MONDO | STADIA - Issue 33 - December | January by Mondiale Media

BMW PARK

MEADOW LANE

DELTACAST INTERVIEW

WJHW INTERVIEW

The home of FC Bayern Basketball hosts the first-ever official league basketball game played on ASB GlassFloor’s surface.

A complete audio revamp at Notts County using state-of-the-art technology from Bosch, Electro-Voice and Dynacord.

Lionel Dutilleux, International Sales Manager, discusses Deltacast’s 360° fan engagement solutions for venues.

A wide-ranging chat with Charles Adkinson and Daniel Riess on fan engagement, ROI, and global expansion.

ISSUE 33 - DECEMBER | JANUARY 2023/24

THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TECHNOLOGY IN SPORTING VENUES

Venues, Clubs & Architects Enquiries

Supplier Enquiries

Sam Hughes s.hughes@mondiale.co.uk

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33 WELCOME

ur cover story takes you inside the iconic Gillette Stadium, focussing on the exceptional work from Daktronics and Henderson Engineers, and delving into the project that’s seen the venue become home to the largest outdoor video board in a sporting venue in the USA. Not to mention the tallest “lighthouse” in the country, too. We spoke with Lionel Dutilleux, International Sales Manager at Deltacast, to gain insights into the Belgian company’s 360° fan engagement solutions, from in-venue LED displays software, video referee solutions, through to augmented reality for live sports storytelling. We also met with Charles Adkinson and Daniel Riess from WJHW as they shared some fascinating insights on how they approach sporting venue projects, what technology can do for the fan experience, and the company’s exciting global expansion. ASB GlassFloor has introduced the world’s first glass court in a league basketball match at BMW Park in Munich, setting a new standard for sports arenas. Elsewhere, Notts County’s Meadow Lane has had a complete audio revamp, featuring state-of-the-art Bosch, Electro-Voice, and Dynacord technology. Venturing across the globe, we take a look at LEA Professional’s wide-ranging project at Sydney Showground, Aura Audio elevating the experience at Finland’s Enersense Areena, and digiLED’s LED display installation at Texas Speed Motorway has delivered a visual spectacle, among many other projects. Have a fantastic Christmas and New Year... See you in 2024!

Sam Hughes Editorial Director

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33 INSIDE…

Cover Image: Henderson Engineers

Editorial Director Sam Hughes s.hughes@mondiale.co.uk

Commercial Director Jamie Dixon j.dixon@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

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

INTERVIEW

008 Lionel Dutilleux | Deltacast 016 Charles Adkinson & Daniel Riess | WJHW

VENUE FOCUS VIDEO 086 Oakland Arena | Oakland, USA 090 DNB Arena | Stavanger, Norway

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33 INTERVIEW

“Our core mission is to enhance the experience of sports fans and, in turn, pave the way for innovative revenue streams for clubs, leagues and right holders.”

“By leveraging technology, we can enhance the overall fan experience, encouraging different paths and fostering engagement beyond the traditional gate entrances.”

Lionel Dutilleux International Sales Manager Deltacast

Charles Adkinson Senior Vice President of Global Sports Development WJHW

DELTACAST 360° FAN ENGAGEMENT SOLUTIONS Lionel Dutilleux, International Sales Manager Images: Deltacast

008

an you introduce yourself and

adaptive chroma-keying, and a high-quality

engagement through a Social Wall, fostering

explain your role at DELTACAST?

3-D engine.

a multi-channel experience where fans can

I’m Lionel Dutilleux, International

share content during the game. Can you introduce us to your DELTA-stadium

With features like Trigger Manager, the

DELTACAST, our core mission is to enhance

solution?

solution enables the synchronisation of

the experience of sports fans and, in turn, pave

DELTA-stadium is a cutting-edge solution

lighting, pyrotechnics, and audio effects,

the way for innovative revenue streams for

for managing in-venue LED displays and

creating an immersive experience.

clubs, leagues and right holders. We do this

orchestrating full show control. It offers pixel-

DELTA-stadium is touted as the most accurate

by providing 360° fan engagement solutions,

accurate content delivery to screens of any

solution for managing multiple 4K/8K screens

from in-venue LED displays software to video

resolution and shape. Whether it’s the giant

in stadiums, offering clubs additional revenue

referee solutions and augmented reality for

screen, perimeter LEDs, or 360° halo panels,

streams and sponsors new opportunities.

live sports storytelling.

DELTA-stadium synchronises pre-rendered

Sales Manager for DELTACAST. At

and real-time 2D/3D graphics seamlessly.

What kind of impact does DELTA-stadium

Can you give us an overview of DELTACAST

Integration with live competition data is at

have in terms of fan experience and

and what solutions you provide to sporting

the heart of DELTA-stadium allowing easy

engagement in sporting venues?

venues?

pre-match preparation and opening up

DELTA-stadium cultivates a dynamic gaming

DELTACAST is a sportstech company,

new opportunities for real-time data-based

culture within the stadium, captivating fans

dedicated to the next generation of virtual

content.

with a multichannel experience. On the one

graphics to enhance the fan experience in live

The system opens up new monetisation

hand, the solution creates an immersive

sporting events. Our solutions rely on a set of

avenues by turning every screen into an

atmosphere in the stadium by orchestrating

proprietary high-technology modules adapted

advertising platform, allowing sponsors’

lighting, screens, LED boards, and audio

to each specific sport and game rules: sensor-

logos during main events and ads between

effects very intuitively—all managed by a

free tracking, image processing algorithms,

activities. DELTA-stadium also enhances fan

single operator. On the other hand, DELTA-

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stadium enables real-time interaction with

Tell us more about DELTA-live…

tailored for live sports storytelling, especially

the second screen, whether it be for in-game

Here, I’d like to offer some background

in football. Leveraging cutting-edge image

betting, contests, or voting for your favorite

information to elucidate the genesis of DELTA-

processing technology, it seamlessly overlays

player, for example.

live. DELTACAST pioneered augmented reality

augmented reality (AR) graphics in real-time

graphics for football as early as 2004. During

onto the game field using broadcast cameras.

Having that solution must be a huge benefit

that period, the pay-TV broadcaster Canal+

DELTA-live has evolved to enable the swift

for the club in terms of the commercial

sought to introduce the offside line to enhance

generation of replay sequences, featuring

side, too – has that been the case in recent

the fan experience. Offside decisions, often

speed measurements and magnification

projects?

a matter of mere centimeters or inches, hold

for detailed views. Elevating live streams,

DELTA-stadium unlocks new monetisation

critical importance in games and contribute

DELTA-live incorporates real-time graphics

opportunities through sponsorships. Every

significantly to live storytelling. This initiative

such as statistical data, shot analyses, activity

screen within and outside the stadium

followed ESPN’s introduction of the “1st and

heatmaps, and various event localizations.

transforms into a potential advertising

Ten Line” in the NFL just six years prior,

Additionally, it integrates team line-ups,

platform during the game.

signifying broadcasters’ quest for technological

distance metrics, animated logos, scores,

The most recent project we have done has

innovation in football broadcasting.

and dynamic 2D/3D elements, providing a

allowed the club to increase sponsor placement

Fast forward to today, DELTA-live stands as

comprehensive and immersive sports viewing

by 50%.

an innovative augmented reality suite software

experience.

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360° FAN ENGAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

VIRTUAL OFFSIDE LINE FOR VAR IN FOOTBALL

LIVE SPORTS STORYTELLING WITH AR

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INTERVIEW

Augmented reality has become a huge part of sports and entertainment – how do you see that technology developing in the venues?

“Our core mission is to enhance the experience of sports fans and, in turn, pave the way for innovative revenue streams for clubs, leagues and right holders. We do this by providing 360° fan engagement solutions, from in-venue LED displays software to video referee solutions and augmented reality for live sports storytelling.”

AR technologies have not only become

Lionel Dutilleux

generate their own AR-enhanced sequences.

accepted components of sports broadcasting, but have evolved into integral elements in the broadcasting of specific sports. In traditional broadcasting, such as linear TV, striking the right balance between augmented reality and game readability is crucial. The aim is to avoid overwhelming viewers with a deluge of visual stimuli. The shift from linear TV to OTT opens up possibilities for AR-enhanced streams to change this dynamic. A new generation of fans is keen to comprehend the rules of the game and understand the tactics employed. OTT platforms provide novel avenues for fans to interact with the game, empowering them to At DELTACAST, we anticipate witnessing more best practices in AR-enhanced broadcasting and streaming, leveraging live data.

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In the studio, you also provide DELTAhighlight and DELTA-touch. Can you tell us more about those solutions? DELTA-highlight is a versatile sports game analysis tool designed for both broadcasting. It offers a user-friendly interface for generating augmented replay sequences with virtual graphics, suitable for post-game shows or live halftime analysis. The tool supports various sports and employs efficient processing algorithms for quick analysis clip creation. It provides a rich set of features, including statistical data, heatmaps, event localization, 2D and 3D drawings, animated markers, and more. DELTA-highlight can be used in combination with DELTA-touch for interactive shows. With internal live recording, it eliminates the need for an external video server, making it cost and time-effective for studio and OB unit use. The DELTA-touch interface is highly interactive, suitable for various applications beyond sports, and easily integrates with other DELTACAST products. Journalists can effortlessly select videos,

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control playback, and draw analysis graphics

shoulder. This innovative approach guarantees

analysis with DAZN (Eleven Sport) and now,

on the screen. The DELTA-touch presentation

a complete and accurate assessment of offside

thanks to the Standard de Liège project, we

interface is customisable for a perfect fit to the

situations.

can truly provide a 360° Fan Engagement

customer’s needs.

Solution. We were given the opportunity Can DELTA-offside be used with different

to orchestrate the entire pre-match show

You’re at the forefront of the VAR revolution

replay systems?

celebrating the club’s 125th anniversary, with

in football, too. Can you expand on your

DELTA-offside can be integrated with any

the coordination of a lightshow, five DJs, giant

DELTA-offside solution?

replay system such as Refbox from Riedel or

screen videos and LED boarding. It was a first

DELTA-offside is the FIFA-certified Virtual

DreamCatcher from Evertz.

for the club and a show that is still extremely

Offside Line technology from DELTACAST for

rare in Belgium.

the review of offside decisions in football.

What has been your favourite DELTACAST

DELTACAST’s image processing technology

project to date?

How do you see technology in stadiums and

enables 2D and 3D virtual offside lines to

DELTACAST has led me to work on several

arenas developing in the future?

be superimposed quickly and accurately,

exciting projects in the world of football and,

Sound, light, IPTV, LED displays, live game

improving the efficiency of the video assistant

more recently, rugby. But the one that has

data, the club’s app—these solutions will

referee’s (VAR) operations during football

been my favourite is a very recent project

increasingly need to seamlessly interact with

matches.

that we had the opportunity to carry out

each other to elevate the fan experience.

The 2D offside line is skilfully drawn from

with my club of heart, the club from my

How is this possible? Unlike proprietary

a designated point on the pitch, usually

region: Standard de Liège. Standard is a

systems that hinder interoperability and lead

corresponding to the position of a player. On

Belgian Division 1 club playing in the Jupiler

to vendor lock-in or expensive proprietary

the other hand, the 3D offside line, which

Pro League. We are already present in the

integrations for stadiums, technology based on

uses stereoscopic mode, is meticulously

Jupiler Pro League with our VAR solution for

open standards and protocols is likely the key

projected onto the pitch from a chosen point

the Union Belge de Football, our DELTA-live

to ushering stadiums and arenas into the fan

in space, often aligned with a player’s head or

DELTA-highlight TV solutions for match

engagement era.

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CHARLES ADKINSON & DANIEL RIESS WJHW Senior Vice President of Global Sports Development & Associate Principal

First of all, can you introduce yourselves?

instead of imposing immediate changes. Being a

CA: Absolutely. I’m Charles Adkinson, Principal

younger and more entrepreneurial organisation, they

at WJHW and the Senior Vice President of Global

wanted to really learn about WJHW, delving into

Sports Development. WJHW is part of a larger global

the reasons behind our operational choices. As we

organisation in the PMY Group.

moved past the initial honeymoon stages and into the

DR: I’m Daniel Riess, Associate Princinpal and I head

practicalities of working together, PMY has given us

up WJHW”s video production and LED efforts.

the autonomy to chart our growth trajectory and the support we need.

Can you give us an overview of WJHW?

So, working together, we’ve devised a strategic plan

CA: WJHW has a robust history, spanning over 30 years

for expansion. For anyone eyeing growth in the

– now approaching 34, actually. Around three years

professional sports sector beyond North America, the

ago, we joined forces with PMY, a company based in

UK is an obvious starting point. The Premier League,

Sydney, Australia. It was an intriguing merger, as

a highly successful and globally visible competition,

our services didn’t directly overlap, but we shared a

aligns seamlessly with where we want to go. PMY

client base in sports. This common ground has led to a

already has a substantial presence here, boasting a

seamless integration, with a mutual understanding of

team of a couple of hundred professionals through

key targets and industry spaces.

both organic growth and acquisitions. It’s a logical

The merger has been a success, with PMY often

step for us to tap into this market.

involved in earlier project stages or focusing on

Looking ahead, our focus for growth extends to the

entirely different concepts that don’t overlap with our

Middle East, with the region’s significant capital

design services. In our own history, We’ve had the

investment in colossal mega-scale projects, especially

opportunity to contribute to the design of nearly every

in light of upcoming global sporting events. Australia

professional venue in North America. To give you an

also emerges as a natural target, given its ongoing

idea, we’ve worked on 100% of NFL venues, 80-90%

developments in sports infrastructure. These regions

of NBA and NHL arenas, and approximately 70% of

not only offer substantial opportunities, but also align

MLS stadiums. Our portfolio extends to renowned

with our expertise in designing projects of grand

collegiate institutions like Notre Dame, Duke, and

scale. These targets, once we establish a foothold in

Alabama, showcasing our involvement with some of

the UK, are part of a deliberate and well-thought-out

the most prestigious universities in the United States.

expansion plan.

While about half of our business revolves around sports, the other half encompasses equally high-profile

Are there any projects in the UK that you’re currently

projects in NGO and education projects, even if they

working on?

might not grab the same level of public attention.

CA: We currently have a few projects in progress,

Imagine a remarkable secondary school with a

although it’s a bit premature to delve into the details.

substantial budget, featuring top-notch laboratories,

Nevertheless, our boots are on the ground, and we

sports facilities, performing arts centers, and

are actively engaged in our work, including trusted

educational facilities—a project that may not make

partner relationships with a few Premier League

magazine covers, but is just as impactful.

teams and full design services for an amazing concert venue in Bristol. Our approach involves a simple yet

And can you tell us more about the planned global

replicable model. We emphasise a respectful stance,

expansion?

acknowledging that we don’t intend to impose an

CA: PMY granted us a few years of transition, and I

American perspective on every aspect. For instance,

must say it was a respectful and insightful process.

we won’t be dictating how things should be done to

They took the time to truly understand our business

clubs with histories older than the United States itself.

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017

However, we believe we have valuable insights to offer,

to recognise that this also presents a sellable asset — an

particularly in enhancing the technological aspects of the fan

opportunity to engage sponsors. For instance, offering a

experience.

