Turf Moor | Burnley, England

TURF MOOR

Burnley, England

Images: ADI

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ome to Burnley Football Club since 1883, making it the second-longest continuously used ground in English professional game, Turf Moor is an iconic part of football culture. With its capacity of 21,994, it’s a stadium woven into the fabric of the community, offering fans the traditional match-going experience. With new owners in place, there are long-term plans to build on this incredible tradition, using technology to enhance Turf Moor and the club as a whole, all while paying close attention to what makes Burnley FC and its home special to football fans around the world. With this in mind, the club have entered a partnership with the global leaders in LED technology, ADI. With over 30 years of experience in LED technologies, creative content services and event production, ADI have been tasked with delivering a huge digital makeover at Turf Moor in line with the club’s ambitious plans. Burnley FC Chairman, Alan Pace, discussed his vision for the club with MONDO | STADIA: “We’re very aware that the world has changed in terms of fan experience and how signage and displays work in that area. So, the long-term vision is to ensure

that Turf Moor can be completely changeable depending on the type of event being held there, with the quality of the experience from a fan perspective being the most important aspect. “We all interact with technology differently and expect our experiences to be different. A football fan in their early 40s wants something completely different to a 19-year-old attending a concert, for example. But, when we first started out on this journey, we realised that the infrastructure wasn’t there for us to start addressing this.” That’s where the partnership with ADI came in, leading to over 1,100 sq metres of LED technology installed within the stadium bowl and on the outside of the venue, too. The hugely ambitious project has transformed the experience for fans, from walking up to the turnstiles and heading to the hospitality areas, right through to taking their seat in the stands. As well as that, there is now an enhanced activation platform for the club’s national and local commercial partners. Alan continued: “Working with ADI, it became much more of a collaborative process. Originally, we wanted something that changed the look and feel of Turf Moor, giving us that starting point of the journey, but, after discussions with ADI, the great thing was how they enlightened us in terms of the potential of what we could really achieve. “The last thing we are is experts in LED technology, but we know what we want to achieve as an experience for our fans. It’s almost like talking to a decorator, you tell them what you like, but you wouldn’t expect your house to be done after that first meeting. But, working with them over time, it begins to click. We were very keen to be ready as a multipurpose venue and as things start to evolve – and that process with ADI has been fantastic.” With ADI’s proprietary LED technology installed in over 30 installations throughout the stadium, Turf Moor will become one of the most digitally-advanced stadiums in European football. In addition to two showpiece curved, super wide, big screens in the stadium, ADI have also installed a new digiBOARD digital perimeter system, multiple levels of digital ribbon and additional digital signage throughout the stadium bowl. Externally, the stadium features 13 further screens to welcome fans at the ticket office, club shop and around entrances, upgrading the look and feel of Turf Moor, while also aiding communications with supporters and the local community. Finally, internally, ADI will install fine pitch LED

walls within the Chairman’s Suite and Media Room. Claire Fitzgerald-Firth, Head of Client Engagement at ADI, explained the benefits of working with Burnley FC: “The club definitely had an idea of what they wanted, so, with our experience, we know what works well and what doesn’t, that collaborative relationship was really natural. “From that initial vision, we went around the stadium and made suggestions on the different areas that could be digitised. We’re really lucky with Burnley – they’re really receptive to ideas. There is a real passion towards enhancing the stadium for the fans first and foremost, as well as adding value to the commercial platform, which is important for the club.” The installation features full connectivity to ADI’s Live Venue network, allowing match day content to be created and managed remotely from their European Production Hub in Preston, without the requirement for the installation of production studio infrastructure at Turf Moor. The connectivity carries a myriad of content, data and telemetry all designed to enhance the fan experience and bolster the commercial offering of the club. Importantly, all platforms will be fully integrated, allowing the club to share news, information, and updates immediately with supporters across all branding touchpoints. The new signage is also used to communicate safety information and provide important travel updates and other practical advice for supporters. ADI’s Head of Technical Operations, Craig Jenkins, explained further: “We’ll typically operate everything on a match day, but then the club also have the ability to manage all different types of content on the screen themselves. I think this is where the value lies for the club – we’ve delivered one platform on which we can deliver anything they want throughout the screens in the stadium. “There’s even the option to do a Total Stadium Takeover – the impact of the club or a particular brand being driven onto every screen throughout the ground is very effective.” Alan added: “The really cool thing that we love about the system is the ability to quickly change things with a couple of keystrokes. I feel that’s really important as it gives our staff a real

opportunity in terms of what they can and want to do. It’s like a blank canvas for them to be really creative and find out what works.” With everything coming from ADI’s European Production Hub, the operation is much more streamlined on match day at Turf Moor, as Craig explained further: “We have a couple of people on site – technicians ensuring everything is working well and engineers checking cameras. The club don’t have 20-odd people on site doing all this as they’re all at the hub in Preston. “This is hugely beneficial as a huge space facing the pitch isn’t needed for the digital operation – and it’s those type of spaces that are vital for the club’s commercial side.” Geraint Williams, CEO at ADI, added: “It’s great to see the new owners at Burnley FC have such ambition to invest in the stadium. These are decisions taken with the long view in mind and will help to add huge value to the match day experience for fans as well as the club partners not just this season but for years to come. “Consolidating all of these platforms with a single supplier delivers huge benefits to Burnley, both operationally and commercially. Whilst most clubs have very fragmented digital platforms with multiple operators and disparate “It became much more of a collaborative process. Originally, we wanted something to change the look and feel of Turf Moor, giving us the starting point of the journey, but, after discussions with ADI, the great thing was how they enlightened us in terms of the potential of what we could really achieve.”

Alan Pace, Chairman, Burnley FC

control systems, Turf Moor will be somewhat unique in the ability to easily manage content across every screen within the stadium, enabling far more effective management of stadium-wide communication and promotion.” “It’s been amazing to work with ADI – they guided us through the whole process. They didn’t sell us a particular idea, but listened and took on board what it was that we were aiming to do at Turf Moor,” said Alan. “Then, the fact that they could describe and help us see those ideas in action, including the how you get there and what steps you take, was vital in making this a success. Our options were all there – we could do this, or wait a year and do that – and that allowed us to be selective in how we wanted to progress in relation to our plans for the future. “These plans mark the next step in our long-term vision to improve Turf Moor and introduce world-class technology at Burnley Football Club. The introduction of big new screens and integrated LED technology will help our supporters feel more connected to the match than ever before, whilst enhancing the image of Turf Moor on TV and projecting our club’s unique identity to the millions watching around the world. “Upgrading old traditional signage will not only help the club to unlock its commercial potential to national and international brands, but also provide local businesses with uplifted branding and a new opportunity to benefit from the Premier League’s global reach. “I am delighted we have been able to partner with a Lancashire business, ADI to make this possible. With 30 years of working in stadium engagement, the concepts, ideas and experience they have brought to this project has been secondto-none. It became clear very early in our relationship that they would be the company to drive this vision forward.”