want to excite the acoustics of the stadium behind the speaker to create
long way. But, with the control across the full bandwidth, and the real
additional echoes and reverberation. If you’re trying to keep all the
low-end extension, you can cover a larger area with fewer boxes. Plus,
sound contained inside the bowl, the cardioid prevents the rear radiation
you wouldn’t need subs, which means fewer channels of power and
from slapping off the far side of the stadium and adversely affecting
processing. That was a real positive for consultants, and it does offer
intelligibility, frequency balance and everything else.
stadiums a way to be eco-friendly when it comes to the sound system.
Another surprise for us is related to the fact that we assumed that this
In terms of the demos, what has the feedback been like so far? And
would just be an outdoor box, so we have fully weatherised and partly
what kind of interest has there been from clubs wanting the MTS
weatherised versions. However, we’re also getting requests for using it
Series in their venues?
indoors and it’s not necessarily because they need the output. It’s nice
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to have, of course, but the interest is there due to how well the pattern
Arthur Achard: For our demo, the stadium manager came out as soon as
is controlled. People can see it in the graphs and they can hear it, too
he heard the MTS Series in action and was very interested, which was
– it’s tighter than what people are used to. That was one of Nolen’s
a great sign! But even from a couple of videos we put on social media,
design goals and something he really worked on, so it’s great to see that
we’ve had a number of venues really keen on finding out more, so we’re
recognised.
very confident that it’s going to make a huge impact within the industry.
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MTS SERIES H I G H-O UTP UT P O I NT-S O U R C E LO U D S P EAKE R S
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INTERVIEW
BR: We’ve been talking about these speakers with specifiers and consultants for about a year now. We showed them design details and measured results, so expectations were high. But, with something like this, you can present all the data and information you want – at the end of the day, they want to hear it. More recently, we’ve been holding larger demos and those are really pushing it to a new level in terms of interest from specifiers and installers. We had our ideas for where we thought the MTS Series would fit and those have been confirmed. The number of quote requests goes up in every region we demo it, which is a great sign. So, for now, I can tell you that we’re looking at multiple projects, ranging from scoreboard systems with two to four boxes, right up to a stadium that is planning for 42 boxes. It’s a wide range of projects that we’re seeing develop, but the early signs are very positive in that regard. AA: We’ve got a couple of larger venues in the UK who are looking to upgrade, and they’re very interested in seeing how the MTS Series performs in comparison to our current offerings. It’s not necessarily about the cost, they just want to know how much they can get out of the MTS. RL: There’s a bit of a tendency to use a line array solution for a stadium by default, I think. It’s a case of hearing with your eyes – you see the line array and assume you’ll get concert-quality sound straight off the bat. But, in terms of sound and accuracy, the MTS Series could be the correct solution. BR: We’ve done some comparative designs in which we’ll do a venue with a line array, and then see how we could cover the same venue with the MTS Series. Depending on which line array of ours we’re working with, our simulations find that we can replace between three and six line array boxes with just one of the MTS Series.
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21 THE FULL PITCH
034 Swansea.com Stadium | Swansea, Wales 040 Bryant-Denny Stadium | Alabama, USA
THE FULL PITCH
SWANSEA.COM STADIUM Swansea, Wales Images: Swansea City AFC / Athena Picture Agency Ltd, MONDO | STADIA
O
pened in 2005 to provide a home for Swansea City and Ospreys Rugby, the Swansea.com Stadium is a venue the city can be proud of. Built on the site of the former Morfa Athletics Stadium and playing fields, the 21,000-capacity stadium has
become one of the foremost sporting venues in the country. With two hugely successful sporting teams, the ground also regularly plays host to international sporting fixtures, numerous sell-out concerts and thousands of conferences and events each year. With an array of matches, concerts and events at Wales’ third-largest stadium, the whole ground was in need of a full audio revamp to modernise the facility and enhance the atmosphere for the fans. Gordon David, Facilities Manager at Swansea City Football Club, takes up the story: “The decision to upgrade the existing audio system, which had been in place since the stadium opened in 2005, was taken in early 2020. The reasons behind that were partly down to the age of the system, but also, more importantly, to ensure it remained compliant to the necessary British standards. This was a challenge with the original system, as some of the infrastructure was obsolete and available spare parts were difficult to procure.” The club enlisted the help of Vaughan Sound Installations (VSI) for the project, having previously worked with them before on other projects at the ground, as Operations Director, Richard Vaughan, explained further: “We were first involved back in 2005, working on some of the suites as we did the screens for the hospitality areas, but we weren’t involved with the PA system back then. I attend most games, too, so we had a few contacts and heard a whisper that they were looking at upgrading. So, from there, we did a bit of research and finally got the invitation to tender, which meant we started our conversations with NEXO. “I think it got to the point where the club needed to do something to improve the audio, so working with ourselves, NEXO and Medialease, they did just that.” There were two elements to the project at Swansea.com Stadium, with a new audio system for the main bowl, as well as a public address and voice alarm system for back of house. “What we needed was a fully integrated public address and voice alarm system that ensured safety and evacuation messaging was clear, concise and integrated into our fire alarm system,” said Gordon. “The bowl system needed to have more intricate control and zoning ability to allow us to tailor announcements and messaging to specific areas if required, plus it needed to add high-quality audio for the fan engagement delivery on event days for both football and rugby.” Richard added: “The infrastructure in the ground was good – they’ve got
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a great fibre network flowing around and all the switches
with NEXO that we’ve built up over the years and that’s
are excellent. However, the PA system is a completely new
hugely important as you want to trust who you’re working
installation, which included taking out the old kit, though
with on big projects like this to ensure the best results
we were able to use the rack rooms with everything being in
possible. Plus, NEXO has the reputation they do from what
place. So, with a couple of designs and tweaking things here
they have successfully delivered in the past as well. We
and there, we came up with a solution that was the ideal fit
always had the confidence when it came to working with
for the stadium.”
