AT&T Stadium Upgrades Digital Display Network with LG
Maximising visitor engagement is one of the most important goals of major sports venues and will become even more necessary as stadiums are held to limited capacity for the foreseeable future. Stadiums may be limited by the number of fans they can hold, but a quality visitor experience remains essential to strengthening patronage, encouraging recurring attendance and driving food and beverage sales – these are the objectives that led AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, to recently upgrade its entire digital display network with more than 1,000 LG commercial displays.
According to Cowboys Chief Information Officer Matt Messick, the stadium was looking to introduce powerful visual stimuli to engage fans. “One of the biggest things stadiums can do to freshen up digital content and reinvigorate visitors’ excitement is to upgrade the displays themselves,” he said. “Through this technological renovation, which required no major construction, we’ve created a new environment where guests begin to take in our content the moment they enter the building. For evidence of its effectiveness, we only have to look to the concession stands. The new ribbon-style digital menu boards display enticing images and videos of available food items, which resulted in an immediate 15 percent increase in food sales for events prior to COVID-19.”
The concession stands now feature multiple 55-inch narrow-bezel LG displays aligned side-by-side that can be operated individually or together to present imagery that flows cleanly from one display to the next. This is made possible by the newly implemented IPTV content distribution system that provides real-time and automated remote control of the entire display network, and every individual display.
For even greater impact, several areas now feature large scale video walls comprising multiple LG displays, including a 5x5 wall in an upper concourse bar that uses 25 55-inch displays, and walkway areas with three 75-inch displays mounted vertically side-by-side to use as a video wall or as three separate displays.
“Using an IPTV system gives us a single control point where we can access every TV, initiate section-based or stadium-wide programs, and break multi-TV displays into sections,” Messick added. “This capability enables granular control of sponsor messaging and provides highly customizable engagement schemes, including trigger-based takeovers that blanket the entire stadium in a single sponsor’s ad campaign for a brief time.”
The ability to automate trigger-based display takeovers, such as a stadium-wide celebratory beer ad when a touchdown is scored, provide major sponsors incredibly valuable moments where every visitor is surrounded by their advertising. In fact, the stadium created all new assets for the marketing department to sell based on the new displays and new IPTV capabilities.
The IPTV system greatly simplifies daily operations, too, as the entire network can be powered on and off with a single button. Staff still walks through the stadium to ensure each display is showing the right content, but any required fixes can be completed with greater ease and efficiency than the previous system.
“We’ve also improved our content creation options, and we can now push the same content to every digital display in the stadium,” Messick continued. “We can dynamically change the look and feel of all of our concourses to create an end-to-end experience, whether it’s for a football game, rodeo, concert or a supercross event. What’s more is that during any event we can choose specific displays to advertise upcoming events, so the cross-promotional opportunities are huge.”
The visual change from a 55-inch 1080p model with 2.5 inch bezels to a virtually borderless 55-inch 4K display is immediately impactful, and is necessary to adequately engage today’s demanding stadium audience.
The new LG displays range from 55- to 86-inches, with some 75-inch and 86-inch models mounted vertically to allow multiple pieces of content to be shown on a single screen using a windowed layout. With these displays, the stadium can place ads, live game feeds, team stats and more all on a single display that attracts long-lasting attention from passersby. To simplify operations even further, all of the current content is designed in the standard 16:9 aspect ratio, so that every piece of content fits every display and can be shown wherever it is desired.
The instant control afforded by the IPTV system also benefits emergency and crowd control messages, such as storm warning or game delays, because operators can push the message to every digital display at a moment’s notice.
“With this impressive digital upgrade, the Cowboys and AT&T Stadium have proven that expensive structural renovations are not necessary to create a new fan experience and increase engagement and purchases,” said Tom Bingham, Senior Vertical Solutions Manager, LG Business Solutions USA.
Benfica Appoints WME Sports to Secure Naming Rights Partners for Club’s Stadium and Academy
Portuguese Club Sport Lisboa e Benfica has announced an exclusive commercial partnership with WME Sports, the sports representation arm of the Endeavor-owned WME agency. As part of the global agreement, WME Sports will lead the search for naming rights partners for the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Benfica Youth Academy and provide valuation, data and insights powered by Endeavor Analytics.