‘Nissan Replay’ could become a sponsorship opportunity,

So, our growth strategy revolves around moving assets out of

allowing fans to relive moments they desire and creating

PMY or organic regional growth. To maintain clarity between

revenue streams.

the two organisations, we’ve established a firewall, ensuring

A similar scenario unfolds in concourses, where there’s

a distinct separation of our functions – and retaining the

room for improvement in terms of technology. While not

WJHW brand underscores that. As a new entity, we’ll transfer

universally applicable, some venues exhibit a somewhat

a select group of individuals from PMY, hiring organically

barren tech landscape. Notably, at Tottenham Hotspur

where needed. We’ve already initiated this, with additional

Stadium, for example, this is addressed. Contrasting this, at

hires planned for the upcoming year. Moreover, a few team

other venues, a single television, small for a regular living

members from the U.S. will contribute to our presence, too.

room, can attract a crowd of 300 people, highlighting the

The key to sustaining this growth lies in having individuals

disparity in amenities across different stadiums, and the

with hands-on experience in North American projects and

potential for growth.

venues. Having someone with the right accent, or at least

CA: This situation serves as a prime example of addressing

close enough, is crucial, really! We recognise the importance

technology gaps in underserved areas. It’s not merely about

of cultural nuances; it’s one thing to have a Florida accent

inundating spaces with more advertisements; rather, it’s

and quite another to navigate a Manchester one. Our growth

an opportunity for sponsors to contribute to enhancing

strategy is more than establishing an office and embarking

technology. Imagine a fan waiting in line to get a pint; with

on projects. It’s about long-term, sustainable development.

upgraded technology, they could have something engaging

We aren’t chasing after quick, flashy projects where we get

to look at. This way, fans won’t feel like they’re missing out

in and out. Instead, we’re committed to learning, growing

if they decide to head down to the concourse. It provides

smartly, and carefully selecting projects. Our focus is on

them the chance to use the restroom, grab refreshments, and

engaging with architects and considering projects with

return without fearing they’ll miss a crucial moment.

extended lead times, steering away from the allure of

DR: Exactly. And there are low-hanging fruits, too, such

jumping where the money is. We want to change the culture

as displaying scores in other matches going on at the same

and understanding of fan experience technology and grow to

time. Fans want those kinds of updates.

support that culture.

CA: There’s a tremendous interest in the fantasy leagues in the UK, much like the enthusiasm seen across the pond.

018

You’ve touched on bringing that American influence to UK

It’s a real untapped opportunity for interesting content. The

stadiums. What opportunities do you think there are?

existing technology inventory, however, seems somewhat

DR: The live production dynamics in the UK are a different

overlooked because it predominantly serves as a platform for

beast, particularly in how large screens and ribbons are

advertisements without fostering meaningful engagement.

utilised. Currently, some venues fall short of meeting fan

As it stands, there’s little reason for fans to actively pay

expectations when it comes to delivering content. In the

attention.

past week alone, we’ve attended three games that have

The key lies in transforming this inventory into a valuable

highlighted instances where fans eagerly awaited a replay of

asset by injecting elements that fans find engaging.

a crucial moment, only to find it missing, even though no

Presently, it’s easy to ignore because it lacks interactive and

rules prevented its display. These are missed opportunities

participatory features or showing content fans have to turn

that impact the overall fan experience. However, it’s crucial

to a second screen to get. By reimagining it as a space for fan

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INTERVIEW

interaction, clubs can deliver more value to sponsors. This

is that this particular fan zone wasn’t exclusive or VIP; it was

not only enhances the sponsor’s visibility but also contributes

open to any ticket holder, with capacity control being the

to the club’s overall value. It’s about creating a win-win

only measure.

scenario where sponsors feel they are getting something

Even on a challenging day, fans gathered for nearly three

valuable, the club sees increased benefits, and, most

hours before the match, creating a vibrant atmosphere. This

importantly, fans are motivated to actively engage. That’s the

presents a unique opportunity as fans become accustomed to

perfect three legs of a barstool, right?

the added match day experience. The beauty lies in respecting

DR: While ads will always be a part of the landscape, the real

existing traditions while unveiling new opportunities.

goal is to transform them into something fans actively want

We’re not architects, but our extensive experience in

to engage with. It’s about going beyond the traditional ad

numerous venues allows us to share insights. One of our

format and doing something unique and cool - something

founders, about 15 years ago, made a comment about

that provides tangible benefits to the fans. A prime example

traffic flow during a meeting, drawing on decades of venue

is a feature I encountered at one of the NFL games I attended

experience. This intervention led to significant changes in the

this year. Instead of conventional ads, they introduced a

layout, showcasing how experiential knowledge can enhance

unique snapchat/tiktok style filter, placing virtual glasses on

architectural decisions.

everyone in the crowd during shots. This not only captured

Technology, as an enabler, plays a crucial role. It’s not

attention, but also left a memorable impression. Now, I know

always about expensive screens; even simple advancements

the name of a small-town eyeglass shop in a city I don’t even

in wayfinding can make a substantial difference.

live in. This kind of engaging and interactive approach proves

Digital wayfinding, offering flexibility and sponsorship

to be much more effective, I think.

opportunities, can guide fans seamlessly. By leveraging technology, we can enhance the overall fan experience,

How do you bridge that cultural gap in terms of the

encouraging them to explore different paths and fostering

traditions of sport in the UK when it comes to enhancing

engagement beyond the traditional gate entrances.

the modern fan experience?

DR: Queuing is a big one. Introducing that digital wayfinding

DR: It’d be impossible to stamp an American approach to

and partnering it with technology that communicates real-

English football, for example, and we think it’s of the utmost

time information on how busy each area is – it’s something

importance that you always recognise and consider those

that has a huge impact on a fan’s experience.

cultural nuances that make it so special.

CA: We recognise that fans have varied preferences, with

That said, we’ve observed a significant number arriving at the

some preferring to enter just before the match or maybe

stadiums early. Over the years, there’s been a shift towards

come earlier. For those fans who just want to grab a pint

earlier openings, and fans are taking advantage of it. As soon

and enjoy the match, it’s essential to create an engaging

as people are in the stands and on the concourses, a captive

environment. By strategically placing displays with

audience is there – and that’s a unique opportunity to create

compelling content, we can cater to fans who arrive early,

tailored fan experiences.

too. These displays, while providing entertainment, also

CA: We recently attended a stadium that introduced its

present an excellent opportunity for sponsorships. We’ve

first fan zone, and the impact was remarkable, especially

observed the potential in action, with hundreds of fans

considering it was a cold and wet day. Despite being the

gathered around displays that might even seem small in your

inaugural use, the fan zone reached full capacity with just a

living room. This approach ensures that everyone, from fans

minor investment. And there was potential for five more in

to sponsors, finds value in the match day experience, creating

the parking lot, suggesting a high demand. What’s intriguing

a mutually beneficial scenario for all parties.

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INTERVIEW

Despite those traditions, the fan experience has certainly

move away from the conventional 16 by 9 rectangle. The

changed over the years. Much like going to the cinema,

next wave involves exploring alternative formats that

theatre, or even watching sport at home…

allow for a more dynamic presentation. This shift enables

CA: Absolutely! There’s fierce competition for capturing

the simultaneous display of sponsored content, live

the fan’s attention, especially considering the myriad of

scores, fantasy stats, and additional engaging elements.

entertainment options available. Staying at home offers

By diversifying the format, venues can optimise their ad

conveniences like 4K viewing, second screens, low-cost

inventory and capture more attention from the audience.

drinks, and even the simple home comforts. To entice fans to

CA: Another emerging trend we’ll see more of is the

attend live events, there must be a compelling reason beyond

integration of secondary screens – it’s becoming increasingly

the mere game itself. While venues might claim to be sold

common. These screens serve a purpose beyond the main

out, it’s crucial to assess the actual availability, especially in

board and ribbons, offering additional points of engagement

the secondary market. I mean, you go to sold out games and

for fans.

you can see yourself that it’s not full.

DR: While it’s always a bit tongue-in-cheek in the LED

The value proposition is essential. The entertainment value

industry to talk about going ‘bigger and bigger’, ultimately,

must justify the investment, considering the choices fans

there’s truth in it. The next step in this evolution involves

have. We’re measured in our approach and simply respond

considering the practicalities, particularly the math that

to the demand. We understand that iconic venues like

governs visibility. There’s a certain size a character needs

Principality Stadium and Tottenham have set benchmarks,

to be on a screen to ensure it’s seen clearly from a distance.

and there’s a natural extension and growth potential. The key

Currently, the displays in use in the UK are skirting the

is to leverage successful models, tailor them to evolving fan

limits of that rule. Physically, mathematically, and from a

expectations, and continue innovating.

practical standpoint, larger screens simplify this challenge. It

Acknowledging budget constraints, it’s evident that the

underscores the ongoing drive for larger and more impactful

differences in budgets among clubs are not astronomical

LED displays.

when compared to the impact of filling seats. This presents

CA: Amidst the challenges posed by COVID and global supply

a significant opportunity to build on successful models,

chain shortages, the remarkable trend in LED technology is

enhance the overall fan experience, and consistently get

its consistent reduction in cost per square meter over the

people in those seats.

last five years. Even with the disruptions, LED displays now cost a third of what they did before COVID-19, delivering the

020

LED screens in the bowl, concourses, and all around the

same or even better quality. This translates to an immediate

venue – what is the future for stadiums and WJHW’s ideas

advantage - your dollar stretches further, offering increased

for the technology?

purchasing power.

DR: Bigger, bigger, bigger! That’s the answer we always come

Beyond cost considerations, we believe there’s an untapped

to, isn’t it? While there are regulations about the use of LED

potential in the application of technology for sponsorship.

screens in the Premier League, they are not overly restrictive.

The current inventory is not optimally utilised for engaging

It essentially boils down to seeking permission before

content and fan interaction. We propose a model that not

implementing changes. The evolving landscape of screen

only enhances fan engagement and content quality but also

technology is noteworthy, though. Currently, most screens

makes the technology more attractive to sponsors. Increased

follow the 16 by 9 format, primarily suitable for live video

sponsorship attractiveness, in turn, provides a more

display. However, this format limits the capacity to showcase

substantial budget for incorporating advanced technology.

additional content alongside live video, such as scores,

Taking a longer-term view, investing more in capital

clocks, or sponsored content.

becomes a strategic move, especially considering the

To address this limitation, I think the industry will gradually

durability of LED displays that can reasonably last a decade.

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FEATURED PROJECT: SoFi STADIUM LOS ANGELES

INTERVIEW

This extended lifespan allows organisations to shift from

The next crucial step was turning that vision into a reality.

IRR to focusing solely on ROI. With this approach, the

We transformed the design into a set of documents that

investment becomes a predictable, attractive proposition over

invited multiple competitive bids. Instead of relying on a

an extended period. Not just a quick “pick the revenue share

preferred partner, we opted for a public procurement bid,

partner to deal with and be done.”

receiving six competitive offers. This approach increased the

A crucial aspect of our perspective is challenging the notion

value of every dollar invested, making stakeholders happier

that technology merely replaces static elements, like posters.

and accelerating the return on investment.

Instead, we advocate for treating LED displays as more than

But here’s the less glamorous part that truly defines our

just a medium for rotating advertisements. It’s about creating

value. We meticulously crafted construction and contract

engaging content that captivates the audience and gives them

documents, ensuring a tight framework. This enabled us to

a reason to look. Shifting from a model where the fan has no

not only oversee the installation but also guarantee that the

incentive to engage, as with traditional static advertising, to

system delivered as promised. The end result was not just

one where the dynamic content on LED screens is an integral

a visually stunning videoboard, but a fully functional and

part of the fan experience. It’s this shift that transforms

attractive inventory for sponsors.

technology from being easy to ignore to becoming an

So, when we talk about what WJHW brings to the table, it’s

essential part of the overall engagement strategy. By creating

not just about cool designs or impressive visuals. It’s about

content that fans actively want to see, even if they initially

translating experiential designs into buildable, competitively

attempt to ignore it, we enhance the overall impact and

priced solutions. Our sweet spot lies in making the less

effectiveness of LED displays in the sponsorship landscape.

exciting middle part – the intricate process of making dreams a reality – financially responsible and reasonable from a

In the whole process, what do you think it is that WJHW

capital budget perspective. That, in essence, is the art of what

brings to the table that has made the company so

we do.

successful?

022

CA: Let’s take a concrete example – the SoFi Stadium

SoFi Stadium perfectly encapsulates the ambition of

videoboard in Los Angeles. This project stands as a career-

sporting venues in the US. Is there much difference when

defining moment for us, a visual masterpiece that left me

working on stadium projects in the UK in terms of how

breathless the first time I saw it.

ambitious they’d like to be?

Now, here’s the part that often raises eyebrows – the design

CA: You know, you’d probably be surprised – there’s a real

of that iconic videoboard isn’t where the true value of WJHW

desire to enhance the fan experience and generate more

lies. Anyone can sketch an impressive shape over a stadium

revenue, so nobody dismisses ideas or wants to stick with the

and claim they designed a cool video board. What sets us

status quo.

apart is our extensive collaboration with architects over the

The key distinction, perhaps rooted in some American

years. We didn’t just design something visually striking; we

confidence, lies in dispelling the notion that these

designed something constructible.

improvements are financially out of reach. Our conversations

Working as a partner and designer on a team, we addressed

aim to show that doing more is feasible and can be

practical challenges, like the initial size being too big for the

accommodated within existing budgets. The goal is not to

field’s footprint. We revised and downsized it for feasibility.

suggest that current efforts are inadequate, but rather to

The collaborative effort went beyond aesthetics; it ensured

highlight untapped potentials for enhancing the overall

that what was envisioned could be built.

experience while maximising revenue.

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INTERVIEW

In essence, the message is that there’s room for growth and

songs and chants. It’s important to note that this stance isn’t

improvement without necessarily compromising financial

about challenging traditions or disrespecting existing norms;

stability. It’s an invitation to explore the possibilities of

rather, it’s a reaction to the broader trend of attempting to

achieving more without assuming it will entail sacrificing

gamify the experience.

existing success.

I firmly believe there exists a delicate balance in leveraging

DR: Absolutely, and that’s a crucial perspective to

such technology. The challenge lies in identifying that fine

acknowledge. While iconic projects like SoFi Stadium garner

line where technology enhances rather than detracts from

significant attention, the majority of venues engage in more

the live experience. My hope is that future developments

practical, incremental enhancements. These could include

in this space will prioritise strategies that actively engage

renovations and upgrades aimed at steadily improving the fan

individuals within the venue, steering away from creating an

experience without necessarily embarking on groundbreaking

environment that encourages excessive reliance on second

endeavors.

screens, which could, in turn, disengage fans from the real-

It’s not always about leaping into cutting-edge, untested

time action.

technologies; instead, it’s a recognition of the value in stable,

DR: In terms of fan experience, the predominant trend we’re

proven advancements. Many venues opt for a linear upgrade

observing revolves around rekindling engagement within the

approach, focusing on what’s practical, feasible, and proven

live event itself. It’s a departure from being fixated on stats

effective. This ensures a step-by-step evolution, allowing

displayed on your phone or the need to raise your device to

venues to adapt and enhance without necessarily needing to

witness interactive elements scattered around the stadium.

reinvent the wheel.

CA: As we’ve mentioned, in Premier League stadiums, it’s

So, alongside the high-profile projects, there’s a vast

difficult to access real-time updates on scores from other

landscape of venues continuously working on refining and

matches, particularly during overlapping games. The venue

optimising their facilities. It’s a testament to the diverse

experience is lacking in essential elements for engaging

strategies employed within the industry, ranging from the

with fantasy leagues, and even basic stats like the number of

grand and revolutionary to the steady and methodical, all

passes or touches during a play are often unavailable. This

with the shared goal of creating better, more engaging

informational void results from the current technological

experiences for fans.

setup, limiting the fan’s ability to enjoy a comprehensive live experience.