Andy Simmons (NEXO’s UK & EIRE Sales Manager) and
After looking at various options, NEXO became the clear
Gareth Collyer (NEXO’s Sales & Marketing Director).
choice for Swansea City’s new audio system, particularly
“NEXO were also able to deliver very good technical
after listening to the quality delivered in other stadiums, as
submittals, which crosses the credibility gap when you’re
Gordon explained: “We looked at several options in terms of
dealing with a club – basically, the system delivers what it
brand and decided to go with NEXO based on the quality and
claims to on paper. That’s really important for us when it
specification of they were offering. We needed to ensure that
comes to modelling spaces such as Swansea.com Stadium, as
the system we were proposing was not only fully compliant
it’s quite a difficult acoustic space to fill.”
and future proof, but that it would allow us more intricate
Andy added: “We’re very strong on providing technical
control in all areas. After physically visiting other venues
support from the design stage onwards - we’ve got a team
with a NEXO system, we made the decision to go with them.”
of 20 people in our engineering support department. We
VSI’s relationship with NEXO was a vital part of the project,
not only designed the system according to the client’s
too, as Richard explained: “We’ve got a great relationship
specifications, but we also insist on coming in afterwards
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to prove the concept and make sure it complies with the
the centre of the stand, too. It really drops off as soon as you
specifications set out at the design stage.
get onto the pitch as well. So, overall, they are absolutely
“For this project, that was hampered by the pandemic, as
perfect for this stadium.”
we couldn’t get people over from France, which is what we
Elsewhere, a TOA VX-3000 system was utilised for the fully
normally we actually called on the services of a consultant
integrated public address and voice alarm setup, which works
that we know in the UK, who came along and produced
in conjunction with the NEXO loudspeakers.
an independent report – and that showed that the system
Ian Bridgewater, Director at TOA, explained further: “The
actually complied with the current UEFA standards, so we
TOA system is based in a de-centralised VX-3000 system,
were very pleased with that.”
covering all areas apart from the main stadium bowl. There
NEXO’s P12i loudspeakers from the new P+ Series were used
are three VX-3308WM wall-mounted systems in three of the
for the main audio system at Swansea City, which everyone
stands and a floor-mounted VX rack in the Southwest Stand.
agreed were the ideal choice right across the board.
“The racks are connected via a Fibre Optic network and
Andy added: “The P12i loudspeakers are great for this project
there is a fire emergency microphone and a general
– they actually utilise an asymmetric PS horn similar to that
paging microphone, which allow routing of real time
used in our older PS Series. One of the advantages of the P
announcements, as well as pre-recorded messages. The
Series is that the horn flares are interchangeable, so you can
system allows routing of music to any location, with the
change the dispersion characteristics. The P12i’s in place at
complete system having a battery backup for emergency
the front are pointing quite steep, which allows for great
use.”
coverage of the front row of seating, but also aims it towards
“Putting the public address and voice alarm system in was
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THE FULL PITCH
the easier side of the project, but we just reconfigured the
the project management and they delivered the new, fully-
hospitality suites and levelled it, so the club were able to
compliant system in line with our requirements, which was
evacuate floor by floor. We isolated the player areas and
to be fully operational ahead of the 2021/22 football season.”
changing rooms, too. In the control room, everything can be
Overall, the NEXO system has been a huge success for the
done via a touchscreen system. We also have a Yamaha TF1
club, particularly in terms of the fan experience.
mixer, which is used for the matchday entertainment, as well
“The feedback has been very good overall with no complaints
as some Sennheiser radio mics. Everything is running off a
received, particularly once the system was fine tuned
QSC core processor, too, with a Dante network also,” said
when we welcomed fans back into the ground. It was
Richard.
difficult to tune the system in an empty stadium during the
Andy furthered: “All our amplifiers have Dante modules in
commissioning stage as the absorption and background noise
them and we also have a QSC Q-Sys software plug-in, which
that fans create was not present, hence the reason for the
basically links up our system with the Q-Sys system for fault
fine tuning during our first events,” said Gordon.
reporting and load monitoring.”
“The new system has certainly improved the way we deliver
Completing such a large project during a global pandemic
front end fan engagement on event days and we now have a
wasn’t without its difficulties, though there was also a
much better user interface that allows us to use the system
planned pitch renovation to navigate, which meant that
in many different ways that we were unable to do before.
communication between VSI, NEXO and the club was key.
For example, we can now tailor announcements to specific
“Working with VSI was a professional process throughout and
areas, rather than the whole footprint, which is a huge
they delivered the project in the timeframe over two phases,”
improvement.”
said Gordon. “Obviously, the project had some operational
The end result has received positive feedback all round, as
issues, such as the Covid-19 pandemic that halted work.
Richard concluded: “We’ve had great feedback from the club.
Also, when we were able to recommence the project, we had
We tweaked things and improved everything once the whole
a planned pitch renovation take place, which hindered some
system was in, but everyone is impressed with the finished
access to the areas of install.
project. That’s on both the football and rugby sides, which
“That being said, the VSI team worked with me closely on
are obviously very different, so that’s great to hear.”