The agreement will see WME Sports represent two of the most prestigious assets in
European football: Benfica Stadium and Benfica Youth Academy. The Benfica Stadium,
which has a capacity of 65,000, is an iconic arena that has hosted the 2004 UEFA European
Championship Final, 2014 UEFA Champions League Final and 2020 UEFA Champions League
Final Eight Tournament, among many other international concerts and events. The state-ofthe-art Benfica Youth Academy, known as ‘Benfica Campus,’ is currently rated as one of the best in the world, having nurtured several players who are currently shining in Europe’s top clubs. It won the prize for Best Academy of the Year at the 2015 and 2019 Globe Soccer Awards.
Speaking about the partnership, Benfica CEO Domingos Soares de Oliveira said, “I am very
happy to be working with the prestigious WME Sports agency, which will bring an unrivalled
network of global sponsors to the table. We can’t wait to start collaborating with them to
find the right partners for our two most prized assets, the stadium and the academy. This is part of our strategy to continue to position Benfica as a truly international club with a global reach, ensuring that we maximise our brand potential.”
Karen Brodkin, Co-Head of WME Sports and EVP of Content Strategy and Development at
Endeavor, added, “We are excited to be partnering with Benfica and representing two of
European football’s most unique assets. The club’s iconic ‘Stadium of Light’ and award-winning, star-producing academy provide an opportunity for brands to not only connect with millions of football fans around the world, but also the six million tourists visiting
Portugal’s vibrant capital city each year. We’re looking forward to utilising our international
sports property sales expertise and a collaborative, data-driven approach to find the right
strategic partners for these prestigious global properties.”
WME Sports works closely with Endeavor’s network of businesses, including IMG, a global
leader in sports, events, fashion and media, and Endeavor Analytics, which provides
actionable consumer, marketplace and media intelligence to leading brands, leagues and
teams.
New Liberty Arena Opens with Daktronics Displays
Daktronics has continued a long-standing partnership with Liberty University to manufacture and install 15 LED displays at the new Liberty Arena in Lynchburg, Virginia. The installation was completed in 2020 before the new venue opened in December.
“We are thrilled with the new Daktronics boards in our Arena,” said John Gauger, chief information officer and VP of analytics and decision support at Liberty University. “They are one of the most visible focal points that contribute to making Liberty Arena one of the top collegiate basketball facilities in the nation. Go Flames!”
A new centerhung LED video display system is installed featuring four individual displays each featuring a tight 3.9-millimeter pixel spacing for higher resolution imagery. Two side-facing displays measure 13 feet high by 24.5 feet wide and two end-facing displays measure 10 feet high by 18 feet wide.
These displays are capable of variable content zoning to show one large image on each or for each to be divided into multiple zones to show a combination of content and data. They can share live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.
“Daktronics is proud to be a part of this beautiful new arena and to continue our relationship with Liberty University,” said Charley Bocklet, Daktronics region manager. “The arena provides an intimate setting for both basketball and volleyball games. It’s a great atmosphere for both the fans and the players. To see this project come to life from start to finish has been remarkable. We couldn’t be more elated.”
Along the seating fascia, a ribbon display was installed to share additional information and branding messages throughout events. It measures 2.5 feet high by 715 feet long and features 10-millimeter pixel spacing. Similarly, two vomitory displays mounted about entrances to the seating bowl were installed to share statistics and scoring. Each measures 2.5 feet high by 33 feet wide and features 10-millimeter pixel spacing.
On the sides of the basketball court, four LED scorer’s tables each feature 6-millimeter line spacing and measure 2 feet high by 9 feet wide to share additional information and graphics supplemental to the main displays. At each end of the arena mounted to the basketball hoop stanchions will be four total displays measuring 1 foot high by 3 feet wide and featuring 6-millimeter pixel spacing to provide additional sponsorship opportunities.