What is your opinion on how stadium technology will

Our mission is to address these persistent issues and usher

develop in the coming years?

in positive changes. Many venues are closer to achieving

CA: As part of my role, I am committed to providing the

this than they may realise, so our role is to guide them in

technological foundations for whatever innovations unfold

unlocking the potential they already possess.

in the future; that’s inherent to our responsibilities. Now, I

Going beyond this, we explore innovative solutions, such

don’t know if this is my long-term projection or my long-

as the forward looking 8K systems deployed in the North

term desire. My skepticism about the current applicability of

American market. These systems provide an exceptionally

VR and AR within venues lingers. I acknowledge the potential

high-resolution view, showcasing moments that were

value of AR, particularly when applied at individual fan seats.

previously challenging to capture – a unique and engaging

The concern arises, especially with regard to the second

replay experience. While these systems come with a cost,

screen phenomenon, as I am wary of inadvertently giving

the engagement they foster and their appeal to sponsors

fans yet another reason to opt for the comfort of their homes.

make them a worthwhile investment. Additionally, they

It stems from the observation that increased interaction

inadvertently contribute to competitive advantages, too,

with personal devices during live events may detract from

underscoring the multifaceted benefits of embracing

the tangible, shared experiences within the venue. The risk

advanced technologies in sporting venues.

lies in diminishing engagement with the immediate physical surroundings, which includes the unique atmosphere of live events, the camaraderie of fellow fans, and the shared joy of

024

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H O S P I T A L I T Y

T E C H N O L O G Y

33 THE FULL PITCH

028 Gillette Stadium | Massachusetts, USA 040 BMW Park | Munich, Germany

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GILLETTE STADIUM Massachusetts, USA Images: Henderson Engineers, Daktronics

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HENDERSON ENGINEERS

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ith six Super Bowl championships, the most

north end renovation is the biggest transformation yet and

in the NFL, the New England Patriots are

it further cements the stadium’s position at the forefront of

attuned to breaking records. This remained

sports and entertainment.”

true at the October 2023 unveiling of the team’s

As patrons pour into the venue for games, concerts, and

$250 million north end renovation of Gillette Stadium in

other events, they are treated to an outdoor visual experience

Foxborough, Mass. The project equipped the facility with the

unlike anything in the country, courtesy of the new high-

largest outdoor curved-radius video board in American sports

definition videoboard. Measuring 60 feet in height by 370 feet

and the tallest “lighthouse” in the United States, among

in width, the screen spans 22,200 square feet and is curved

other notable enhancements.

in alignment with the arc of the stadium. This expanse

On hand to help bring these state-of-the-art features to

allows for variable content zoning, the simultaneous display

life was Henderson Engineers, which has served as the lead

of multiple videos and messaging at once. Audio-video

building systems design engineer for all renovation projects

experts from Henderson helped nail down specifications for

at Gillette Stadium for the past nine years.

the jumbotron – in partnership with display manufacturer

“Today’s fans are not only interested in watching a great

Daktronics – while its electrical team oversaw controls and

game or show, but they also want to spend their time at a

power systems.

venue that feels like a true destination beyond the event

A nod to New England’s maritime history, the new lighthouse

itself,” explained Tyler Johnson, venue sector practice

tops out at 220 feet and is equipped with an observation deck

manager at Henderson who project managed the firm’s work

that’s accessible to the public. Henderson designed a snow

on the north end renovation.

melt system to keep the amenity open throughout the year,

“This reality has been front and center for all the

offering breathtaking 360-degree views of the surrounding

enhancements Henderson Engineers has undertaken at

Boston and Rhode Island region even during the notoriously

Gillette Stadium since 2014. Already a beloved venue for

frigid and icy New England winters. Lighting is another

millions of fans in the Northeast and across the country, the

standout element of the tower. With colour changing and

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THE FULL PITCH

colour tuning functionality incorporated into Henderson’s

was the biggest challenge throughout the project. It required

designs, numerous hues and patterns can be illuminated for

meticulous communication and collaboration from all

game day celebrations and other festivities. This capability

parties, and we were fortunate to have a world-class design

was made possible in close collaboration with lighting

and construction team to work with. Nothing beats the

consultant Lam Partners.

excitement of successfully delivering such a complex project

Located adjacent to the lighthouse is the new Enel

for a client and fans to enjoy for years to come,” explained

Plaza, which was transformed into a grand entrance by

Johnson.

consolidating several smaller entryways. The east and west grandstands above the plaza were connected to birth the G-P Atrium, a new 50,000 square foot hospitality space that overlooks the field and functions as a premium club on game days and an event space on other occasions. An indoor/ outdoor field-level club, dubbed the Bug Light Celebration Beer Hall, was also added to the northeast corner of the facility. The beer hall offers 4,000 square feet of indoor space and a 2,000 square-foot patio with a close-up view of the tunnel entrance where athletes walk onto the field. “The new video board, lighthouse, and multipurpose spaces complement each other to make Gillette Stadium a yearround landmark,” noted Johnson. “Whether you visit for an event or to simply admire and tour the facility in the off-season, there’s plenty to catch your eye and make the experience memorable. That’s a mark of a great venue.” In addition to providing audio-video, electrical, and lighting design services, Henderson spearheaded acoustical consulting, energy modeling, and design for the fire protection, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom systems for the entire north end renovation. The project spanned two years while the stadium remained fully operational. Other key players on the endeavor included Populous, Suffolk Construction, and McNamara Salvia, who respectively served as the architect, general contractor, and structural engineer. “The logistics of maintaining stadium operations through a packed events calendar while also undergoing construction

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Photo ©David Sarnevitz

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DAKTRONICS

034

aktronics has continued its partnership with

greatly enhance the day of game experience for our fans.”

the Kraft Group, New England Patriots and New

Located in the north end zone, the new curved-radius

England Revolution with 14 new LED displays

video display measures 60 feet high by 370 feet wide,

added to the venue in 2023, including the largest

totaling 22,200 square feet. Its convex curvature mimics the

outdoor videoboard in a sports venue in the country. The

stadium’s architecture.

installation took place over the course of this spring and

Much like the south end zone display, which was

summer at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

manufactured and installed by Daktronics in 2021, this new

The project adds 14 displays totaling more than 29,500 square

installation is capable of variable content zoning allowing

feet, bringing a total of 47 Daktronics LED displays and a

it to show one large image or multiple zones of video and

combined 48,500 square feet of digital canvas to Gillette

content to keep fans immersed in the action at Gillette

Stadium to engage and entertain their audiences.

Stadium. Any combination of live video, instant replays,

“Daktronics has been providing our LED displays and have

up-to-the-minute statistics, game information, graphics,

been a tremendous partner since we opened Gillette Stadium

animations and sponsorship messages can be displayed. Both

in 2002,” said Gillette Stadium Chief Operating Officer Jim

end zone displays at Gillette Stadium will now rank in the top

Nolan.

10 among the largest video boards in professional football.

“Their products provide the highest resolution in the industry

Just below the main video board in the north end zone is an

and the brilliant colors bring our fans closer to the action.

additional ribbon board measuring 10 feet high by 214 feet

This year’s installations, especially the addition of the

wide. The end zone also features a field level outdoor display

nation’s largest outdoor videoboard at a sports venue, will

measuring 3.5 feet high by 82 feet wide on the recently

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announced Bud Light Celebration Beer Hall and a display

elevator display, measuring 9 feet high by 16 feet wide, will

in front of the newly renovated “Row of Honor” measuring

be installed in the G-P Atrium to capture fans attention

5 feet high by 30 feet wide for additional messaging

when inside the premium area. These three displays feature

opportunities to highlight the names of the men and women

2.5-millimeter pixel spacings to deliver crisp, clear imagery

who have served and will be honored at every ticketed event

as they help immerse fans in the live event experience.

at the stadium. The main video board, as well as the ribbon

The Gillette Stadium channel lettering above the north end

and field-level displays, all feature 10-millimeter pixel

zone displays will also be brought to light, in conjunction

spacing.

with Design Communications, Ltd., with full-colour LED

“Gillette Stadium continues its strong commitment to the

modules, which can change colours and content. These

overall fan experience by continually improving technology at

channel letters measure 14 feet high by 108 feet wide and

its facility, including new LED displays installed over the past

feature 10-millimeter pixel spacing. Also working with DCL,

few seasons and a massive end zone video display that was

five double-sided pylon displays are being added in the Enel

installed this year,” said Daktronics President and CEO Reece

Plaza. Each display features 3.9-millimeter pixel spacing

Kurtenbach.

and measures 6.5 feet high by 5 feet wide to bring additional

“Their team is fantastic to work with and we’re proud to

excitement to the plaza for all stadium events.

continue our longstanding partnership with the Kraft Group.”

The Daktronics control system, applications engineering and

As fans enter from the north, they will be welcomed to

creative services teams controls everything in the building,

the stadium through the TicketMaster gate featuring a

not just the end zone. Run by Daktronics Show Control

canopy that measures 3.5 feet high by 163 feet wide and

System with Camino, a real-time render engine for the

features a tight 5.9-millimeter pixel spacing. Two indoor

Live Events, and Venus Control Suite (VCS) for scheduled

displays, measuring 18 feet high by 64 feet wide, and an

operation.

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036

The end zone display, along with all of the displays in the

The secret lies in Camino’s real-time rendering engine

stadium, is full of pixels. The main display is 11,088 pixels

which allows it to generate charts, graphics, animations,

wide by 1,800 pixels high. To control that many pixels with

3D spaces, display transitions, dynamic content movements

pixel-accurate playback, the Daktronics team collaborated

and visualisations based on the logic programmed into the

closely with Gillette Stadium’s team, including the New

timeline-based content it receives.

England Patriots and Revolution, to ensure everything

Unlike other platforms, Camino doesn’t need to pre-render

worked as expected.

is content. It simply renders it in real-time with the special

This huge display at Gillette Stadium enhances the game

effects that viewers love to see.

experience by showcasing dynamic content while sharing

Behind the scenes, there is a complex system of logic-

all the game statistics and data that fans crave. To achieve

based content created using various timelines that include

this, Daktronics used innovative technologies such as Show

keyframes, data fields and conditional or data-triggered

Control, Daktronics Media Players (DMP) and Camino.

logic. Camino effortlessly processes this content and

These tools help drive the content to the display and create

generates stunning visuals that capture your attention. These

a dynamic presentation that takes the game experience to

visualisations and charts are able to respond to real-time

the next level. With this unified control system, Daktronics

events in the game without the need for extensive pre-

provided a turnkey package that elevates both the game

rendering, ultimately improving the storytelling aspect of a

experience and the content itself.

game-day production.

Jhonneal Exposito, Digital Artist with Daktronics said: ”Our

Over roughly three months, the Daktronics creative team and

Camino Real-time render platform allows you to visualize

applications engineers worked through a vision for the New

and tell stories with the data, going beyond just presenting

England Patriots. Taking the team’s branding and assets, and

numbers. The captivating animations and transitions elevate

then combining them with new functionality introduced by

the experience beyond traditional static data frames.”

Camino, they were able to come up with this new vision for

Including new data visualiaations to compare team and player

their game-day experience. From initial conceptualisation all

statistics and represent data outside of the typical numeric

the way through delivery, the teams worked hand in hand to

fashion, content with multiple states or timelines add a new

ensure the final product would impress fans at every game.

level of excitement to Gillette Stadium’s productions. They

For the north end zone display, Camino templates were

are also built in logic to automate content for an effortless

created to allow for more statistics, dynamic content and

workflow. This all integrates directly into the same Display

visualisations. This means each side or end of the display

Studio workflow that the venue has used for years.

was able to show data while a lower ribbon look along the

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Made in Italy

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038

entire bottom of the display shared game-in-progress (GIP)

feel of the standard creative assets provided by the New

information.

England Patriots and elevated them in a new, exciting way.

The main look shows the clock, score, down and distance

The coordination with the teams, their graphics and

information, and on the side, stats are refreshed regularly. It

Daktronics ultimately delivered a more impactful

starts with stats for both teams and then cycles through stats

presentation and experience for fans, which is the primary

more regularly as the game moves along, including passing,

focus of implementing a new display of this size – it deserves

rushing and receiving leaders – all completely automated.

the content and presentation to match.

Triggers for certain content to be played are included with

“The goal with this project was to add engaging and

this integration, which shows animations and different zones

informative visuals for every fan in the stadium,” said Eric

on each end of the display to show specific information. In

Edens, Daktronics’ Applications Engineer. “Using the tools

the case of a touchdown, the animation will show on the

that Camino has to offer we were able to not only automate

lower ribbon look and right side while the left side shows a

much of the game related information, but dynamically

player headshot.

display more in-depth information to tell the story of the

The real-time render capabilities of Show Control with

events unfolding.

Camino also allows for fantasy stats and data to transition on

“The clock and score are great, but when we automate the

each side of the display with animations that load each player

ability to display player statistics as plays happen the story

and their corresponding data. Then, it shows out of town

begins to unfold. Let’s really highlight what is happening

scores followed by team comparisons, looping through the

both here and across the league. Sure, these are the top

information automatically on the display.

five fantasy running backs this week, but why? Let’s dive

Finally, score alerts from around the league can be noted

into that data and let fans know. Sure, this team is winning

prior to the game and automatically triggered to show or can

against that team, but let’s reveal why, let’s show what is

be given a designated play stoppage to trigger this content.

happening in that game and display it visually so it is very

Altogether, Show Control with Camino and the LED display

easy for viewers to digest. Not to mention, let’s automate

worked to bring a far more dynamic level of production to

it, so when the score of that other game changes, fans are

help tell the story of the game inside the stadium as well as

updated immediately without anyone lifting a finger.”

other games around the league. With dynamic new content

The results were more captivating content that brought

for out-of-town scores, fantasy stats and score alerts, fans

dimension and depth to the display, delivering more

are kept up to speed with everything happening around the

movement and aesthetically-pleasing visuals. The display

league right from their seats.

was brought to life – and Daktronics control system and team

The Creative Services group at Daktronics took the look and

made it happen.

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ride creative

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BMW PARK Munich, Germany Images: Lukas Mengeler

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042

n a groundbreaking moment at BMW Park on

experience during the game, featuring unprecedented

September 29 2023, history was made as FC

animations triggered by dunks, three-point shots, or

Bayern Basketball faced off against SYNTAINICS

converted free throws. Its entertainment and advertising

MBC in the first-ever official league basketball

potential shone particularly during the run-in show, halftime

game played on ASB GlassFloor’s high-tech glass video sports

break, and game interruptions, presenting a groundbreaking

surface.

innovation that promises to revolutionise indoor sports for

ASB GlassFloor, having already captivated players, fans,

the German audience.

and officials at the U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in

Beyond its entertainment value, the ASB GlassFloor’s

Madrid, took centre stage in a first league match for the first

true triumph lies in enhancing the player experience. Its

time. The moment was not only significant for the sport, but

gentle elasticity reduces joint stress, and the ceramic dots

also marked an unforgettable reception for German world

integrated into the glass provide not only an excellent grip

champions - Andreas Obst, Niels Giffey, and Isaac Bonga

but also protection against skin burns. The days of slippery

– with all the fans in the venue witnessing a truly special

floor stickers are now a thing of the past, thanks to digital

occasion.

solutions that ensure a safer playing environment for

athletes.

application, the ASB GlassFloor delivered a unique visual

The feedback from the players was, once again, hugely

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Revolutionise Your Game with ASB GlassFloor Experience the Future of Sports and Entertainment. ASB GlassFloor blends innovation and athleticism, merging cutting-edge technology with the thrill of the game. Whether it’s basketball, volleyball, or any other indoor sport, elevate your performance on our stateof-the-art, customizable ASB GlassFloor. With embedded LED lines, interactive graphics, and superior durability, redefine your playing experience. Step onto ASB GlassFloor and step into the future of sports. Dare to play differently.