BRANDS: NEXO, TOA, QSC, Yamaha | INSTALLER: Vaughan Sound Installations | WEBSITES: www.nexo-sa.com, www.toa.co.uk, www.qsc.com, www.yamaha.com/proaudio, www.vaughansound.co.uk 038
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A POWERFUL
VOICE IN A CHANGING
WORLD
P+ Series dual-concentric, point source cabinets deliver trademark NEXO performance with the versatility venues and productions need to succeed in a changing world. Four Main Cabinets with up to 141dB SPL Variable Directivity FOH or Wedge
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SYSTEM DESIGN SERVICE nexo-sa.com/design
THE FULL PITCH
BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM Alabama, USA Images: Danley Sound Labs
“I
think they can hear this music in the blimp,” said Chris Fowler, ESPN analyst, during the live broadcast of the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University (LSU) college football game on November 6, 2021. “They
did not put in cheap speakers when they redid [the stadium].” “Game ops has never been a bigger deal in college football or in sports than right now,” said Kirk Herbstreit. “If you’re looking to visit, visit this stadium and come listen to a seminar on game ops. They’ve got it figured out here.” Fowler adde:“They make the experience fun for the fans. A lot of times, [the university] relies on the brand, but now the fans want a show.” During the broadcast, Fowler and Herbstreit were referring to Bryant-Denny Stadium, the University of Alabama’s outdoor stadium, home of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and host to over 100,000 college football fans on any given Saturday in the fall. Just 36 days earlier, Danley Sound Labs commissioned 24 J7-95 Danley loudspeakers and 12 TH118XL subwoofers in the stadium’s lower bowl seating area. This new installation replaced the all Danley system in the lower bowl and compliments the existing all Danley system in the upper
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bowl and in use for the stadium’s on-field sound needs. In
Athletic Event Technology at the University of Alabama.
addition, the sound system for the Walk of Champions at the
“I was at Alabama at the time, and we were moving these
north end of the stadium was also upgraded. As the team
portable rigs out for the team’s during pre-game. We
enters two hours prior to the game, they’re treated with the
couldn’t get the rigs out in time for pre-game which was
sound of a J7-95 loudspeaker and 2 BC215 subwoofers.
always a problem. A friend had recommended Danley
Over the past three years, the University of Alabama’s athletic
following an installation of a Danley system in their church,
department has spent over $100 million in renovations
and we scheduled a demo.
to Bryant-Denny Stadium. While stadium upgrades are
“During the demo, they brought just one box and it covered
a constant in college football, these renovations were
the whole playing surface – only 3dB down on the opposite
substantial. These upgrades included replacing the existing
field’s end zone. It blew my mind - that’s when I fell in love
video boards with larger screens, a new elevator bank on the
with Danley.”
west side of the stadium, reconfiguration of the Alabama
Since that initial on-field coverage system was installed
locker room, expansion of the recruiting room and an
– comprised of a single Danley GH-60 loudspeaker paired
additional 10,000-square foot social area. The press box was
with a TH-212 subwoofer – the University’s sound needs
also relocated to the east side of the stadium and replaced
continued to grow.
with new luxury suites. The new lower bowl sound system
“In the initial full install back in 2014, time was of the
has also been added, but Bryant-Denny’s relationship with
essence,” said Mike Hedden, Chief Steward in Charge at
Danley Sound Labs has been longstanding.
Danley Sound Labs. “There was a short time window to
“15 years ago, we were using a portable rig for field
complete the installation and we were actively working
coverage,” said Harold Sexton, Customer Relations Manager
on building speakers for another major install at Churchill
of Sports for Danley Sound Labs and former Director of
Downs – home of the Kentucky Derby.”
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THE FULL PITCH
Partially because Danley builds all of their loudspeakers
Cooper Hedden, Southeastern Regional Sales Manager for
and subwoofers in the United States, they were able to meet
Danley Sound Labs. “Because of the back reflection in the
both deadlines simultaneously – producing 400 to 500
new luxury suites, we had to be really careful to not add too
loudspeakers in just four weeks.
much low-end and create too much reflection in the suites.”
Bryant-Denny Stadium’s upper bowl continues to use forty
Even with these minor limitations, the upgrades have made a
distributed OS-80 weatherproof loudspeakers - two at each
significant difference.
of 20 locations - with every other OS-80 cluster paired with a
“It’s always great for our staff to be recognized for their
Danley OS-115 weatherproof subwoofer for low-end support.
work,” said Rand Harris, Associate Athletics Director of
“In the initial install, we were able to reduce total weight by
Information Technology at the University of Alabama.
several tons and our system required 52 fewer amplifiers and
“Over the past few years, we’ve worked diligently to ensure
signal processing than the prior system,” said Mike. “The
that our alumni, faculty, staff, students and fans all have
new lower bowl installation uses even fewer speakers and
the best experience possible. The new Danley Sound Labs
adds low-end.”
installation is certainly a meaningful part of that improved
“With the upgrades to the lower bowl, we added 12 TH118XL
fan experience.”
subwoofers which weren’t present in the initial install,” said
COMPANIES: Danley Sound Labs | WEBSITES: www.danleysoundlabs.com
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T H E INTE R NATIONAL CONF E R E NCE F O R T ECHNOLOGY IN SPORTING V E NU E S
I N T ER E STE D IN MOND O | STAD IA E V E NTS? C O N TACT SAM ( S.HU G HE S@ MOND IALE . C O.U K S P O N S O RSHIP: JAMIE ( J . D IXON@ MOND IALE.C O.U K)
Tt
21 VENUE FOCUS
AUDIO 048 Polar Park | Worcester, USA 052 EnviroVent Stadium | Harrogate, England
BROADCAST 056 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup | Dubai, UAE
AUDIO
POLAR PARK Worcester, USA Images: Fulcrum Acoustic
W
hen the Pawtucket Red Sox baseball team, the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, relocated from Rhode Island to Massachusetts, a home venue was needed for the now Worcester Red Sox, which led to the city building Polar Park.