Additionally, the Liberty lacrosse venue received a portable video display featuring 10-millimeter line spacing and measuring 14.5 feet high by 26.5 feet wide. This display has the same capabilities as the arena displays to bring video and information to fans at lacrosse and other events.
RCF Amplifies the Adrenaline in the 2021 Snowboard World Championships
The Snowboard World Championships returned to Valmalenco (Italy) in January 2021, albeit behind closed doors due to the health emergency. Four days of competitions on the snow after a nine years absence of the Alpe Palù competition, down the area’s 60 kilometers of ski slopes. Frate Professional took care of setting up the audio and video systems, installing a wireless system consisting of various stacking stations with RCF HDL 26-A line array and HDL 35-AS subs.
The audio system requested by the client body had to guarantee sound reinforcement for the entire competition area, including the start and the finish zones, with a distance of 800 meters as the crow flies between the main diffusion points. Fabio Frate and his team devised a strategic solution: "To avoid laying long cable runs and crossing the parterre with cables, we chose to use Neutrik Xirium Wireless Bridges from the ski lift technical room up to the finish area, where the control room was positioned. An already existing balanced line of the chairlift facilities also allowed a wired connection with the sound diffusion spot of the start area."
The sound system was permanently installed along the snowboard slope for 5 days, including one day of pre-setup. The system ran non-stop for 8 hours a day and was left outdoors (and under the snow) every night throughout the championship period, using only the rain cover accessory to protect the rear connection panel for each unit. Fabio commented: "RCF assured us the system would work with great ease, as all components are waterproof and can work smoothly in sub-zero temperatures, and it did. At night here, temperatures can go right down to -25°C." As well as the sound system, Frate Professional also installed a 3.9mm pixel pitch Outdoor Ledwall for displaying the video contributions synchronised with the audio.
The logistical problems were not confined to the harsh climate; the inaccessibility of the stations also had to be dealt with. "All of the equipment was transported on the snow, using snowmobiles and snowcats, which, thanks to their load capacity, made it possible to integrate our RCF HDL 26-A units with HDL 35-AS subs, i.e. modules from the same RCF series, for better musical performance. The low end delivered by those small subs is impressive and could be felt even at a great distance."
In the audio control room, a Yamaha QL1 digital mixer enabled handling both all of the incoming audio signals from wireless mics and contributions and the mix routing to the TV broadcasters. Fabio continued: "The performance of this small-sized line array is top notch, the audio was clear and intelligible along the entire snowboard slope. Although the audience was small in number, the HDL system still reached everyone even hundreds of meters away. I was positively impressed by the reliability of the system. It always delivered maximum performance, even when turned on first thing in the morning, after a night of freezing temperatures!"
Stadium Miejski Expands with RCF Speakers
The Florian Krygier Municipal Stadium has recently undergone a complete modernization which includes the installation of a new sound system based on RCF P Series speakers.
The Florian Krygier Municipal Stadium located in Szczecin, Poland, is a football stadium with a long history. It was built in 1925 with the name of Florian Krygier, named after a Polish football coach who was an instrumental figure in Pogoń Szczecin’s history.
Since the 1950s club management was under MKS Pogoń Szczecin until 1989 when Szczecin City Commune transferred operations to the Municipal Sports, Recreation and Rehabilitation Centre (Polish: Miejski Ośrodek Sportu, Rekreacji i Rehabilitacji - MOSRiR). Until the beginning of 2007, it was the most prominent facility in the Polish Orange Ekstraklasa football league. It is currently used for football matches and is the home stadium of Pogoń Szczecin.
The stadium itself has recently undergone a complete modernization, so only part of the old stadium is still in place. A significant reconstruction started in 2019 with planned completion scheduled for 2022. The investment includes the Training Centre for Childres and Youth (Centrum Szkolenia Dzieci i Młodzieży), remodeling and expanding the stadium, football fields, and associated infrastructure. The new stadium will reach 20,500 seat capacity and 22,000 square meters of covered area. It will transform into a “closed” stadium with four grandstands and roofed.
The first phase of modernization of the stadium within the west and south grandstands has been completed recently with a new sound system based on RCF P Series speakers. All P 6215 are suspended to the roof of the stadium coupled in vertical clusters, two speakers per cluster.