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THE FULL PITCH

044

positive. Not only does Germany boast the world champions,

a world premiere for FC Bayern Munich Basketball and the

but also an innovation that will revolutionise the sport of

Basketball Bundesliga is entirely in line with ethos and

basketball.

objectives laid out.

“This is next level, what you can play there,” said Stefan

“We entered into the partnership with FC Bayern Munich

Holz, Managing Director of the Bundesliga (BBL), who went

Basketball with the promise to further develop the BMW Park

on to describe the technology as simply “remarkable.”

into a sports and event arena that is an attraction in and for

The technological debut found its perfect stage at BMW Park,

the sports city of Munich,” said Bernd Döpke, Head of BMW

due to the partnership between BMW Munich and FC Bayern

Munich.

München Basketball. Since it established in July 2023, the

“The first league game in BMW Park on this high-

partnership has been guided by four key objectives: achieving

tech surface is an absolute highlight in this respect and

sporting success, promoting sustainable mobility, fostering

impressively shows that BMW is breaking new ground and

social commitment, and delivering a premium experience for

taking on a pioneering role both in terms of technology and

spectators at BMW Park. So, the bold statement of facilitating

in terms of visitor experience.”

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“We are thrilled about the commitment of our partner BMW,

envisions that all Bundesliga locations could play on such

who makes this spectacular event possible,” added FC Bayern

a surface. A corresponding financing model has been under

Munich Basketball’s Managing Director, Marko Pesic. “I

consideration for some time. Christof explained: “Our plan

have known about this technical innovation for a long time

is to provide this surface to all 18 Bundesliga clubs. We know

and can only say to our fans: Look at it, come into the hall,

how to work on that.”

because it will be unique!

Christof Babinsky expressed his pride in the triple Bavarian

“Once again a big thank you to BMW for presenting this

cooperation between FC Bayern, BMW, and ASB GlassFloor,

highlight to our fans. Our players, who got a first impression

creating an innovative and high-performance team.

of this promising hall floor technology at our successful meet

Essentially, ASB have come to basketball for the long haul,

& greet at BMW Welt last week, will also be thrilled.”

and the plan is to make this surface available to all 18

It’s entirely conceivable that this beginning in Munich could

Bundesliga clubs in the near future.

lead to other high-profile matches, too. Christof Babinsky, Managing Director of ASB GlassFloor,

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045

33 VENUE FOCUS

AUDIO

048 058 062 068 074 078 082

VIDEO 086 Oakland Arena | Oakland, USA 090 DNB Arena | Stavanger, Norway 094 Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, USA

SEATING 100 LDLC Arena | Lyon, France

BROADCAST 104 Chase Field | Phoenix, USA

MEADOW LANE Nottingham, England Images: Electro-Voice

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AUDIO

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otts County have listened to fan requests and

stadium built in the early 1990s. When these stands were

upgraded the sound system at its Meadow Lane

completed, the club purchased a second-hand sound system

stadium. Having experienced the challenges of

from a different football club. While this initially worked for

an aging PA for several years, the football club

the club, by the end of the 2022-23 season the age of the

opted to invest in a top-of-the-line solution to improve the

solution meant that it was no longer fit for purpose and fans

matchday experience while also meeting all the life safety

were calling on Notts County to invest in better sound.

requirements of the 18,816-capacity ground. To achieve

“There were a variety of comments from fans,” said Martin

these goals, Notts County turned to the combined benefits of

Baker, Finance Consultant at Notts County. “Some said the

Electro-Voice, Dynacord and Bosch equipment.

sound wasn’t clear, others thought it was sometimes too loud

As the oldest professional football club in the world and a

and disappeared. It was just inconsistent, and we felt that it

founder member of the football league, Notts County has the

was difficult to engage properly with fans.”

kind of history that generates a large and dedicated fan base.

Having already added large screens to the stadium, Notts

While established in 1862, the club has been playing its home

Country could see the extra value that AV solutions can bring

games at Meadow Lane since 1910, with the current all-seater

to a matchday experience. It saw the benefit of being able

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IP-connected and fully-featured

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to combine these screens with superior stadium sound to do

this we could design acoustically what would fit best into the

everything from helping to build the atmosphere before a

space we had.”

game to showing on-pitch interviews at half time and after

The design called on 40 EVH1152D 15” two-way coaxial

the match.

loudspeakers supplemented by 18 EVF2151D subwoofers

Notts County enlisted the help of local systems integrator UK

to provide a PA that could be compliant with safety

Audio Engineering to design the new sound system. In turn,

requirements while also working for entertainment. These

the installer called on the support of the Electro-Voice and

are driven by five IPX10:8 and one IPX5:4 fixed-installation

Dynacord UK office to ensure the system gave the fans the

amplifiers with processing and control via a pair of MXE5

experience they wanted.

Matrix Mix Engines.

Jordan Alderton, Director of UK Audio Engineering, said:

“The MXE5 allows us to recall presets for different matchday

“We were approached by the club to take a look at its ageing

situations while the pro-sound solution is connected to the

system. We spoke in detail about the club’s requirements,

life-safety system via GPIO ports,” aadded Electro-Voice and

then, from there, we worked closely with Electro-Voice and

Dynacord Sales Manager Richard Leadbitter. “There’s a lot

Bosch teams to create a complete proposal that met their

of processing that goes on there that allows us to tune the

expectations and budget.

system.”

“It needed to be compliant as it’s part of a life-safety system,

The loudspeakers at Meadow Lane are all controlled and

but the club also wanted something that was going to

monitored via SONICUE Sound System Software. “We worked

elevate the game. Using EN54 loudspeakers on the one hand

with the end-user to give them a custom GUI for control,”

allowed us to fulfil the compliant requirement, while adding

noted Richard. “This gives them the control that they want,

subwoofers really added to the fan experience.”

delivered in an easy-to-understand way.”

“We worked with the UK Audio Engineering team to design

The second aspect of the sound system was to ensure that

the system from the ground up,” explained Arthur Achard,

all required safety standards were met. To achieve this, UK

Electro-Voice and Dynacord Senior Sales Manager. “There

Audio Engineering recommended a Bosch Praesensa system

were no drawings available for the stadium, so we measured

that could directly connect into the pro sound system.

all the stands, the step count and the height of the roof. From

“Praesensa takes care of all of the public address and any

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life-safety critical communications that need to be made,” explained Arthur. Jordan continued: “All three brands are renowned the world over, particularly in stadia. As EV and Dynacord are owned by Bosch, it means that loudspeakers, amplifiers, DSP and voice alarm components can be provided by one company. This makes integrations seamless and allows us to provide custom panels and user interfaces that give the specific control and monitoring the club needed.” Richard furthered: “As with all our projects, it’s important that the customer is happy not just immediately following completion, but long-term. Of course, we were there for the installation and commissioning phase to support UK Audio Engineering, but we have also visited Meadow Lane a number of times since and the feedback has really been excellent from both the club and fans alike.” Reflecting on the result, Jordan is pleased with the new system: “The sound quality is unrivalled in this league and you would have to go to the Premier League level to find something similar. We are very satisfied with how it has come together.” “We’re very happy,” concluded Martin. “I think the matchday experience will be a lot more enjoyable for all our spectators.”

054

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ALFREDO HARP HELÚ STADIUM Iztacalco, Mexico Images: NEXO

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t’s more than 20 years since Mexican businessman and philanthropist Alfredo Harp Helú promised the Diablos Rojos del México and their fans a permanent home fit for the most winning team in the history of Mexican baseball.

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Now the magnificent Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium stands as

6 x GEOS1230s, with the steeply tapered boxes formed into

testament to this baseball super-fan’s passion for the game.

a tightly curved array covering the crowd from pitch-side

The first new stadium to be built in Mexico City in the

the rear of the top tier. “The S12’s patented Configurable

last 50 years, the AHH features an iconic roof resembling

Directivity Device made it easy to configure the top 2 boxes

a devil’s fork, rising to a height of 31 metres. In the brief

for the 120-degrees horizontal HF dispersion we needed,

for a sound system commensurate with a project of such

while focusing the bottom 4 boxes more tightly at 80

uncompromising standards, it was critical that speakers

degrees” reports Manuel.

should add as little weight as possible to a structure already

The GEO S12 / LS18 clusters in the roof are supplemented

weighing some 5,000 tons.

by six hangs of just 4 x NEXO GEO M10 line array elements

“Our customer LOGEN was appointed as audio system

covering the open seating at the end of the stadium where the

integrator for the project, and they asked us to propose a

screen is located.

system that could provide the power and coverage needed

“We designed a fibre network to connect the NEXO NXAMP

while meeting the demanding limitations on weight”

powered controllers which are located in five small machine

reports Manuel Tapia, Technical Support Manager at NEXO

rooms around the stadium” continues Manuel. “It quickly

distributor Rep de Audio.

became obvious that it would take one person at least 15

“NEXO GEO S12 is a powerful, long-throw box already

minutes to walk around and switch the system on and off,

installed in many prestigious sports stadiums around the

so we implemented a system to switch the amplifiers on and

world, so we used NS-1 configuration software to design a

off in sequence from the control room, where they are also

system of just 7 relatively small and light S12 clusters that

centrally monitored and controlled.”

could hang from the roof and cover the main stands. NS-1

Throughout the design and build phases, Manuel and the

also gave us the necessary reports for system dimensions,

team at Rep de Audio supported LOGEN in weekly meetings

weight, gravity centre position, forces, moments, working

with architects and builders, then on-site with training on

load and safety factors.”

configuring the clusters using custom metalwork to attach to

Flown with an LS18 sub at the top, each cluster comprises

the stadium roof.

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AUGMENTED REALITY

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“We were allocated a room at the stadium to train the guys

“The installation process was quite challenging as each

at LOGEN on building a complete cluster from scratch” says

cluster had to be installed at the top of the very high stadium

Manuel. “Then they did a great job of replicating the process

roof, with a custom-designed mounting that also allows for

7 more times, but this time at a height of over 30 metres!”

easy maintenance in the future.”

Commenting on behalf of Mexico City-based engineering,

Speaking for the Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, Director

design and systems integration specialists LOGEN,

Francisco Ramos Peña Roja says “The sound system is of

Commercial Director Eduardo Zapiain says “We worked as a

great quality. If it can be summed up in one word, it is

team with Rep de Audio and their personalised attention and

‘excellent’, with great clarity, power and volume, all without

technical support helped ensure that the project was carried

distortion.”

out without problems.

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SYDNEY SHOWGROUND Sydney, Australia Images: LEA Professional, Sydney Showground

ustralia’s Sydney Showground was established in 1998 as a purpose-built home for major events as part of the multimillion dollar development leading up to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

The area has since evolved into a world-class facility, hosting nearly 150 national and international events annually. Among its diverse events are sporting events, music festivals, exhibitions, trade shows, and the iconic Sydney Royal Easter Show - the nation’s largest annual ticketed event.

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064

Comprising various structures, including Giants Stadium,

for comprehensive monitoring and supervision, the AV

the Dome and Exhibition Complex, Charles Moses Stadium,

upgrade focused on integrating LEA’s amplifiers for their

Howie Complex, and the Sydney Royal Stables, Sydney

line-monitoring capabilities. This became crucial, especially

Showground recently undertook a refurbishment of its AV

for smaller venues where AV systems were infrequently used,

system after 25 years of continuous operation.

leading to sub-optimal performance discovered only during

To restore the system to its former glory, the venue turned to

pre-event testing. The real-time notification feature of LEA’s

LEA Professional’s Connect Series amplifiers, with The P.A.

line-monitoring enables staff to address device issues or

People, a leading Australian integrator, enlisted to oversee

signal disruptions promptly, often resolving them before they

the system overhaul.

impact events.

Ross Ford, Project Manager at The P.A. People, highlighted

A mixture of nine LEA Connect Series 354D amplifiers and

the operational advantages of LEA amplifiers: “From an

nine LEA Connect Series 704D amplifiers were deployed

operational point of view, LEA amplifiers offered us several

in the smaller venues. The CS354D is a Dante-enabled

key features that made them easy to integrate. The ability

4-channel amplifier with 350 watts per channel, while the

to bridge channels, ingest Dante inputs, and utilise analog

CS704D is a Dante-enabled 4-channel amplifier with 700

inputs for the fire trip lines, plus they’re a lot smaller and

watts per channel. Both are perfectly suited for small to

more compact than many competitive offerings.”

medium-scale installations and support high-Z (70V or 100V)

Each pavilion at Sydney Showground boasts a standalone

and low-Z selectable by channel, giving the Showground

public address system, complemented by a site-wide

excess capabilities for additional loudspeakers in the future.

emergency communication system. Recognising the need

For the Dome and Exhibition Complex, The P.A. People

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’s

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Upgrade Upgrade youryour audio audio game game withwith LEALEA Professional’s Professional’s cutting-edge cutting-edge smart smart amplifiers, amplifiers, builtbuilt specifically specifically Upgrade your audio game with LEA Professional’s cutting-edge smart amplifiers, built specifically Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade Upgrade your your your audio audio audio your game game audio game with with game with LEA LEA LEA with Professional’s Professional’s Professional’s LEA Professional’s cutting-edge cutting-edge cutting-edge cutting-edge smart smart smart amplifiers, amplifiers, smart amplifiers, amplifiers, built built built specifically specifically specifically built specifically for savvy for savvy AV AV system system integrators. integrators. Upgrade Upgrade your your your audio audio audio game game game with with with LEA LEA LEA Professional’s Professional’s Professional’s cutting-edge cutting-edge cutting-edge smart smart smart amplifiers, amplifiers, amplifiers, built built built specifically specifically specifically for savvy AV system integrators. forUpgrade forsavvy forsavvy savvy for AV AV savvy AV system system system AV integrators. system integrators. integrators. integrators. forforsavvy forsavvy savvy AV AV AV system system system integrators. integrators. integrators. Visit Visit leaprofessional.com leaprofessional.com to to upgrade upgrade today. today. Visit leaprofessional.com to upgrade today. Visit Visit Visit leaprofessional.com Visit leaprofessional.com leaprofessional.com leaprofessional.com to to to upgrade upgrade upgrade to upgrade today. today. today. today. Visit Visit Visit leaprofessional.com leaprofessional.com leaprofessional.com to to to upgrade upgrade upgrade today. today. today.

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installed 13 LEA Connect Series 1504D. The CS1504D is LEA

P.A. People and Sydney Showground.

Professional’s flagship high-power IoT-enabled amplifier.