The 9,508-seater stadium was designed by Worcester’s very own Tommy Quirk of D’Agostino Izzo Quirk Architects (DAIQ), with assistance coming from consultant, Janet Marie Smith, Executive Vice President of Planning and Development for the LA Dodgers. The ballpark is the centrepiece of $240 million redevelopment of the city’s Kelley Square and Canal District, which also includes 250 apartments, two hotels, office space and 65,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. Construction of the Worcester Red Sox’s new venue began in July 2019 and, despite a seven-week hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic in April 2020, everything was completed in time for the first ball of the Triple-A season in May 2021. Part of the preparation for the official opening of Polar Park was ensuring that there was an audio system to match the city’s impressive, new stadium. With this in mind, the Polar Park design team hired renowned consulting firm WJHW (Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon, Williams) to design the audio system. The key requirement from the client was for a highly efficient system that could deliver a full range of sound and strong intelligibility. WJHW responded with a distributed design, requiring high output, high fidelity, and good pattern control from a compact system. Central Communications Systems of Boston was awarded the installation contract and turned to Fulcrum Acoustic’s TQ Install range to provide the loudspeaker solution for Polar Park. Vin Maiuri from Central Communications spoke to MONDO | STADIA about how he became involved in the project: “We were approached by a long-time installing partner, Ostrow Electric, to provide a joint venture price to bid for the project at Polar Park. As this is a completely new baseball stadium, we were asked to provide the best performance to meet speech intelligibility and provide exceptional low end frequency response when music was playing.” The Central Communications team mounted seventeen of Fulcrum Acoustic’s FH1566 Full Range Coaxial Horns along the sunshade, wrapping around the stands from first base to third base. The FH15s produce extremely high output using a single amplifier channel, creating an efficient method of providing coverage to the lower level of seating
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within the bowl. Their coaxial design produces
microphones and BGM is done through a Yamaha
broadband pattern control to contain sound within
QL1 mixing console. We used a QSC Core 510i
the stadium and focus coverage directly on the
processor, too. We had redundancy requirements
fans for superior intelligibility while minimising
for the life safety mass notification, as well as
size. Three of Fulcrum’s FH1565 loudspeakers
redundant Dante networks – and Q-SYS handled
covered the left field lawn seating from their
this very well. A third Core 510i handles the back
position above the scoreboard.
of house systems also.”
“Fulcrum Acoustic’s FH is easy to power and
The team at Polar Park are delighted with the new
offers great low frequency response,” added Vin.
Fulcrum Acoustic system, as Vin explained further:
“Polar Park wanted full range sound from their
“Our previous experiences with Fulcrum Acoustic
system and the FHs are more than enough to
made it an easy choice when it came to the venue
make the stadium come alive.”
– the quality and service support they offer is
Fifty-five compact CX826 eight-inch coaxial
impeccable. The voicing and coverage pattern are
loudspeakers, together with a pair of CX1277 12-
absolutely perfect for Polar Park, too.
inch enclosures delivered coverage for the bar area
“The feedback overall has been excellent. They
and seating for fans with disabilities shaded by the
actually want to add Dante routing between the
overhang of box seats above.
PA and video production systems next to allow for
Discussing the audio configuration at Polar Park,
more routing flexibility for non-sporting events.
Vin added: “At the heart of the system is QSC
But, with everything in place in terms of the
utilising Q-SYS DSP and amplification, while the
audio, Polar Park has become a real destination
end user interface for the PA announcer, wireless
venue for Central Massachusetts.”