The sound experience provided by the new system confirms an improved change in sound quality. "We are going to hear a qualitative leap during football matches,” confirmed the stadium presenter /commentator Adam Wosik, who has taken part in testing the RCF system. "If we will build the new stadium with the quality of the sound system, then it is going to be a Champions League facility!”
The sound system has been delivered and completed by TOMMEX company, official distributor of RCF install products in Poland, in cooperation with the Elektro - BUD company, providing the electrical infrastructure for low voltage wiring of the sound system.
Building Fan Experience with Daktronics at Gastonia Honey Hunters New Ballpark
When fans head to the new ballpark in Gastonia, North Carolina, they will be welcomed by a main LED video display and exterior marquee display designed and manufactured by Daktronics (NASDAQ-DAKT) of Brookings, South Dakota. The 1,500-square-foot main video display for the Honey Hunters, new to the minor leagues, was recently installed and is ready to engage and entertain fans when baseball swings into action.
“The City is extremely pleased with the technology that Daktronics has incorporated into the digital board at the FUSE ballpark. It features capabilities that will impress and excite crowds and provides the flexibility required for a multi-use facility,” said Gastonia City Manager Michael Peoples.
The video display in center field will measure 25 feet high by 60 feet wide and featuring a 15HD pixel layout to bring excellent image clarity and contrast to fans in every seat of Gastonia’s new ballpark. It also features industry-leading environmental protection to ensure it is operational in all types of weather for every event.
“We are excited about our partnership with Daktronics,” said Brandon Bellamy, Gastonia Honey Hunters Team Owner. “This state-of-the-art technology will allow us to create and deliver the ultimate fan experience. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the FUSE multi-use sports and entertainment facility for year-round events and activities.”
The display is capable of variable content zoning allowing it to show all the video and information fans crave and expect to see at baseball games and other events. It can show one large image or be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics and game information, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.
Additionally, a marquee display was installed to welcome fans to the venue and share current and upcoming event information. It measures nearly 8 feet high by 16 feet wide and features 10-millimeter line spacing.
“This will be a great addition to their new ballpark as Gastonia ushers in a new age of baseball,” said Gail Olson, Daktronics sales representative. “We’re excited to see this project come together and look forward to seeing the technology making an impact at games and events in 2021 and beyond.”
Daktronics included its powerful Show Control solution with this installation. This industry-leading system provides a combination of display control software, world-class video processing, data integration and playback hardware that forms a user-friendly production solution. For more information on Show Control, visit www.daktronics.com/show.
In addition to the equipment installation, the Honey Hunters will also receive a content package that will be produced and delivered by Daktronics Creative Services.
Stade Saint-Symphorien
Opened in 1923, Stade Saint-Symphorien has been the home of FC Metz since the foundation of the club in 1938. Plans have been in place to expand the stadium for quite some time, and in May 2019, the renovation began, with a new south stand, as well as an upgrade to the other three stands, bringing the total capacity to around 30,000.
Stade Saint-Symphorien’s new grandstand will be double-tiered and joined by two corner sections, which will be able to host 7,955 fans, including 136 wheelchair spaces and a premium section with anywhere between 2,239 and 4,500 seats, depending on demand.
https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/mdst16_digitallr/46
Images: Freevox
L-Acoustics Sonically Turns Up The Heat At Phoenix Suns Arena
It’s had multiple names since it first opened in June of 1992, but the Phoenix Suns Arena—formerly America West Arena, US Airways Center, Talking Stick Resort Arena, and PHX Arena—has been the home of the NBA Phoenix Suns since day one. What has changed recently is how the venue sounds, with a new L-Acoustics Kara II loudspeaker system in place just in time for the 2021 NBA season, which began with a Suns win over the Dallas Mavericks on December 23, 2020.
Designed by AV consultants at WJHW and installed by Pro Sound & Video, a Solotech company, the new Kara II system is part of the $230 million Project 201: PHX Reimagined, designed to convert the nearly 30-year-old arena into a state-of-the-art sports entertainment venue for Phoenix Suns and WNBA Phoenix Mercury fans.