Ford explained further: “Sydney Showground is a

A 2RU 4-channel amplifier offering 1500 watts per channel,

longstanding client of ours and great to work with. They

it’s ideal for large concert venues, arenas and stadiums. The

are very respectful of our professional capability in making

CS1504D is Dante-enabled and supports high-Z (70V or 100V)

recommendations to them based on product performance.

and low-Z selectable by channel, providing capabilities for

The proof is that all the AV systems worked as intended

possible expansion.

and, more importantly, RAS received no user complaints

Despite the challenge of working in venues constantly in

during this year’s Royal Easter Show. It’s a good working

use, the installation team strategically planned upgrades

relationship; having the right products like LEA’s amplifiers

and equipment swaps. LEA’s Sharkware software facilitated

is the key.”

efficient device configuration, saving valuable commissioning

Jonathan Seward, Head of RAS Property and Sydney Royal

time.

Easter Show Operations concluded: “The RAS managed site,

Ross Ford expressed satisfaction with the outcome: “Because

Sydney Showground is spread over 30 hectares (approx.

of the quality of LEA’s amplifiers and the ease of being able

72acres) with a diverse offering of event spaces up to 7,000

to implement them in the infrastructure, we were able to

sq metres column free (approx. 17,000 sq feet). The flexibility

swap out 15 amplifiers in a few days. That time included

and performance of our PA system is crucial to the safe and

tuning and setting up all the system parameters and making

effective performance of our venue and we are thrilled with

them operational.”

the positive system performance outcome, a fit-for-purpose

Sydney Showground staff were equally pleased with the

solution and our working relationship with the P.A. People

seamless changeovers, especially with the Royal Easter Show

has been exceptional.”

approaching, where flawless AV systems were imperative. Ford emphasised the success of the project, attributing it to the longstanding and collaborative relationship between The

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Singapore Smash 2023 (World Table Tennis)

DOTA2 International 2022 Finals (Esports)

Vivint Arena (Utah Jazz Sports Stadium)

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AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD Milwaukee, USA Images: Diversified, Shuttershock

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owersoft’s Dante-compatible Quattrocanali

Diversified’s brief for American Family Field, explained Jeff

DSP+D amplifiers are central to a comprehensive

Dykhouse, Senior Design Engineer, Sports & Live Events, was

sound system upgrade completed recently at

to replace an “ageing, voice-focused” sound system with a

American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“modern, high-performance system offering high-resolution,

American Family Field is home to baseball team the

full-range music and voice to every seat in the venue.”

Milwaukee Brewers, who have played home matches at the

Audio consultancy, WJHW, handled the design for the new PA

41,900-seat ballpark since 2001. The stadium, formerly

system, with Diversified suggesting “some substitutions and

known as Miller Park, is also a major local concert venue,

improvements” that led to the final lay-out, added Dykhouse,

having in recent years hosted shows by artists including Pink,

who served as the engineer of record for the project.

Ed Sheeran, Billy Joel and Kenny Chesney.

For the new sound system, Diversified specified 67

The Powersoft amplifiers, comprising Quattrocanali 1204

Quattrocanali amplifiers – 2 × 1204 DSP+D, 1 × 2404

DSP+D, 2404 DSP+D, 4804 DSP+D and 8804 DSP+D – which

DSP+D, 24 × 4804 DSP+D and 40 × 8804 DSP+D – to power

offer four channels of output at 1,200W, 2,400W, 4,800W and

speakers from Fulcrum Acoustic (FH, GX and CX series) and

9,600W of power, respectively – form an integral part of a

Community (R.15 and R.35), as well as a DiGiCo Quantum

loudspeaker, amplifier and control-system upgrade overseen

225, all managed by a QSC Q-SYS DSP.

by technology solutions provider Diversified, which has

The Quattrocanalis are installed in three amplifier rooms,

offices around the US, as well as in London, Tokyo, Bangalore

located near the stadium’s first base, home plate and

and across Australia.

third base seating zones. The amplifiers were set up using

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Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software and are controlled using

Woida in turn is full of praise for Diversified’s work in

the Powersoft plug-in for Q-SYS. Diversified also used

Milwaukee. “We are thrilled to have joined forces with

ArmoníaPlus to configure and tune the entire seating bowl

Diversified on this transformative project, which showcased

system.

both companies’ dedication to audio excellence on a grand

According to Dykhouse, Diversified chose Quattrocanali

stage,” said Woida. “Together with Diversified we hit all the

DSP+D amplifiers for their high power and digital

right notes, and the result speaks for itself.”

connectivity – all Powersoft DSP+D models are able to receive

Dykhouse added: “The team at American Family Field and

audio-over-IP steams via Dante/AES67 – as well as their

Powersoft were a joy to work with and we look forward to

quick start-up in the event of power failure.

opportunities to work with them again.”

He also highlights the support offered by the Powersoft US team during the install, in particular that provided by Senior Sales Engineer, Rick Woida, who helped the Diversified team configure the new system. “Rick Woida from Powersoft USA engaged Powersoft’s software team to make changes to the Q-SYS plugin that were needed for the visual user interface deployed at the venue. We couldn’t be happier with how helpful they were,” he commented.

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THE PLATFORM WITH THE AMPLIFIER ON BOARD. So capable. So Unica. Unica will have a fresh-out-of-the-box feel throughout its life, and it will be possible to integrate features and functionalities down the line, making it truly futureproof. Proving the engineering efforts undertaken in the development of this platform are 5 registered patents. Unica cloud based amplifier platform. Unlock the power of consistency.

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11/04/23 16:24

STADE GEOFFROYGUICHARD Saint-Étienne, France Images: d&b audiotechnik

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075

s part of its recent refurbishment, Stade

To make it so, the audio team faced multiple technical

Geoffroy-Guichard in the French city of Saint-

challenges. Firstly, the new audio system needed to provide

Étienne is set out to tackle its issues with audio

a full-range, precise sound to every listener in the stadium,

intelligibility, settling on a solution from d&b

regardless of where they were seated. Secondly, it would have

audiotechnik. Combining unrivalled live sound with a high

to solve the stadium’s existing issues with poor intelligibility

level of intelligibility for announcements, the stadium now

of announcements – a problem exacerbated by the legendary

boasts a best-in-class audio performance.

fervour of Saint-Étienne’s supporters and the stadium’s

Dating from 1931, the historic stadium is home to the city’s

RT60 reverberation time of more than five seconds in the

local football team and has been the setting for several

lower frequencies. Adding further to the challenge, the new

top-flight encounters during FIFA’s Euro and World

solution would have to allow for the low weight-loading of

Cup competitions. Responsible for enhancing the overall

the stadium structure itself, as well as being as unobtrusive

experience for the stadium’s audiences was Lyon-based

as possible to protect audience sightlines.

design consultancy, Cobalt. Like the stadium’s management

The system chosen to meet these demanding criteria

team, Cobalt’s CEO Pierre-Philippe Garde had a holistic vision

was based around d&b audiotechnik’s Y-Series line array

for the stadium – one which would give visitors to Stade

modules, along with point source loudspeakers from its xS

Geoffroy-Guichard a new and improved ‘live’ experience. He

Series. Low-end support is provided by the d&b Vi-SUB SVS

says, “In this type of complete refurbishment, the general

– the stadium-specific installation version of the V-SUB.

impression you’ll get of the whole project as a spectator will

Although designed for ground-stacked applications, the subs

be linked to sound, video and light – all the aspects have to

here are in fact flown behind the top cabinets.

be perfect.”

While the Vi-SUBs deliver the benefit of their cardioid

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performance and exceptional output-to-weight ratio, the

integrator VideoScope and consequently it was they who

Y-Series’ installation-specific Yi12 and Yi8 boxes were

were responsible for the cabling and the control room

chosen for their excellent directivity control. The 24S and

implementation. To minimise cable losses, all the speakers

10S-D point source speakers were selected because they

are wired separately to the amplifiers. This also allows future

ensure a tonal balance which seamlessly continues the

plug-and-play improvement with d&b ArrayProcessing to

intelligibility beyond the areas covered by the Y series

maximise the comfort of the sound levels in the commentary

clusters. Together, the directivity and control characteristics

positions.

of these loudspeakers made them an ideal choice for

In all, the d&b team was able to contribute its considerable

improving intelligibility while reducing weight requirements

expertise to a variety of challenges, helping to successfully

and maximising sightlines.

achieve the sound element of the overall vision for the

d&b’s Custom Solutions team – including Nicholas Traa,

stadium shared by the stadium management and Cobalt’s

Lukas Walter, and Michael Eckstein – provided valuable

Pierre-Philippe Garde – making this a live experience to be

assistance throughout the project. They were able to design

remembered, and repeated.

a dedicated rigging solution adapted to the new stadium’s carpentry, while a new algorithm developed by d&b was also used to speed up the calculation times, making for an important time saving during the fine-tuning of the project. The physical installation was carried out by main contractor SPIE, led by project manager Damien Venet. The stadium’s technical operation is looked after by local

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AUDIO

ENERSENSE AREENA Pori, Finland Images: Aura Audio

nersense Areena is a venue nestled in the heart of Pori, Finland. Serving as the home for the renowned ice hockey club, Porin Ässät, this multifunctional arena that has been a focal point of entertainment since its inauguration in 1971.

With a seating capacity of 6,150 for hockey games and 4,000 for concerts, Enersense Areena has recently undergone a revamp of its audio system. The venue faced a unique challenge with limited rigging weight capability due to the presence of essential machinery, such as air conditioning, occupying most of the available capacity. After detailed inspections, only specific lifting points were identified: a central point with a capacity of 300kg and ten additional points around the hall seating areas, each with a 90kg capacity. To meet the stringent sound pressure level (SPL) requirements of 110dB/C/ peak for the lively hockey fans and 120dB/peak for the centrally positioned subwoofer above the screen, a meticulous approach was essential. Mikko Kiviharju, Audio Consultant from Mixa, who assisted in the system

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design, takes up the story: “When we began planning and

sources and XD10 subwoofers, all powered by Aura Audio D2Q

design the Enersense Areena’s sound system upgrade, we

amplifiers, ensured an exceptional sound experience in each

faced several diverse challenges in advance. Hanging loads

area.

and the durability of the roof structures required extensive

Over 100 i3 fills were strategically placed to cover VIP areas

negotiations and drawings with mechanical engineer to find

and remote audience locations beyond the reach of the S3

the best solution for the quantity and placement of speakers.

main system. The result is a cohesive audio environment,

“The arena’s user base includes league games, figure skating,

seamlessly blending with the dynamic nature of the venue.

junior practices as well as concerts and exhibitions. Therefore,

To manage the complexity of the entire audio system, an

the sound system needs to be able for serve a wide range of

Allen & Heath AHM32 processor, operating through a Dante

events.

network, was chosen. Covering 30 zones and 28 inputs,

“We aimed to minimise the acoustic challenges of the large

the system accommodates diverse needs – from ice hockey

and reverberant hall from the early design stage, beginning

matches to concerts and even restaurant services.

directly from careful physical speaker selection instead of

Customised Allen & Heath IP1 controllers and tablets are used

wondering what we can do on the DSP side. Aura Audio

to deliver streamlined control, making the system user-

emerged as the winner and, consequently, the installer.”

friendly even for non-technical personnel. A total of 12 D2Q

Aura Audio devised a solution through distributing the main

amplifiers were employed to drive the entire S3 system, i3

speakers into 22 single points, departing from the 4-8 line

fills, and restaurant setups, while D120 amplifiers handled the

array configuration. The newly-designed S3 speaker model,

powerful subwoofers, supported by around two kilometres of

designed from the ground up during the pandemic, played

speaker cable.

a pivotal role. Weighing in at a mere 25kg per speaker, the

Aura Audio’s transformative audio system at Enersense

S3’s horn-loaded design incorporated a 10” LF driver and a

Areena not only met, but exceeded the demanding

1” compression driver loaded with a turnable 90x60 degree

requirements of this multifunctional venue, providing an

CD-horn. The unique orientation of the HF horn, set at 60

unparalleled audio experience for hockey fans and concert-

degrees horizontal and 90 degrees vertical, ensured precise

goers in the main bowl and throughout the hospitality areas.

coverage of the audience area from challenging rigging

“I have been extremely pleased with the solutions provided

locations.

by Aura Audio. The new S-series line of speakers has proven

The S3 also boasts the patented Passive End Fire Technology,

to be a perfect solution when managing challenging acoustic

enhancing directivity and elevating low-frequency

conditions at the speaker level without compromising the

capabilities, resulting in improved speech intelligibility and

volume and quality of sound in the audience area,” Mikko

overall SPL performance.

concluded.

For the subwoofer system, Aura Audio deployed the

“Similarly, the low-frequency system designed for most

powerful XQ48, a horn-loaded subwoofer comprising four

equal sub-bass reproduction over the audience is incredibly

18” drivers. Two of these subwoofer configurations, facing

efficient, considering the extremely limited allowed hanging

each other and capable of producing 150Db SPL bass range,

mass. Fantastic, functional solutions.

seamlessly covered the entire venue, with the central position

“We can be pleased with the successful project; the S-series

guaranteeing uniform coverage.

offers excellent tools for the needs of a sound-system

In addition to the main system, Aura Audio provided tailored

designer, and I believe it can change the game in both live-

solutions for the venue’s three restaurants and pubs. i3 point

and installation industry in future.”

WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

March 3 - 6, 2024

Zone D New Start, GET Smart

AUDIO

2023 LAVER CUP Vancouver, Canada Images: DVOX

n a landmark collaboration, DVOX took centre stage at the Laver Cup 2023, hosted at the iconic Rogers Arena in Vancouver, transforming the way tennis enthusiasts engage with the game. The Laver Cup, an annual spectacle featuring

Team Europe and Team World in a high-stakes men’s team tennis tournament on indoor hardcourts, witnessed a groundbreaking infusion of technology to enhance the fan experience. Commissioned by the Laver Cup organisers, DVOX set out to redefine fan engagement by introducing a revolutionary live audio streaming solution directly to fans’ mobile devices. This bespoke feature granted fans access to four distinct live streams, including the in-house programme, broadcast audio feeds, and two exclusive live feeds from the players’ benches. The impact was profound, with a global reach of 2500 listeners over three days, peaking at 900 users during Saturday’s matches alone. Impressively, DVOX boasted a high retention rate, with 25% of users staying connected for over an hour and 40% remaining engaged for more than 30 minutes. Throughout this timeframe, 75% of DVOX users seamlessly toggled between various audio streams, demonstrating the versatility and appeal of the technology.

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DVOX’s core advantages became evident as the technology

court, seamlessly integrating fans into the live experience.

seamlessly integrated into the Laver Cup environment. A

DVOX’s impact extended beyond the on-court dynamics,

brief 10-minute discussion with the sound team and an

offering on-demand audio content options that enriched

additional five minutes with the IT specialist paved the way

the overall event experience. Exclusive features traditionally

for a solution that was up and running less than an hour after

reserved for broadcast, such as coin tosses and pre-game

arriving on site. The real-time audio streaming directly from

comments, were conveniently accessible on mobile devices

the court ensured a synchronised experience, eliminating

within the venue. Downtime and intermissions were

latency and providing fans with an audiovisual spectacle that

transformed into engaging moments, too, with commentator

matched the on-court action.

analysis and insights.