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BRANDS: Fulcrum Acoustic, QSC, Yamaha | INSTALLER: Central Communications | WEBSITES: www.fulcrum-acoustic.com, www.qsc.com, www.yamaha.com/proaudio WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM
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ENVIROVENT STADIUM Harrogate, England Images: Pro Audio Systems
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n August 2020, Harrogate Town FC were promoted to the English Football League (EFL) for the first time in their history thanks to a 3-1 victory over Notts County in the National League play-off Final at Wembley. With promotion came new responsibilities. The
league’s regulations precluded the use of the club’s Wetherby Road (EnviroVent) stadium’s synthetic pitch, and, as a narrow window of time did not allow the work on a replacement to be completed before the start of 2020/21 season, Harrogate Town arranged a temporary ground-share at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium. Comfortably maintaining their new league status during a season largely played in empty stadiums due to Covid-19 restrictions, the club, with work on a new grass pitches completed, prepared to return home. Other EFL infrastructure criteria also had to be met at the EnviroVent, one of which was provision for a permanent public address system, which according to the League’s regulations required ‘… adequate speaker output to relay information to all spectator areas, as required by the local authority, with the ability to interrupt for safety announcements from the stadium control room’. With the possibility of a future further development of its facilities, the club sought to install a high quality, future-proof system that could be expanded if required. Sheffield-based technical services specialists, AVLS Technical, who had previously supplied temporary pre-match PA requirements on a hire basis, were engaged by the club to consult over the permanent installation. The club’s plan at this stage was to upgrade audio provision in four of the ground’s six distinct areas, and work with their existing set-up in the remaining two. Tom Vickers, Partner at AVLS explained: “When we took a close look at what was required, it was quickly apparent that it wasn’t a simple case of dropping in a few speakers, so we spoke to Pro Audio Systems for some advice. They came highly recommended, and our contact turned out to be Dave Simpson, who we’d worked with many years before when he was at a different company. It felt like completing a circle! Dave and his team focused their attention on supplying us with the best tools for the job, and after explaining his thinking, suggested that he discuss a potential system with RCF. It definitely turned out to be a good call.” Dave Simpson, Projects Director at Pro Audio Systems, duly recommended a system based around RCF’s range of loudspeakers. RCF have a long history of supplying audio for stadia around the world and offer a comprehensive range of products to suit every scale and type of stadium application. Confident in his selection of the brand, Dave then worked closely with Francesco Venturi of RCF’s Engineering Support Group, who assisted the project by providing design options for the different areas of the stadium’s stands and communal areas, using EASE prediction software. The chosen system predominantly comprised products from RCF’s compact,
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lightweight and weatherproof P Series. These rugged
in quality between the new system and the remainder of the
IP55 rated enclosures deliver excellent music and speech
existing system was significant. Tom takes up the story:
intelligibility, and were deployed in three out of the four
“Once we’d completed the initial job, we were immediately
principle areas to be covered. In the Main Stand, AVLS
asked questions about the huge quality gap between the
installed six P3115T cabinets, whilst the greater depth of
new system and what was left of the old one. It had been
the Black Sheep Brewery Stand required 12 P2110T for even
picked up by everyone, from the fans to the chairman - and
coverage. The EnviroVent Stand was catered for with two
the decision was quickly taken to design a second phase to
P3108 cabinets, and 20 MQ80P (which will be redeployed upon
the upgrade. Dave Simpson and Jake Brown from Pro Audio
further development) completed the picture in the Myrings
Systems visited the site and were able to swiftly draw up
Terrace area.
some costings for the club.”
Dave recommended Yamaha PX Series amplification for the
Once approved, this second phase saw 10 RCF P3108 speakers
project, based on build quality and reliability, controlled by a
deployed in the Wetherby Road Stand with six P3108 added
QSC Q-Sys Core 110f processor.
in the AON Stand. Another three P3108 in the AON Stand and
On match days, the stadium announcer uses a small personal
four additional P3115 positioned in the Main Stand took care
mixer with a microphone and line feed to address the
of the pitch area. As with the first phase, all amplification was
whole ground and play background music, whilst in the
by Yamaha. To complete the picture and ensure total coverage
security office the club’s safety officer has an iPad with a
of the ground and comfortably meet every safety requirement,
custom built user control interface designed to replicate
AVLS installed Ecler 100v line speakers in all concourse
the stadium layout. This intuitive setup enables him/her to
and walkway areas. The club invested in two Sennheiser
override the entire system and/or individual stands, as well
Evolution Digital radio microphones for match day pitch-side
as allowing the storage and playback of pre-recorded safety
interviews.
announcements. In the event of future expansion of the
Tom reflected on the completed installation: “What started as
system, the Core 110f had ample capacity for additional I/O,
a one-off visit to supply a temporary sound system developed
something that subsequently proved useful.
into a comprehensive permanent install. Dave and Jake
At the point where AVLS had completed the originally planned
acted as sounding boards throughout the project, and RCF
installation, it became apparent to the club that the difference
themselves had major input on the system design. They too
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were very helpful throughout the whole process. The selected
system in place, we know we can rely on this at every home
products and system design have achieved everything we
match.”
set out to do across both phases of the job, and I’m glad we
For Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Barry and Operations
spent time at the beginning of the project finding the correct
Director, Dave Riley, meeting the highest standards of ground
supplier. At AVLS, we put a real emphasis on service and
safety was imperative - both are agreed that not only have
quality, so to have that mirrored in the support we received
the necessary criteria been more than met, but that the
was great. We look forward to continuing our relationship
new system significantly adds to the supporters’ match day
with both the club and Pro Audio Systems.”
experience. Sarah commented: “Tom and his team have
Most importantly of all, Harrogate Town FC is delighted
been superb, totally reliable, professional and flexible about
with their new system. It has attracted favourable comments
working with us around fixtures, which for a football club
from a variety of quarters, comparing its quality with that
is essential. The quality of the system is fantastic; we’ve
of leading Premier League clubs. Stadium announcer, Alan
had excellent feedback from supporters already. Ours was a
Toothill, is impressed: “The new system is easy to use and
significant investment that will last us many years to come so
makes my job so much easier! Before it was in place I would
it was very important we chose the right company who could
regularly get supporters telling me they missed things, or
advise us from the design to installation. The Service we have
that the announcements weren’t loud enough, but now the
received from Tom and AVLS has been first class from the
message comes through loud and clear. We can get important
initial site survey to final completion.”
information out about future matches and events, so the fans
Dave Simpson of Pro Audio Systems had the last word: “The
know exactly what’s going on.”
success of the project was based on identifying what products
His enthusiasm is shared by the club’s Assistant Manager,
would work best within the club’s budget without any
Paul Thirwell: “Having that buzz on a match day is massive
compromise on quality, and then working closely with both
to us. When the lads are walking out, the music is blaring
RCF and AVLS to ensure that the system delivered exactly
and the fans are all on their feet - it gives us all a massive
what was required. Judging by the response of everyone at the
lift. In the warm-ups, having the music on nice and loud is
club, the project can be considered a great success, and one
something we always wanted, and now we have the new PA
that we’re very proud to have played a part in delivering.”