According to Pro Sound & Video, the arena’s management specifically requested an L-Acoustics PA system as part of the ongoing and extensive venue renovation, including new distributed sound systems for the arena’s concourses and back-of-house areas. “The venue’s management has had positive experiences with L-Acoustics in other locations in the past, and the brand has become widely accepted by NBA arenas,” said Pro Sound.
The integrator points out that Kara II was chosen for its light weight and powerful output capability. “We had to stay within certain weight limits on the steel for this project, especially since the system is designed to be pulled up and out of the way, potentially, when touring shows come through with their own sound systems,” they explain. “We worked very closely with the structural engineers to make sure we were well within the weight limits. At the same time, this is a large venue”—Phoenix Suns Arena has a seating capacity of over 18,000—“and the sound needs to cover the entire seating area and court. Kara II is not only compact and lightweight, but it also has a lot of power for its size. And it offers a lot of sonic transparency as well.”
With the number of fans in attendance still being strictly limited per current safety protocols, acoustical reflection and reverberation issues from empty seating areas are a potential concern. “Thankfully, Kara II has a tight dispersion directivity and high degree of speech intelligibility,” Pro Sound added. “Those have become more and more important in sports venue sound designs and are reasons why L-Acoustics is seen in more arenas and stadiums.”
Phoenix Suns Director of Engineering & A/V Technology Gary Gillespie agrees, citing hearing L-Acoustics systems installed at the NFL Arizona Cardinals State Farm Stadium and NHL Arizona Coyotes Gila River Arena in nearby Glendale. “I’m also a live-sound mixer, so I’ve had a lot of experience with L-Acoustics, and I’m a fan of their sound,” he says. “But our team leadership also highly values the intelligibility that Kara II brings to speech in the arena and the fact that L-Acoustics WST systems never cause ear fatigue for the fans. It’s just a great-sounding system.”
The arena’s new system comprises six arrays of 14 Kara II enclosures for a total of 84 Kara II, plus a hang of four SB18i subwoofers flown in a cardioid configuration directly behind each Kara II array. In addition, there are 28 short-throw X12 coaxials deployed as a delay ring. All of these are powered by 43 LA4X amplified controllers—36 for the main PA and seven for the delays—providing over 170 channels of amplification. Furthermore, a single LA12X powers eight A10 loudspeakers positioned underneath the center-mounted scoreboard serving as court fills. Self-powered, coaxial 108P monitors are also installed in the new media editing suite to replicate the response of the Kara II main bowl system for accurate media reproduction.
The design of the Phoenix Suns’ new sound system originally called for eight hangs of Kara. However, this was changed to accommodate revised weight-load requirements for touring systems. With last year’s addition of Panflex to the original Kara loudspeaker model, providing four-in-one directivity, Kara II was a “game-changer” for the Suns. Now, one box could cover any audience geometry and offer consistent coverage and SPL distribution with precise focus in four different directivity patterns: 70 degrees or 110 degrees symmetrical and 90 degrees asymmetrical, focusing directivity to either the left or right. In its 70-degree configuration, Kara II packs a full 2 dB more than in 110 degrees. That prompted design changes that allowed just six arrays to fulfill the coverage requirements of the bowl without having to alter the product specification from Kara II.
L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D modeling software was used to execute the system design and all revisions quickly and accurately. This particular revision provided the venue with 28 additional Kara II from the original order that Gillespie and the Phoenix Suns management team decided would serve as onsite production inventory and be used as a flexible multi-use, in-house special-events production audio system.
Anyone in arena management knows to “expect the unexpected.” As fate would have it, those extra Kara II enclosures came in very handy almost immediately after the NBA directed their teams to implement their own enhanced crowd-noise systems for the current season. The additional inventory, plus eight more enclosures rented from the local shop of Clearwing Productions, now make up six hangs of six Kara II and are dedicated to the virtual crowd-noise system developed by Firehouse Productions for the NBA’s Orlando “bubble” last season, now in place at most NBA venues.