Access to the exclusive audio feeds was limited to Laver

The availability of multiple on-demand audio content

Cup attendees, made possible by leveraging the local WiFi

options proved to be an effective strategy for capturing and

infrastructure of the Rogers Arena. Fans simply connected

maintaining audience attention, underscoring DVOX’s ability

to the local WiFi and scanned a QR code displayed on the

to revolutionize live event experiences.

jumbotron, unlocking a new dimension of immersive tennis

In conclusion, DVOX’s innovative technology has ushered

experience.

in a new era in live event experiences, making broadcast

In particular, the live audio feeds directly from the players’

exclusive features easily accessible on mobile devices. By

benches elevated the audience’s proximity to the action.

providing engaging audio content options, DVOX has not

Fans expressed genuine excitement and novelty, revelling

only captivated audiences, but also opened new avenues

in the opportunity to eavesdrop on player interactions with

and opportunities for event organisers. The Laver Cup 2023

teammates, creating an intimate connection with the game.

stands as a testament to the transformative power of DVOX

Peak connections correlated with live on-court events,

technology in redefining the intersection of sports and

demonstrating the power of DVOX in bringing spectators

technology. The future of live events has never sounded more

closer to the heart of the game. DVOX acted as the ears on the

promising.

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PITCH PERFECT SOUND

From local arenas to flagship international stadia, NEXO delivers a thrilling sonic experience for fans along with full safety compliance for stadium operators. Find out more about pitch perfect sound at nexo.sa.com

Thinking. Inside the box.

Sans titre-1 1

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VIDEO

OAKLAND ARENA Oakland, USA Images: VITEC

akland Arena is a historic multi-purpose indoor venue built in 1966 and is a Northern California leader in live entertainment, playing host to many events per year, from concerts to family shows to sporting events. The Arena hosted the NBA’s Golden

State Warriors from 1971 to 2019, as well as other pro teams, including the NHL’s California Golden Seals from 1967 to 1976.

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Oakland Arena has been updated through multiple

The Arena partnered with Rectitude 369 and they opted for

renovations, including a $100 million project in 1996. To

a VITEC IPTV and Digital Signage system to be deployed

support demand, capacity increased to 19,200, while 72 luxury

throughout the facility, including EP4 end-points as a

suites and three exclusive clubs were added to enhance guest

direct result of hearing positive feedback regarding VITEC’s

experience.

technology and discussing specifics with VITEC. The team

Oakland Arena required an IPTV and digital signage system

chose to stream at 1080p to match the existing resolution of

for use at its events, primarily on concourses, as menu

displays at the location.

boards, and to display live feeds of sponsor and event

With events still occurring, the installation was carefully

messaging in its suites. The venue had previously used a

phased to minimise disruption. “The installation process was

legacy digital signage system installed in the early 2000s.

a very smooth transition with VITEC. They were physically

However, the legacy system is no longer directly supported

on-site, and they took the reins and worked with us on

by the manufacturer, so the Arena team began to seek a

our system to help us get it implemented, troubleshooting

replacement in 2022.

issues and not leaving until it was up and running. It was

“It was an old, unreliable system,” said Colby Tucker, Sr.

methodically planned, and the execution was perfect. Once we

Director of Operations at Oakland Arena. “We would regularly

had the VITEC system running and tested in certain areas, I

have approximately a 10% downtime on our 600 or so

couldn’t wait to install it everywhere to retire the old system

screens, and we would have to troubleshoot issues with the

fully.”

screens for every event. Making any changes to the content

With reliability a key requirement, the team has been

would also be a major undertaking, requiring downtime

delighted with the outcome. “It has saved me several hours

on the screens to make a small change. It’s not a good

per week because I’m not troubleshooting errors,” adds

experience for all the screens to go black for any amount of

Tucker. “From our previous downtime of approximately 10%,

time during an event.”

we are running 100% of the time now. I know that things are

The team began searching for a more reliable and adaptable

going to start up and run.”

solution befitting a modern venue. “I had heard good things

The additional flexibility of the system has also allowed the

about the VITEC system,” added Tucker. “We learned about

Arena to update content quickly as required. “The ability to

the competition in the market, and we leaned towards

change things ‘on the fly’ or create new assets very quickly

VITEC because it was trusted in our region, and I trusted its

has allowed us to offer more things to the tours that we host.

technology – it sounded very solid. The biggest thing that it

Making adjustments immediately is a perk I did not have

could provide was a stable environment that was going to run

on the old system, but with VITEC, we can adjust content

when it needed to.”

dynamically. Previously, we would have to bring down

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screens, make the change, and then bring them all back up

box office windows, back-of-house dressing rooms, and

to be able to change content. Now, I can change it for one

utilizing more of the IPTV functionality in the suites. We’ll

screen, send those changes, and trust that it went live with

continue to grow as needed. We also have to plan beyond

almost no delay in the execution.”

concerts to make sure that it will be able to meet the needs of

With its IPTV functionality, the system now also allows TV

future tenants (such as sports teams) and be able to expand

channels to be fed to VIP suites, concourses, and back-of-

and scale that. If we’d just bought a digital signage-only

house areas. “We can offer a more premium experience than

feature, that wouldn’t be a reliable plan moving forward.

we had previously, with a reliable service, TV guide, and

Having a service that can do both IPTV and signage is huge

quality high-resolution content – I’m very happy with the

for us.”

performance and resolution on the screens for the content being provided.” “Given the success, we’ve already started looking at other spaces to expand it and scale up the presence, including the

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DNB ARENA Stavanger, Norway Images: Absen

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orld-leading LED display manufacturer, Absen,

chose world-leading LED manufacturer Absen to supply the

has partnered with Czech sports software

screens for the project. The Absen K3 Plus was specified for

company, Goal Sport, to provide high-

its lightweight and flat design, flexible installation, and easy

performance screens at the home of professional

front and rear maintenance. To maximise the impact, the

Norwegian ice hockey team, Stavanger Oilers.

screens were customised with a 3.9mm pixel pitch to provide

The Stavanger Oilers, a team in Norway’s top ice hockey

a higher brightness and refresh rate for optimal visibility

division, the Fjordkraftligaen, sought to upgrade the outdated

from all angles. Goal Sport worked closely with Norwegian

centre cube display at the DNB Arena, its home stadium and

partners, VideoForce to upgrade the content management

training ground in Stavanger. The arena, with a capacity

system for smart in-broadcasting and video officiating

of 4,500 spectators for ice hockey matches, and 6,000 for

applications.

other events, needed a modern, visually appealing display to

With four screens in total and installed in a convex design,

enhance the fan experience.

each screen measures 6m x 7m, resulting in a striking

Goal Sport, an international AV integrator with expertise in

168m2 of LED. The centre cube provides a 20% larger surface

LED screen technology, was tasked with delivering a turnkey

area and edge-to-edge LED at a slight tilt of 2° for a sleek

installation for the new central visual display. The company

finish and clear view. To ensure the venue’s versatility, the

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lower two meters of the centre cube can be dismantled to

applications, delivering outstanding results,” explained

accommodate events with varying height requirements. This

Ross Burling, Industry Development Director at Absen. “As

flexibility allows the arena to host a wide range of events,

an industry-leading global manufacturer with subsidiaries

including music concerts, circuses, and indoor motocross,

around the world, Absen is able to provide innovative and

while still utilising the centre cube display.

enlivening solutions for a wide range of sporting and stadium

In addition to the Absen screens, Goal Sport provided a

environments.”

complete software solution with venue control GS replay

The partnership between Absen and Goal Sport resulted in

(video switcher and replays), GS Playout for graphics, GS

a state-of-the-art centre cube display that enhances the

timekeeper for ice hockey games, GS scoreboard, and an iOS

fan experience at the DNB Arena. The Absen K3 Plus screens

app for game clock visualisation within the dressing rooms.

provide superior image quality and visibility, while the

Dominik Pavlů, Business Development at Goal Sport: “We

comprehensive software solution ensures seamless operation

chose Absen for this project not only because of our long-

and control.

standing relationship with its European team, but due to the exceptionally high standard of its products. We knew the result would exceed our expectations, and we and the team at the stadium are absolutely delighted to have enhanced the fan experience at the arena.” “This was an exciting project for Absen to be involved in and was a testament to the capabilities of its products for varying

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POWERED BY ABSEN LED POWERED POWERED POWEREDBY BY BYABSEN ABSEN ABSENLED LED LED EXPERTS IN VIRTUAL PRODUCTION EXPERTS EXPERTS EXPERTSIN IN INVIRTUAL VIRTUAL VIRTUALPRODUCTION PRODUCTION PRODUCTION

RTE Studios, Dublin (Image credit: Ireland) RTE Studios, Dublin (Image credit: CTCT Ireland) RTE RTE Studios, Studios, Dublin Dublin (Image (Image credit: credit: CTCT Ireland) Ireland)

TVP Studio, Antwerp (Image credit: Tellion) TVP Studio, Antwerp (Image credit: Tellion) TVP TVP Studio, Studio, Antwerp Antwerp (Image (Image credit: credit: Tellion) Tellion)

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VIDEO

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY Fort Worth, USA Images: digiLED

exas Motor Speedway’s (TMS) new Big Hoss TV debuted in September for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 NASCAR Playoff weekend. Sited on the backstretch of the track, it is made up of digiLED VISION ULTRA panels,

measures a whopping 23,000 square feet, stands 11 storeys high and, with over 8.2 million pixels, it is the equivalent of 4,331 42” TVs. All of this makes it one of the largest screens in the world.

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Committed to TMS and partner and installer for the project,

In this warm and often dry location, fans and filters had been

GoVision, digiLED custom engineered VISION ULTRA,

an Achilles heel for the old system. Adding to environmental

which features specially designed cabinets to enable a 1:1

efficiency, VISION ULTRA is fan free, instead using passive

replacement of the old display.

cooling, and its tiles are aluminium backed to deliver

A key criteria for the replacement screen was to reuse all of

enhanced thermal management. This means maintenance

the existing steel structure, which in turn removed the need

problems become substantially less, and the panels are

for TMS to repurchase about 15 tons of steel - the existing

recyclable at the end of the screen’s life.

layout meant that the original power supplies could also be

Of course, visibility and durability are also key. The screen

repurposed, all thanks to digiLED’s cleverly designed VISION

is subjected to the harsh Texas sun during the day with

ULTRA cabinets.

temperatures reaching around 104F, but the wind is also

The screen was built, tested and shipped within 60 days of

brutal at times, so it must be able to cope with the constant

the order being placed and VISION ULTRA’s unique cabinet

assault of dust. To account for this harsh environment,

design helped GoVision reduce installation time to an

VISION ULTRA has a unique high-brightness design of

incredibly short five weeks.

10,000 nits, providing incredible visuals in unforgiving

While reusing the existing steel was integral for completing

high-temperatures and direct sun. And while the system was

the project on time and had the advantage of bringing it in

shipped in just 60 days, digiLED still put it through intense

under budget, digiLED was also mindful of the importance

testing measures at its factory, including being ‘torture’

this had on reducing environmental impact. The steel

tested to over 160F for three hours at a time.

industry is responsible for around 7% of CO2 emissions

Finally, it was vital to provide the onsite team as much time

globally, making it one of the world’s top three highest

as possible to energize the display in time for the race, but

emitting materials, and whilst the industry is working on

equally vital to mitigate the risk of TMS being left without a

reducing emissions during production, re-using the existing

screen if anything unforeseen happened during shipping. This

structure was also an environmental win for all concerned.

meant it was only possible to start removing the old screen

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Look what we can do...

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VIDEO

once an absolute delivery date was confirmed and work only

making sure the screen was in pole position for TMS’s race

started on site when the final shipment arrived on the West

day.”

Coast of America.

Graham Burgess, CEO, digiLED, concluded: “We have worked

With the delivery arriving on schedule, the screen was

with GoVision for over a decade, and the experience is better

installed in time to wow fans at the first race of the season,

with every project that we do. Their relationships with their

where it perfectly displayed race highlights, leaderboard,

customers, in this case Texas Motor Speedway, provides us

stats, and all-important advertising content.

with the opportunity to show all that digiLED products are

“It was great working once again with the team at digiLED

capable of, and we look forward to more exciting projects

on the Big Hoss TV project at Texas Motor Speedway,” said

together in the future. We hope the fans enjoy the latest

Chris Curtis, Founder & Chairman, GoVision. “They provided

iteration of Big Hoss TV!”

a fantastic product as always in their VISION ULTRA and were really supportive in our efforts over the design and installation process. “The digiLED team was a huge part of allowing us to do a project of this magnitude in an extremely tight time window

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SEATING

LDLC ARENA Lyon, France Images: Daplast

SVEL, France’s premier basketball club under the ownership of NBA legend Tony Parker, proudly unveiled its cutting-edge LDLC Arena last November. The state-of-the-art seating, designed, produced, and installed by the Spanish company

Daplast, has become a pivotal element in the arena’s innovative design. The LDLC Arena, boasting a capacity of 12,000 seats, received its seating from Daplast’s Cordoba factory in Southern Spain. This strategic partnership ensures that ASVEL can offer its audience both comfort and flexibility within the spectacular venue. Daplast, with a rich history of outfitting more than 3,000 venues across five continents, adds LDLC Arena to its prestigious portfolio, which includes iconic stadiums like FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, and Paris’s Parc des Princes.

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While Daplast has traditionally specialised in soccer

be adjusted to enlarge seating capacity or create additional

stadiums, the LDLC Arena represents a significant leap

space for hosting concerts and other events.

forward. As ASVEL’s home for the Euroleague and a host for

Daplast’s commitment to innovation extends to the

world-class concerts, the arena required a versatile seating

introduction of its Sittem seat model with an acoustic cover,

solution. Daplast responded by creating easily removable

specifically developed for LDLC Arena. The acoustic cover,

seats, allowing the stadium to adapt to various events and

affixed to the seat base, enhances sound absorption, making

functions. These removable seats can be efficiently stored on

it an ideal choice for entertainment and leisure venues.

trolleys with wheels, enhancing the arena’s flexibility.

The LDLC Arena, designed by the renowned architectural

LDLC Arena’s multipurpose nature is further highlighted

firm Populous, stands out as one of the most technologically

by its flexible seating system on the Arena floor. Daplast

and environmentally advanced stadiums in Europe. With a

designed and manufactured special brackets to enable a

capacity of up to 15,000 spectators, the arena is set to host

seamless transition between different comfort zones in the

performances by renowned artists such as Sting, Colagéro,

arena or cater to specific event types. Notably, the venue

Slimane, and Eric Clapton in the coming months.

features Avatar Premium seats (upholstered) and Avatar Suite

The completion and opening of LDLC Arena mark the

seats (fully upholstered), catering to varying preferences and

culmination of four years of collaborative efforts, resulting

needs.

in one of the most modern and significant auditoriums in

The retractable stands, equipped with Avatar seating by

Europe and a testament to the leap in quality achieved by

Daplast, exemplify the arena’s adaptability. These stands can

Daplast.

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Stadium seating for sports venues Specialists in “turnkey” project management · Customized solutions for each type of grandstand. · Since 1973, more than 50 years of experience. · 100% control of production. · Innovation and sustainability.

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BROADCAST

CHASE FIELD Phoenix, USA

or over two and a half decades, John James has been part of the team responsible for bringing Arizona Diamondbacks’ broadcasts into viewer’s homes. Through the strategic implementation of the CV355

and CV503 POV cameras from Marshall Electronics, James has delivered captivating visuals and unparalleled coverage with a range of camera shots.