BRANDS: RCF, Yamaha, QSC | DESIGNER / SUPPLIER: Pro Audio Systems | INSTALLER: AVLS Technical | WEBSITES: proaudiosystems.co.uk, avls.co.uk
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BROADCAST
ICC MEN’S T20 CRICKET WORLD CUP Dubai, UAE Image: RTS
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s Australia were crowned the new ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Champions, the events of the historic final against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium were broadcast to the world with the help of RTS intercoms.
Due to a challenging COVID-19 situation, the month-long tournament moved from its original host nation of India to Oman and the UAE and broadcast from a variety of stadia across the two countries. To make the production as smooth as possible, three crews and four fly-packs were deployed to deliver the same production values at each venue. “We have had to deploy 51 RTS keypanels with a mixture of legacy RTS equipment and KP-4016 panels,” explained Comms Engineer, Michael Southgate. Utilising wide angle TFT displays for quality resolution and longer display life, the KP-Series keypanels have been used over various areas including the main broadcast control room and commentary production area, as well as the edit facilities and match officials’ areas. Providing enhanced digital audio quality, free of noise, delay and other artifacts, the RTS panels ensure all communication is perfectly clear, ideal for a live sporting event. At the heart of the system is the ADAM matrix frame, providing fully redundant communication with dual-purpose ports for both keypanel and four-wire audio. The modular matrix intercom utilizes a patented time-division multiplexing (TDM) technique, meaning it grows linearly as users are added. For the purposes of live broadcasting, the ADAM system supports redundant controllers, allowing for automatic changeover in the event of failure. The combined RTS system ensured a flawless production across the different venues. The OMNEO IP-based media networking architecture meant the solution could be easily combined with other elements in workflow, such as the audio console and that every member of the crew could benefit from crystal-clear comms.
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No Matter How They Play the Game, You Can Do Business On Two Continents
Leading the Premium Seat Industry since 1990
32ND ANNUAL
CONFERENCE and TRADESHOW JULY 10-12, 2022 MARRIOTT MARQUIS NEW YORK CITY
100+ Speakers 100+ Booths Full Conference Pass includes: 32th Annual ALSD Conference 9th Annual Design & Build Forum
I N T E R N AT I O N A L Leading the Premium Seat Industry Since 1990
Europe’s only event dedicated to the PREMIUM SEAT & HOSPITALITY sector A hybrid event, with 50+ speakers, behind-the-scenes venue tours, plus networking events
2022 Dates and Venue To Be Announced Presented by:
State-of-the-Art Venue Tours I N T E R N AT I O N A L Leading the Premium Seat Industry Since 1990
For more information about both events: alsd.com and alsdinternational.com
21 EXTRA TIME
VENUE TECH DIRECTORY 060 Sporting Venue Technology
IN DETAIL & EVENT DIARY 062 TSL Products 063 Conferences & Exhibitions
FULL TIME 064 George Vaughan | Ascot Racecourse
VENUE TECH DIRECTORY A closer look at some of the latest, state-of-the-art technology for sporting venues.
MEMO CORE CONTROL (MCC1) MEGA-LITE www.mega.lighting/product/memo-core-control/ • • • • • •
Fully embedded control solution. Date & time triggers. HTTP [Open API]. RJ45 or five pin DMX. Eight Universes. Enlighten [MEMO Core Engine Software].
SECURITY SCREENING EVOLV TECHNOLOGY www.evolvtechnology.com • •
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IS SERIES WEATHERIZED ADAMSON www.adamsonsystems.com •
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Compact line array, point source loudspeakers and subwoofers designed for use on cruise ships, in stadia and other outdoor permanent installations that face extreme weather conditions. The IS Weatherized includes the same audio performance as the trusted IS Series, but features structural steel elements that are made of a high yield strength stainless alloy that offers 100% corrosion resistance. These new models also include an interior and exterior coating with a distinctive smooth finish that provides a water resistant seal and allows for easy cleaning and removal of dirt, grime, salt water or sand. Cabinets are rated to IP55 while connectors are rated to IP68.
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A leader in advanced weapons detection for security screening, securing the world’s most iconic venues and companies. Evolv’s mission is enabling a better experience and better security for venues, creating a safer world to work, learn, and play by transforming physical security to make everywhere safer. Gives sports fans, theme park visitors, concertgoers, shoppers, employees, students, and others peace of mind so that they can gather without fear of violence. Security screening has scanned more than 100 million people Evolv technology combines powerful, advanced sensors with proven artificial intelligence (AI), security ecosystem integrations, and comprehensive venue analytics to reliably detect threats 10 times faster than traditional metal detectors.
VENUE TECH DIRECTORY
CREWCOM PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES www.plianttechnologies.com/products/crewcom.html •
• • • •
Professional wireless intercom system that features wideband 7K audio and advanced RF to insure exceptional range and expandability while providing dependable, consistent connectivity. Durable (IP67-rated) small, comfortable, and easy-to-use two- and four- Volume Radio Packs available. Flexible RF platform that supports license-free 900MHz and 2.4GHz frequency bands, with no frequency coordination needed. CrewWare - intuitive and easy-to-use system set-up, control and monitoring included. Highly configurable with customisable conferences, user profiles and assignable wireless ISO.