“Kara II’s Panflex update provided us with the extra speakers we needed for the crowd-noise system at exactly the right time,” he says. “We began to see ROI right away on what we had thought would be extra inventory, and it turned a frown upside-down. And with up to 3,000 fans allowed inside now, the system truly makes it sound like a full house. L-Acoustics, Pro Sound & Video, and WJHW really partnered with us to create a greatly enhanced experience for both the fans and the players.”
Pro Media Audio Video Appoints Eddie Thomas as Director
Performance systems integrator, Pro Media Audio Video, enters the European market with industry veteran Eddie Thomas. Charged with developing global business for new entity Pro Media Audio Video EU (PMAV-EU), Eddiebrings 30 years of industry knowledge to the role.
Headquartered in Lititz, PA, Pro Media Audio Video joined the Clair Global group of companies in 2019. The new EU office will establish a local presence from Britannia Row Productions’ Twickenham base.
Pro Media Audio Video has built an outstanding technical reputation over the last 45 years, and with deep routed connections in live sports, the company enjoys strong relationships with Major League teams in the US.
Pro Media Audio Video General Manager, Ted Leamy, commented: “Each of the companies has the same working culture. Eddie shares our values and he is the person chosen to carry this global standard into Europe.
“Eddie is incredibly well connected and as we begin this expansion, he is backed up by a very experienced team worldwide. Our presence in the UK will further add to our global information sharing, ultimately as one set of resources.”
Pro Media Audio Video comes to Europe with an impeccable safety record, coupled with standard-setting levels of professionalism. Through projects large and small, it continues to add real world value to aspirational concepts.
Eddie’s decades of audio system experience comes from working in network design and electro-acoustics with consultants, contractors and architectural specialists.
Eddie said: “I enjoy working with designers and consultants to create workable solutions and I’m very excited about this brand-new opportunity in such an impressive global business.”
Eddie’s forte is large format audio systems. He has a proven track record and skillset in Stadia and Arena projects. In his new role, he will develop further relationships with core technical partners.
As a complete systems integrator and technology partner, Pro Media Audio Video utilises experts from the fields of audio, AV, Wi-Fi, network management, IT comms and infrastructure for a wide range of activity in numerous sectors.
While different vertical markets have been affected by the pandemic, opportunities continue to present in the construction area. With this, a long-term approach to growth has been established and Pro Media Audio Video EU is part of a 20-year business plan that signposts investment into the UK and European regions.
“There will be undoubted challenges in the UK and Europe as Brexit unfolds,” Eddie continued. “Yet I am looking forward to developing and working on a range of challenging technical projects. I really enjoy pushing the boundaries of what is expected from an integrator and it’s a great feeling to know that as part of Pro Media Audio Video EU, we’ll be able to achieve ground-breaking projects together.”
Leamy concludes: “Pro Media Audio Video was identified as a centre of excellence, having become successful in moving from production into integration. That’s what the group does; we seek out centres of excellence – and the people who can promote that.
“We feel it’s of vital importance to understand our services from the perspective of the end user, and so we understand what is needed in order to benefit the fan experience. Uniquely, we are able to leverage production people into integration and that’s what we will continue to do.
“Eddie’s own knowledge is extraordinary and he represents another step in the expansion of our existing vision.”
Pro Media Audio Video EU is now fully operational and open for business and will be expanding its new Business Development team in due course. With Eddie already embarking on a number of new projects, he will continue to incorporate market-leading expertise into AV technology builds across Europe.
Ascot Racecourse
Realife Tech has been working with Ascot Racecourse, a venue boasting a rich history and tradition with its raceday experience. The venue has been in pursuit of a tech solution to help visitors enjoy their favourite aspects of a raceday, whilst minimising person-to-person contact. The solutions Realife offers enables venues to tackle major challenges, implementing cutting-edge systems to limit crowd movement and make transactions as contact-free as possible, with it’s mobile app being the exclusive method of ordering food and drinks. Enabling table delivery in premium areas limits contact with other guests and food service personnel, reducing face-toface interaction and providing a solution for a traditionally high-touch area.
https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/mdst16_digitallr/56
Images: Ascot Racecourse