Images: Marshall Electronics

As an industry veteran, James has witnessed the evolution of sports broadcasting technology over the past few years. “Our goal has always been to provide the viewer with an in-depth, fully immersive experience,” said James. “With the seamless integration of the Marshall POV cameras into the Diamondbacks production lineup, we are able to reach new intimate heights in our broadcasts.” Celebrated for its compact design and remarkable optics, Marshall POV cameras have emerged as the preferred camera for various critical shots in Diamondbacks’ baseball broadcasts. “The CV503 has been the go-to camera for capturing the ‘all nine’ lock-down high wide shot of the entire field,” added James. “This shot provides a comprehensive view of the game and is frequently used going into commercial breaks, as well as during the breaks so master control knows that the picture is still being sent, ensuring that viewers never miss a moment of the action.” Another use of the Marshall CV503 camera is for the ‘pool shot.’ The Diamondbacks boast a unique feature in their right field – a swimming pool. A CV503 camera is employed to capture this

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feature and showcase it to fans, enhancing their engagement

exceptional image quality, further immersing fans in the

with the ballpark experience. According to James, “The

excitement of Diamondbacks baseball.”

production team is looking to update the ‘all-nine’ and

James recently completed his final broadcast with the Arizona

‘pool cameras’ to the Marshall CV355 soon, as it offers better

Diamondbacks, after 26 years at the helm. James esteemed

control and superb image quality. Also, the team is already

production career began with Hey Dude on Nickelodeon,

familiar with this model, as we are using it for the bullpen

which led to a job doing video for spring training in Phoenix,

cameras.”

followed by working with the Phoenix Suns. James began

The Diamondbacks provide cameras in the bullpens for both

working with the Arizona Diamondbacks shortly after, and 26

teams to capture the action in the bullpens at all times. “The

years later, six World Series Games, five Summer Olympics

CV355’s superior image quality impressed everyone involved,

(with Paris on the docket for next year) and one Winter

leading to its adoption for these crucial shots,” said James.

Olympics’ broadcast, James is hanging up his broadcast

“The Marshall camera was swapped in over a different brand,

production hat for the Diamondbacks and will serve as a

due its clarity and control features and is now delivering live

broadcast consultant for the organisation moving forward.

feeds to both dugouts and broadcast audiences.”

Marshall cameras have become an industry standard for POV

In addition, the introduction of a laptop with Wi-Fi

and camera clock applications in various sports productions.

connectivity for the bullpen cameras has streamlined

Their compact size, ease of installation and reliability make

camera management. With this system, operators can easily

them a preferred choice among production companies,

adjust settings like color balance and exposure, providing a

offering both exceptional image quality and innovative

consistent and high-quality image feed. The CV355 camera

solutions for complex broadcasting needs.

offers full control capabilities, enhancing its versatility. “The CV355’s integrated lens and factory-calibrated optics ensure a clear, sharp image in all frame corners,” added James. “The CV355 POV camera has marked a significant improvement in the evolution of Point-of-View (POV) baseball broadcasting, creating a uniform look across all shots. These cameras offer reliability, innovation and

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IN DETAIL 108 Coda Audio | CiRAY 110 ADI | MT Range 114 HK Audio | FINEO Series 116 AJA | Charting In-Venue AV Trends

COLUMN 120 George R Vaughan

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CODA AUDIO CiRAY ODA Audio is proud to announce the launch of its CiRAY compact full-range, dual 10” line array system. As the third element of CODA’s VCA ‘family’, alongside ViRAY (dual 8”) and the flagship AiRAY (dual 12”), CiRAY has been developed by CODA to deliver ultimate flexibility for rental companies and complete a full spectrum of line array products for installation. As well as building further upon CODA’s revolutionary patented technologies to offer an ultra-light, ultra-compact standalone system, CiRAY can also work seamlessly with its ‘siblings’ for optimum mix and match configuration to obtain the best sonic and logistical outcomes for a host live and installed applications. The VCA range shares CODA Audio’s unique technologies, including the patented Dual Diaphragm Planar Wave Driver (DDP), Coupler technology and FS-FIR Filters, with CiRAY also benefitting from the addition of CODA’s very latest Dynamic Airflow Cooling (DAC). From a setup point of view CiRAY is one of the quickest and most efficient systems now available. The ultra-light, ultra-compact loudspeakers are transportable as a 6-pack on a specially designed dolly with covers and LID technology for efficient truck storage. An overall hang of 12 loudspeakers (2 x 6) can be set up in minutes by just a single operator, with all cabinets set for their relative angles to drop into place once lifted. Three cabinets can be powered from just one channel of CODA’s LINUS14 DSP amplifier - thus only one amplifier is required for a full hang of 12 using an industry standard power amp cable. CiRAY utilises the same unique Coupler technology as the rest of the VCA family, giving horizontal dispersion control down to 200 Hz with coverage options of 60°, 90°, and 120°. CiRAY comes with the added advantage of easy access, using CODA’s Quick Release grille and the ability to change horizontal dispersion instantly by means of CODA’s proprietary Instafit Magnetic Couplers. Compatible with the VCA family, both acoustically and mechanically, the SC2-F dual 15” sensor-controlled low frequency extension overlaps the VCA line arrays in the 35-200Hz range. The SC2-F can be strategically deployed in one of many ways – either to seriously

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increase the low frequency impact and headroom of the system in a long-throw configuration, or to provide an accurate cardioid dispersion pattern over the entire frequency range when flown behind the line array. Additionally, the SC2-F could be utilised in a beam split configuration, making the system adaptable to almost any application. Completing the VCA range with CiRAY reflects CODA’s recognition of its customers’ need for flexibility, longevity and return on investment. Instead of the traditional (and expensive) route of creating separate systems for designated applications, CODA Audio seeks to embed compatibility in its ranges, allowing in this case one family of loudspeakers to comfortably cater for audiences of a few hundred to tens of thousands. Typically, ViRAY works for venues up to 5000 capacity, CiRAY handles up to 20,000 and the long-throw AiRAY handles events up to and over 50,000. However, the compatibility of the VCA range allows the configuration of bespoke systems by mixing and matching the three elements for optimum performance. David Webster, Global Sales and Marketing Director at CODA Audio commented: “Whether it’s an arena tour, a one-off stadium gig, a festival, a theatre installation, or any other setting for that matter, clients can mix and match the VCA family, including a range of bass extensions and subwoofers, to best suit the task at hand. Unlike fixed format systems the ViRAY, CiRAY, AiRAY axis is an ecosystem built to give our customers more control. Our innovative approach strips away the headaches of fixed formats - all of these loudspeakers hang together and boast the same form factor to fit the frame, removing worries about how to fly different hardware. “The elements of the VCA range can be set up for the exact throw required, and our coupler technology allows coverage to be tailored precisely to suit the venue and audience - perfect for rental companies and installers. A series of ingenious accessories has been designed for the VCA range, to protect, transport and setup systems safely and efficiently. Ultimately, the addition of CiRAY to our line array family places unrivalled flexibility in the hands of our customers.”

codaaudio.com

AiRAY

High output, full range, long throw 3-way bi-amplified line array system featuring dual 6” DDP plus dual 12” neodymium ultra-low distortion cone drivers

VCA Family Ultimate flexibility NEW CiRAY

High output, full range, 3-way passive line array system featuring 8.75” DDP plus DAC with dual 10” neodymium ultra-low distortion cone drivers

ViRAY

Compact 3-way bi-amplified line array system featuring 8” DDP plus dual 8” neodymium ultra-low distortion cone drivers

www.codaaudio.com

Dynamic Airflow Cooling (DAC)

DAC technology found in CiRAY means an incredible level of power can be provided from smaller enclosures thanks to better airflow and dissipation. DAC can double the power handling and SPL compared to a conventionally cooled system.

DDP Technology

CODA’s patented Dual Diaphragm Planar Wave Driver is at the heart of the AiRAY, CiRAY, and ViRAY line array systems and allows these compact speakers to handle high-power applications with low distortion, plus providing exceptional dynamics and frequency response.

CiRAY Family Advert - Mondo Stadia.indd 1

07/12/2023 17:20

Selhurst Park is home to nearly 800m2 of MT modules across perimeter, ribbons and screens.

ADI MT Range or over 25 years, the ADI brand has been synonymous with stadium LED screens and signage, however the launch of their latest MT range of LED panels has heralded a new level of success for the British company, with installations at over 20 stadiums in this year alone. Since launch in 2021 MT has quickly become the product of choice for stadiums across the UK and is making a huge impact into Europe. Major digital transformation projects such as Burnley’s Turf Moor and recently at Selhurst Park have seen well over 2,000sq.m. of the product installed in just 2 projects, whilst MT is featuring in multiple stadiums throughout the British leagues, from screens and digital perimeter at Easter Road to Everton’s new screens at Bramley Dock. Meanwhile ADI continue to grow into Europe. 2022’s digiBOARD installations at Bayern Munich has been joined by a number of projects

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across The Netherlands, with clubs attracted to the simplicity of the MT product’s maintenance backed by ADI’s renowned quality and service levels. Revolutionary Design MT is a revolutionary LED product, designed and engineered from the ground up and manufactured exclusively by ADI. The product draws from ADI’s decades of experience, not only as a manufacturer, but as an installer, operator and creative matchday partner for some of the world’s biggest clubs and stadiums. Key to MT’s success is its versatility. ADI have designed a smart, all-inone module that allows a number of different screen resolutions to be delivered on the same platform. The 16:9 modules can be installed either in landscape or portrait, whilst a lightweight, fanless design

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The MT family features a range of pixel pitches to suit different uses.

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MT is utilised across ADI’s range of digiBOARD digital perimeter solutions.

has cut the weight and depth by nearly 50% from their previous generation, negating the need for heavy supporting structures and allowing LED screens and signage to be installed in more places than ever before. Green Credentials MT is one of the greenest LED products on the market, offering significant sustainability benefits throughout its lifetime. Aside from the design features, which drastically cut carbon generated through manufacturing, shipping and supporting structures, MT has been optimised for operational efficiency. As well as lowering weight, MT’s all-aluminium design creates exceptional heat dissipation, which – combined with the fully-sealed design – allows MT to operate without the need for fans. This brings operational efficiencies, increased reliability and also allows for screens to be shut down for longer periods of time without risk of moisture damage. The MT range utilises latest generation components, optimised to ensure efficient operation and energy efficiencies of around 20% over previous products. 112

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Self Service & Maintenance Efficiencies MT is the world’s first self-serviceable screen, featuring hot swappable tiles which can be changed by customers in a few minutes and sent back to ADI’s service centre to be repaired and returned to spares stock. Meanwhile, Smart Monitoring provides ADI with continual feedback of key performance parameters. Often faults can be rectified remotely without a site visit, whilst other proactive warnings can help ADI identify and prevent potential impending issues before they occur. Versatile Line-Up The MT platform includes a number of pixel pitches with outdoor products ranging from 10mm down to 4mm. More recently, these have been joined by the MTi indoor products, with 2.5mm and 2mm products ideally suited to close range viewing such as concourses and reception areas. MT is available across all of ADI’s products, from screens to signage and in their market-leading digiBOARD range. adi.tv/stadium-solutions

EUROPE’S FAVOURITE STADIUM LED SCREENS.

VERSATILE

LIFETIME VALUE

SUSTAINABLE

• Lightweight & Slimline

• Simple maintenance

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• Install in more places than ever

• Increased reliability

• Lower power usage

• Multiple pixel pitches

• Impressive warranties and support

• Minimise supporting steelwork

• Landscape or portrait installation

WE’RE BRINGING OUR DEMO-PODS TO SPORTS STADIUMS ACROSS EUROPE. WANT THE ROADSHOW TO VISIT YOUR VENUE? Find out more and register at ROADSHOW.ADI.TV

0800 592 346 | info@adi.tv | www.adi.tv/sport

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HK AUDIO FINEO Series ith the FINEO series, HK Audio presents a new, wideranging product family for professional indoor fixed installations - with extensive accessories, easy integration and excellent sound quality. The “daily business” of modern installations should be simple, offer a wide range of possibilities and maximum flexibility in integration. At the same time, it should be safe and durable and deliver perfect sound results. At an attractive price-performance ratio, of course. Together with installation professionals with many years of experience, HK Audio has developed the new FINEO series based on these specifications and by incorporating many customer requests: Versatile, clever solutions “Made in St. Wendel” for professional installations in music clubs, theatres and karaoke bars, conference environments, houses of worship, event catering, community centres and auditoriums. Especially for use in sports venues and multifunctional halls, all loudspeakers of the FINEO series are certified ball impact-proof to meet the strict requirements of the German standard for sports facilities (DIN 18032-3). Due to its high performance and high-class sound, FINEO is also ideally suited for immersive audio, multi-channel systems and Power Hi-Fi.

Easy to integrate and comprehensive documentation A standardised VESA hole pattern is available on the rear of all FINEO Mid/High-Units. Inside the cabinet, this is supported by generous steel reinforcements. This means that, in addition to the new, sophisticated FINEO accessories, installation material from third-party suppliers can also be used, which greatly accelerates and facilitates integration into existing systems. For FINEO, HK Audio provides DSP Presets for Lab.gruppen IPX and LEA Professional, as well as Filter Sheets for many other DSP platforms, which can be downloaded directly from the FINEO product page at www.hkaudio.com. Simulation data in GLL format for EASE and 114

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EASE FOCUS 3 are also available on the product page, as are detailed installation instructions, tender documents and many other details on all products. New and established formats In addition to the classic, trapezoidal Mid/High-Units with the triedand-tested driver configurations and versatile combinable subwoofers, the FINEO series offers the FO 5, a cube-shaped, ultra-compact 5”/1” coaxial loudspeaker, as well as flyable subwoofers with matching accessories – all ball impact-proof according to the German DIN 18032-3 standard. For optimum dispersion in all “positions”, every FINEO Mid/High-unit (except the FO 5) has a rotatable HF horn, already familiar from the professional touring product family CONTOUR X. Optimally integrable, powerful subwoofers offer voluminous and powerful sound. The large-format bass reflex channels are protected against foreign objects. Cut-outs for cable routing facilitate installation close to a wall. All flyable models can also be mounted at a slight downward angle so that any foreign objects thrown in can simply fall out. Accessories - comprehensive, clever, robust and safe The FINEO series offers the right accessories for the most diverse, even unusual application scenarios. From finely adjustable U-brackets to 360° mounts, swivel and tilt brackets to tripod mounts and L-brackets - there are hardly any limits to the ideas. And all this with maximum safety, perfectly tailored to the FINEO speakers. The VESA hole pattern on each Mid/High-Unit means that installation material from any thirdparty manufacturer can also be used.

hkaudio.com

VORTIS 2

PROFESSIONAL

EN 54- COMPLIANT HIGH PERFORMANCE With the new SI SERIES HK Audio has unveiled a family of speakers tailored to meet the needs of today’s installation market. VORTIS 2 is particularly suitable for applications where high-quality music and voice transmission is required in addition to standard-compliant (voice) alerting. All models are certified to EN 54-24:2008 for this purpose. Certified for voice alarm (EN 54-24:2008)

Certified protection class IP 55 (EN 60529) optional Certified for outdoor use Certified temperature range (-25° C - 70° C) High transmission quality for music and voice Visual customisation with over 30 colours

Certified ball impact proof (DIN 18032-3)

VORTIS 2, VORTIS, SI SERIES and LSUB Merck Stadion am Böllenfalltor Darmstadt

hkaudio.com

HK_Audio_Vortis2_Serie_Anzeige_2023_Family_mit Stadion_245x318_de/en.indd 1

hkaudio.com

hkaudio.com 12.12.23 09:06

AJA Charting In-Venue AV Trends n-venue sports experiences have advanced dramatically in the last century. From the proliferation of stunning displays across stadiums and arenas to second screen and augmented reality experiences, technological innovation has paved the way to more compelling fan interactions in-venue. Video has quickly become a key part of that equation, and while it’s often presented seamlessly to event-goers, capturing and distributing live video to super-sized in-venue displays and remote audiences requires a full arsenal of audio visual (AV) equipment. Let’s take a closer look at the technology trends driving in-venue AV heading into 2024.