CV568 MARSHALL www.marshall-usa.com/cameras/CV568 • • • • • •
New 1/1.8” Global Shutter Sensor with 25% larger pixels Broadcast quality video up to 1080p at 60, 59.94, 50fps with true-colour. Tri-Level Genlock Sync for faster, more accurate LIVE camera switching. Durable body design with rear panel protection wings for reliable connections. Remote adjustable settings to match with other cameras in production. Simultaneous 3GSDI & HDMI for multi-purpose workflows.
YOUR PARTNER FOR STAGE & STUDIO LIFTING EQUIPMENT
CHAINMASTER GmbH •
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• WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM
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TSL PRODUCTS | MPA1 DANTE AUDIO MONITORS hen it comes to the fast-paced environment of sports productions, it’s crucial for broadcasters to deploy reliable, high-quality audio monitoring solutions, so they provide viewers at home with a flawless listening experience, ensuring they don’t miss a single call. TSL Products’ range of MPA1 Dante audio monitors, including the MPA1 MIX Dante and MPA1 SOLO Dante, have been specifically designed for use where operators need to create a custom mix or solo sources on a Dante network. With easy-to-use controls, the MPA1 range of audio monitors is trusted by operators and engineers worldwide. These compact and cost-effective audio monitors offer an accessible solution that can enhance any broadcast workflow without breaking the bank. Providing high-quality audio monitoring of 64 Dante and 64 MADI audio channels, MPA1 units feature an audio level meter display of up to 16 Dante or MADI audio channels for quick storeand-recall of up to 16 monitor mixes. With its easily accessible front panel display, complete with pan/balance information, efficient audio monitoring of up to eight unique audio sources can be achieved seamlessly. Source labels can be automatically read from the Dante network, or manually entered using the web UI. MPA1 Dante audio monitors are flexible enough to meet specific and demanding workflow requirements. Simple and intuitive scroll-and-listen capabilities allow users to seamlessly monitor multiple audio feeds, and the high-quality, full-range internal loudspeaker system ensures operators hear a crystal-clear stream
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of audio. MPA1 Dante audio monitors can also be connected to external loudspeakers using the line level balanced analogue outputs. There is also a headphone output with selectable loudspeaker muting behaviour, further enhancing operator workflow. The MPA1 SOLO Dante features intuitive scroll-to-listen capabilities, designed for use in sports broadcast or outside broadcast application where fast audio QC is needed. Users can instinctively scroll through the available inputs, switching between mono or stereo with a single button push. The audio monitor also features a ‘Zoom View,’ showing larger metering for the chosen audio pair, including phase metering. The MPA1 MIX Dante enables the creation of a custom mix on the fly using the independent source gain encoders, from any of the sources available, regardless of I/O type. This audio monitor features a source label and a monitor mix label display, so operators can seamlessly access and monitor the necessary audio sources, as well as accurate peak metering. With today’s broadcast workflow, it’s more crucial than ever for broadcasters to be able to access dependable solutions for remote configuration of audio signals. The MPA1 Dante’s built-in web server allows for remote setup, control and monitoring through a web browser. It also comes included with SNMP support, allowing comprehensive real-time remote configuration and control over a network. www.tslproducts.com
EVENT DIARY 2022
EVENT DIARY ISE 1st - 4th February, Barcelona iseurope.org
Hosts & Federations Summit 12th - 14th April, Lausanne majoreventsinternational.com
IBC Show 9th - 12th September, Amsterdam show.ibc.org
MONDO | STADIA presents AGORA 3rd February, Barcelona mondostadia-agora.com
NAB Show 23rd - 27th April, Las Vegas nabshow.com
WFS Europe 28th - 29th September, Seville worldfootballsummit.com
UK Events Summit 23rd February, Manchester majoreventsinternational.com
Prolight + Sound 26th - 29th April, Frankfurt pls.messefrankfurt.com
SPORTEL Monaco 24th - 26th October, Monaco sportelmonaco.com
SPORTEL Rendez-vous 14th - 15th March, Miami sportelamerica.com
InfoComm 4th - 10th June, Las Vegas infocommshow.org
International Sports Convention 23rd - 24th March, London internationalsportsconvention.com
ALSD Conference & Tradeshow 10th - 12th July, New York alsd.com
2020/21
ASCOT RACECOURSE Voice and NFC – two trends ready to make life easier in a post-pandemic world George Vaughan, Head of Technology, Ascot Racecourse
s the hospitality sector seeks to adjust to the post-pandemic world, an event that has not only changed the landscape for customer engagement but also had a profound impact on staffing within the industry, venues are once again looking to technology for solutions. Over the last four years, Ascot Racecourse has been undergoing a technology transformation as part of its “Smart City” program, introducing new systems and even AI driven solutions to better aid the customer experience and help streamline the operational process. We caught up with Head of Technology, George Vaughan, for an update on where Ascot is on its current technology journey and to get some insight on an exciting new, venue-first project focused on the world of voice activated devices: “It’s been a challenging time for our sector. I don’t believe anyone truly appreciated the global impact of the pandemic and it isn’t an exaggeration to say that in many ways it has changed the way we live and work forever. For a large proportion of society, things will never go back to the way they were before – and this shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a negative. Out of every adversity there are always positives to be had. “When Covid struck, Ascot had the systems and infrastructure in place to immediately migrate everyone to remote working and for a business with over 300 years of history behind it, this proved to be a relatively painless and issue-free transition. A great deal of this was down to an engaged workforce and a supportive and progressive board but I am also fortunate to have a very talented and responsive Technology team, without whom none of this would have been possible. “The world may have stopped for many people during the pandemic, but, where possible, we carried on with our development plans, which included moving into the final stages of our audio upgrade, overhauling our core