Video-over-IP Between the continued maturation of SMPTE 2110 and NDI, plus Dante AV’s market entrance this year, momentum for Video-over-IP continues to build. Across the world, sports venue AV teams are experimenting with various IP technologies, largely in hybrid environments that also include legacy SDI infrastructure, which demands conversion solutions 116

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to move between SDI and various IP protocols and standards. In line with this trend, AJA launched Dante AV 4K-T and 4K-R, two new converters that support seamless transport and control of low latency, professional quality 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD/VESA Dante video and audio to and from 12G-SDI or HDMI 2.0 devices over a 1 GigE Dante AV network. In addition to these devices, AJA offers a range of video-over-IP solutions, including BRIDGE NDI 3G, a high-density HD and 4K/UltraHD conversion gateway between NDI and SDI, and BRIDGE LIVE for IP video workflows. BRIDGE LIVE supports NDI encoding, decoding, and transcoding as well as H.264, H.265, and JPEG 2000 encoding and decoding via an optional license. JPEG XS encoding and decoding are now also possible with the device via an optional perpetual JPEG XS I/O license. For SMPTE ST 2110 conversion needs, AJA also develops the IPT-10G2-HDMI, IPT-10G2-SDI, IPR-10G2-HDMI, and IPR-10G2-SDI Mini-Converters, which allow AV professionals to easily bridge between HDMI and 3G-SDI signals to SMPTE ST 2110 networks. As more venues commit to Video-over-IP, more exciting use cases will surface in the next year.

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Advancing HDR workflows Across film and TV, HDR production has taken off, as it provides a viewer experience that more closely mirrors the human vision system. In the last few years, we’ve seen HDR interest extend into the venue space. As such, we’re seeing greater adoption of tools like AJA’s FSHDR real-time HDR/WCG converter/frame synchronizer, for which AJA released an update in 2023 offering Colorfront Engine™ video processing. The free firmware also brought a new Colorfront TV Mode to the device as well as updates to the Live and Film Modes, support for ARRI LogC4 transforms, updated BBC LUTs, and more. Additionally, in 2023, AJA brought ColorBox users an update featuring an add-on license to expand the color conversion and management solution’s Colorfront Engine video processing options with new TV and Live Modes. HDR is sure to be a remaining focus for in-venue AV in the year to come. Evolving conversion demands Considering that venue AV technology spans a broad range of

connectivity types from the various flavors of SDI to IP, HDMI, and beyond, conversion demands are constantly evolving. In the case of Swiss Integrator AVC Systems, many of its sporting venue clients already have legacy 3G-SDI gear installed but want to make use of the benefits of 12G-SDI. The company often integrates AJA OG-12GMs into its designs, as they make it easy to bring 3G-SDI technology into the 12G-SDI world and vice versa. Earlier this year, AVC Systems deployed the cards for an install in Swiss Life Arena, an ice hockey venue located in Zurich. When the client approached the team looking for a turnkey graphics and signal distribution solution to feed all their video signals to an in-venue LED cube and other displays, they had just the right setup in mind. Four AJA OG-12GM openGear cards were integrated into the workflow, allowing the venue AV team to separate one UHD signal into four to supply a signal to each side of the cube. AVC Systems designed the pipeline to support static cameras and those brought into the venue from OB providers; all camera feeds are sent through a hybrid router. openGear distribution amplifiers and AJA WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

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OG-ROI-HDMI openGear scan converters were also integrated, making it possible for the venue AV team to bring computer sources into the 3G-SDI world for display on the cube if needed. Many of the signals from the graphics system also go through the router to Hi5-4K-Plus Mini-Converters; this install included five of them for converting 3G-SDI back to HDMI for in-stadium digital signage needs. Across projects, AVC Systems has also leveraged the AJA OG-DANTE-12GAM 12G-SDI/Dante embedders/disembedders and AJA KUMO SDI routers. In 2023, AJA added four exciting new 12G-SDI openGear rackframe converters to its openGear product line that bring single-cable simplicity to high frame rate workflows. It also rolled out DRM2, a highpower rack frame with enough space and power for up to 12 AJA MiniConverters of any kind, giving pros in facilities and mobile production environments the power and space required to address evolving, complex workflows. In 2023, we only expect conversion demands to grow in venue settings. Video streaming, low-latency workflows, and more Outside of these trends, streaming video remained a key focus for many venues, whether distributing content to remote audiences via a CDN or for providing footage to teams post-game for performance analysis. In this respect, AJA unveiled a powerful new firmware update for its AJA HELO Plus H.264 streaming, encoding, and recording device. 118

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Among other free feature improvements, it added two new licensable features – simultaneous multi-channel stereo audio streaming/ recording and PlayToStream, which enables the use of a previously recorded program for a future streaming event. To round out the year, AJA also launched KONA X, a next-gen desktop I/O device with built-in Streaming DMA. With the technology, KONA X can achieve sub-frame latency for crucial tasks involving video I/O – whether assisted by artificial intelligence (AI) or for gaming, augmented reality (AR) graphics, overlays, or the growing list of other tasks that require instantaneous performance. For more details on how you can take advantage of these solutions and others from AJA to keep pace with in-venue AV trends next year, visit www.aja.com.

aja.com

New Solutions for Desktop I/O, openGear and Color

New KONA® X

New openGear® Converters

HDR Image Analyzer 12G v3.0 Update

• Capture/Playback 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD/SD up to 60p, as low as sub-frame latency • Dual bi-directional 12G-SDI connections with 16-channel embedded audio • Dual HDMI 2.0, 1x for input and 1x for output • VESA resolution support on HDMI I/O • YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit and RGB 4:4:4 12-bit • Support for OEM applications with AJA SDK and In-Firmware Microcontroller • Supports graphics with alpha channel • HLG and HDR10 support via HDMI • Includes support for Apple silicon • Optional KONA Xpand card provides expanded audio and control connectivity

Four new openGear Converters: • OG-Hi5-12G - 12G-SDI to HDMI 2.0 • OG-HA5-12G - HDMI 2.0 to 12G-SDI • OG-12G-AM - 12G-SDI, AES/EBU embed/disembed • OG-12G-AMA - 12G-SDI, analog audio embed/disembed • All models include DashBoard support • OG-Hi5-12G & OG-HA5-12G include an SFP port with available Fiber LC and ST options • Compatible with openGear rackframes • Rear I/O card included

Free update for HDR Image Analyzer 12G offering powerful new features: • Multi-channel signal analysis - Up to four channels of 4K/UltraHD • NDI® input - Mix and match analysis of NDI and SDI • Dolby Vision dynamic metadata analysis - Display of SDI embedded DV metadata • ARRI LogC4 support - Scene referred camera Log analysis • Additional 8K video format support

KONA X image text rotated for clarity

www.aja.com/whatsnew

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE George R Vaughan hen I was growing up as a child the escapism of cinema was one of my most exciting pleasures. My love of movies was enhanced by seeing my favourite heroes and most fearsome villains all brought to life on giant screens in wonderful, vibrant colour. Some of the greatest luminaries of modern film wax lyrical about the impact a large screen can have on entertainment. “The big screen is the only screen,” said movie legend, Michael Caine, whilst iconic director Steven Spielberg is on record as proclaiming that, “The big-screen experience is not to be missed. Nothing compares to it.” Star Wars without the big screen is a little like putting on a firework display with indoor fireworks.

It’s a screen, Jim, but not as we know it When it comes to venues and stadiums, the same approach can be because just like cinemas, they are destinations for those seeking to be entertained and they increasingly rely upon cutting edge technology to supplement the experience of their customers and fans. Huge LED screens bring another dimension to every concert or major sporting event, delivering the 120

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“WOW” factor in parallel to the exciting events played out on a stage, cricket ground or football pitch. Most modern stadiums embrace LED and IPTV to inform, engage and enhance the core proposition but in today’s world of AI driven initiatives, these displays are now being used to facilitate so much more than just content. They have become an integral part of the storytelling journey. Revenue generation, event production, marketing and the transformation of a space through dynamic and immersive content have all elevated the importance of big screen displays. Arguably, they now represent one of the top five technology considerations that every new venue needs to budget for as part of their construction plan. In addition, older venues and legacy stadiums can transform tired spaces through outdoor LED and big screen installations, breathing new life into concrete structures that would otherwise struggle to deliver on the expectations of a modern audience. The days of physical banners that need to be swapped out, always at considerable cost, for each match or concert are slowly being put behind us as we seek to explore more sustainable and creative alternatives. With all that said, once the screens are in place, they are little more than giant information boards without

the right content to run through them. You can have the most impressive, enormous displays in your stadium but if they are not being fully utilised with creative content then they fall short on their potential. It’s a little like buying a sports car only to never take it out of second gear. Every detail matters When assessing what a big screen can be utilised for there are a general set of initiatives that can be explored and measured against. These include: • Enhanced Viewing • Architectural Integration • Fan & Customer Engagement • Event Production • Brand Visibility • Integration with social media • Improved Event Day experience • Advertising and Revenue Generation However, alongside these key points, perhaps the single most important aspect must be to get a clear directive from the customer around their expectations, to ensure that everyone is aligned when

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it comes to deliverables. Technology installed for the sake of it rather than to address a need is a recipe for disaster and the equivalent of putting a gas oven into an all-electric kitchen. Getting the details right early saves on significant pain later and ensuring every step of the installation journey is not only travelled together by the customer, the supplier and the installer but also measured against agreed targets leads to a collectively rewarding outcome. Daring to be different Digital Media Technologies is the new beast in the AV jungle and their approach to customers is driven by a refreshing aspiration to provide a solution that fits a consumer’s needs rather than a sales target. At the core of their philosophy is a commitment to the marriage of technology and creativity - two components not always aligned in the industry - and they see this as another key differential that sets them apart from the competition. Having worked with them during my time at Ascot Racecourse, where they successfully installed Europe’s largest portrait display in a sports venue from South Korean giants, Samsung, they quickly helped the

business understand that even something this impressive cannot sell itself. Content is king and understanding how that content is put together, the manner in which it is displayed and the mechanisms required to deliver a true ROI are all part of the DNA of their customer-centric company. As CEO, James Game so eloquently put it to me: “Many can make the claim, but we really are in this for the customer and we religiously adhere to that ethos. If we bring a business on board through any mechanism other than to address a request honestly, they will end up being someone else’s customer tomorrow. “For that reason, we won’t always recommend the biggest or brightest display for a space because it might not be right for that location. The world’s most expensive screen is just a big display without the creativity to immerse the viewer or the software to showcase what’s sitting under the bonnet, so if a venue or landlord is looking for a low-key solution, we will always scope and recommend around their needs. “This is my definition of good business sense – something that is equally rewarding to the buyer and the vendor. If you want people to keep coming back,

you must earn their trust and you can only achieve this if you have something to measure yourself and your services against.” Impact is everything Digital Media Technologies knows all about impact, it is responsible for the displays and content in one of the world’s most recognisable spaces: Piccadilly Circus. Over one hundred million visitors flock to this London destination every year and the screens at the heart of the location have helped to make it the world’s most iconic advertising location. “The eyes of the world are on that space pretty much 24/7,” James reflected. “So we recognise the responsibility we have, not just in maintaining those huge screens but also ensuring the content displayed upon them is the very best it can be for an audience that is always expecting to be “wowed” by the experience. I’d argue that there are not many people who come away from that site without some sense of the spectacular and we can tell from the data, most will take a moment to stop and soak it all in. For as long as people continue to stare, we know we must be doing something right! “The magnitude of the project really hit home to me WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

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as I was flying into Heathrow from an overseas visit and we crossed over Piccadilly Circus and I saw the screen from the window of my plane. I suddenly realised that my work had made a direct impact on the skyline of my favourite city in the world and it is something I will always be proud of”. Customers vs fans As a business, Digital Media Technologies operates in a number of different verticals and they are quickly growing their presence in stadiums and venues, with an impressive roster in cricket, football and horse racing. “There are subtle differences that have to be addressed when you consider a big screen for somewhere like a football stadium in comparison to a retail complex like Westfield or an open space environment that has a constantly moving body of traffic as well as people, like the estate in Piccadilly Circus. “However, we have been able to take those learnings from one vertical into another, using digital activations that were successful in shopping malls over into sports stadiums, even though you also must recognise there are huge differences between fans and customers. “Ascot Racecourse is a key case in point, with its focus on customers rather than fans meaning the approach when it comes to their core audience and the content they display is going to be very different. For instance, sponsor activations can be “dressed” in a very different manner when speaking to people who are drawn to a space to shop rather than experience an event”. Beside the seaside Brighton & Hove Albion have risen through the ranks of the football league to become one of the most exciting teams in the top flight and though they may not have the financial clout of some of the bigger, powerhouses of the English game, the narrative around 122

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them is one of growth through innovation. That is reflected in their approach to technology and fan engagement and Digital Media Technologies have proven to be a pivotal partner in that story. Responsible for all the big screen signage and supporting content at the Amex Stadium, the business has worked alongside the Premier League club to ensure that each step of the design, installation, testing and go live process have been meticulously thought through as part of a comprehensive project plan. As James reminds us: “We don’t leave anything to chance because in a live situation you only have one shot at getting it right. No matter how outstanding the delivery, you’re more likely to remembered for the one mistake than the countless successes”. Digital Media Technologies continues to develop its relationship with Brighton with the latest big screen now live as part of the stadium’s commitment to constantly engage with its fan base and LED will remain an important part of that process going forward. However you want to tell your story, bringing it to life through the colour and spectacle of big screens is a powerful way to connect and engage with an audience. It might seem like a significant investment – many of the larger projects often require deep pockets and distinctive vision – but the ROI is there if you have the right partner to help you realise it. The real question isn’t whether you can afford to do this but whether you can afford not to. This is where companies like Digital Media Technologies can be the difference between apathy and impact when it comes to telling a story and bringing your customers or fans along with you on every step of that journey.

See us at IBC booth 10.A31

LIVE VIDEO PRODUCTION ALL-IN-ONE | REPLAY | CLOUD

VIDEO NETWORKS SDI | IP | HYBRID

INTERCOM

ALL STANDARDS | WIRELESS | IP

STADIA

CONVENTION CENTERS

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THEATERS

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www.riedel.net

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE “

Daktronics has been providing our LED displays and have been a tremendous partner since we opened Gillette Stadium in 2002. Their products provide the highest resolution in the industry and the brilliant colors bring our fans closer to the action. This year’s installations, especially the addition of the nation’s largest outdoor videoboard at a sports venue, will greatly enhance the day of game experience for our fans.” Jim Nolan Gillette Stadium Chief Operating Officer

Want to hear more about how Gillette Stadium delivers an amazing fan experience using the latest and greatest Daktronics technology? SCAN HERE to listen to the Daktronics Experience podcast! Interested in how Daktronics solutions can enhance your venue? Stop by our stand at ISE, stand 3N620, to discuss more with one of our team members! Or learn more at DAKTRONICS.COM