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infrastructure, launching our Kappture in-box solution, introducing pre-order to our customers, developing our CRM roadmap, enhancing our NFC technology solutions for entry and redemption and even working on Alexa for Smart Properties with Amazon” Can you tell us a little more about the work you have been progressing with NFC, as I know we covered the start of this journey with you back in 2019? NFC has proven to be a great solution for Ascot and one that we have uniquely tweaked to great success over 2020, when we were forced to host Royal Ascot behind closed doors. It saw the emergence of the Golden Ticket campaign and provided the platform for us to introduce the Ascot Fan Pass. Great credit goes to our partner, Pronto CX in this regard, as they have helped to articulate our unique vision for this technology as well as the continued support from Apple and Google. The next part of this journey is the launch of NFC redemption for race card, food and drink vouchers and parking and the first two elements of these are already tested and ready to go live. It’s about customer adoption through understanding. There’s nothing new in the suggestion that mobile is the way to engage with customers, but we specifically went with NFC because it was safer, more secure and already familiar to anyone who has used Apple/Google/ Android Pay or a digital boarding pass when travelling. Does NFC really differ that much from other digital ticketing solutions? Anything digital is always preferable to a physical asset because it is less open to fraud, more convenient to use and much more sustainable. However, the key benefits of an NFC ticket over
barcode or QR code are that it cannot be copied with screenshots and distributed to unknown users. Also, customers don’t need to search through the wallet or an app to find the pass as NFC is automatically read when held near a reader, regardless of whether the ticket is opened or not. Admittedly rotating barcodes/QR codes do solve this to a degree, but it adds a level of complexity – and unfamiliarity – that can be avoided by NFC. Additionally, NFC offers a one-tap, payment and reward service, doesn’t require a customer to be onboarded via an app, has no need of WIFI or LTE connectivity and perhaps quite crucially for smoothness of operations, isn’t impacted by direct sunlight in the same way that QR or barcode tickets are. Our view is that customer experience sits above all else and with this in mind, when you focus on speed, security and ease of use, my view is that NFC wins hands down. You recently piloted a venue first solution with Amazon’s Alexa for Smart Properties. Can you tell us a little more about this? This was one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on over the last couple of years and represents another example of repurposing familiar, mainstream tech to offer something new to our customers. We worked with Amazon on their recently-launched Alexa for Smart Properties, utilising the MyHudson skill to deliver a whole new series of services to customers over a twoday period during the November racing weekend. Covering a dozen boxes each day, Alexa for Smart Properties allowed customers to order food and drink to their boxes, purchase from the retail store, request a staff member to come and take a bet as well as offering venue and race day information. All this information was displayed on a live, dashboard monitored by the operational teams so our staff could respond dynamically. It offered up some fascinating insights on requests,
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NFC passes powered by Pronto CX.
behaviour and response times. In addition, we were able to communicate messages to customers, either by box, selected boxes or to all boxes, enabling us to schedule audio notifications for things like special offers, last order times and next race details.” Were there any security concerns about deploying Alexa for Smart Properties? Security is a key requirement for us at Ascot and privacy is foundational and core to how Amazon designs all of their devices and services, including Alexa for Smart Properties. Echo devices are designed to detect the chosen wake word (Alexa, Amazon, Computer or Echo). When Echo devices detect the wake word or when the Action button, available on some Echo devices, is pressed to activate Alexa, a visual indicator appears on the device to show that the device is recording your request to stream to the cloud. For example, a light ring on the Echo will turn blue or a blue bar will appear on Echo Show. No audio is stored or sent to the cloud unless the device detects the wake word (or Alexa is activated by pressing a button). Additionally for Alexa for Smart Properties, all utterance history, voice activity, and personal data 066
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are not stored and neither the integrator, property manager, or other third party has any access to personal data about the customer. Here at Ascot, we are excited about being the first venue anywhere outside of the US to trial Alexa for Smart Properties in hospitality and then first globally to be running the MyHudson service. Are there plans to expand the solution further or integrate the platform into other systems? We learned a lot in the pre-launch testing phase and during the live pilot and many of those learnings have already been programmed into the system and will be operational for our Christmas Race Weekend. The intention is to expand the solution to more boxes for December and introduce a service window so customers can report any service requests around TVs, air conditioning or audio that will then be fed directly through to our helpdesk. Finally, we are midway through an exciting integration with our POS provider, Kappture that will allow us to bring seamless ordering, payment and delivery to customers in the New Year. That’s ground-breaking stuff for our sector but again something already familiar to customers at
home who use both voice-activated tech and the integrated services of companies like Uber and Deliveroo. It’s not about re-inventing the wheel it’s simply about re-purposing the familiar. In my time at Twickenham one of my greatest successes was moving the payment platform away from cash to contactless because that was the common behaviour already adopted by customers when they travelled, shopped or dined out. I see something similar happening again, partly driven by the pandemic but also by the fact that the way people consume their content is constantly changing. Today, it is all about the service coming to the customer and even we as venues need to be wary of complacency. If you see the way streaming services have changed music and movie consumption at home and are now having a profound impact on cinema, who is to say the same challenges won’t come our way in the near future. No matter who you are, even the very biggest stadiums can only accommodate a fraction of their fan base at any one time and we should always keep one eye firmly fixed on that majority that engage with us at home from the comfort of their armchairs.
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The new Compton & Edrich Stands by WilkinsonEyre for the MCC have transformed the spectator experience at Lords
image by Hufton+Crow
