Pro Media Audio Video EU Expands Team with Senior Appointments
Headquartered in Lititz, Pennsylvania, Pro Media Audio Video has been in operation in the US since 1978 and joined the Clair Global Group of businesses in 2019. It did so with a multidisciplinary approach and an illustrious history in live production and an impressive track record of technology integration into world class performance and sports venues.
As a complete systems integrator and technology partner, Pro Media Audio Video utilises both in-house and expert designers from the fields of audio, AV, network management, IT comms and infrastructure for a wide range of activity in multiple business sectors.
PMAV- EU launched on 1 April under the direction of Eddie Thomas and has now strengthened its position with two additional senior appointments: Andy Rigler and Tom Williams who will both lead on Business Development activities.
On carefully choosing the new recruits, Eddie said: “My vision and part of our business strategy is to place highly qualified and experienced personnel into the correct positions in Europe. I have a strategy in place for the future of the whole PMAV-EU team and will develop a team-based business that is a great place to work for all who join.
“Andy and Tom bring a wealth of knowledge to the business that works well with my own experience. We have previously worked together on numerous projects - whilst Andy was with Bose Professional and whilst Tom was with Harman Professional and later, L-Acoustics. We will now all continue to combine our proficiencies at Pro Media.”
Andy has worked in pro audio to great success over the course of his career and has settled into his next challenge with great enthusiasm: “Eddie and I have had a very easy working relationship and are now able to share this new vision.
“Pro Media Audio Video has an enormous amount of credibility and the whole team have been so humble and welcoming. Our EU network already has an immense global business reach and I’m looking forward to building trust with new customers and cultivating strong relationships.”
Tom has managed projects globally including the technology requirements for arenas and stadia such as Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and the Stade de Vélodrome in Marseille. His skills in application management and engineering support were sought by Eddie and will be utilised to expand on what the European installation market currently offers.
Tom said of his new post: “Together, this team is able to tick a lot of boxes in terms of expertise. We know and trust that we can work together to deliver outstanding results for all involved. PMAV-EU is a business being built on strong working relationships. In the US, Pro Media has an amazing reputation for large scale projects, so this is a very exciting development to be a part of.
“As an integrator, we’re able to work with a multitude of brands and create a more advanced tech experience than ever before. From large installation projects to the smaller, unique requests, we’ll cover a broad scope of work. The ethos of the organisation is also key, as is the drive to deliver the correct experience; creating the best fan experience is what we really want to achieve.”
Eddie concluded: “My philosophy has always been to empower and encourage the development of individual skills. If you look after your people, they will look after your business.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that both Andy and Tom have joined the ranks.”
With a solid team in place, PMAV-EU will follow the blueprint of core values that has been established by the US company over the last five decades as technology experts that listen, anticipate and act to offer solutions at competitive prices, even in the most challenging of times.
Unilumin Sports Named as the LED Display Partner of Manchester City Football Club
On the afternoon of April 6 (Beijing time), Unilumin Sports and Premier League Manchester City Football Club Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony and 2021 International Smart Stadium Forum were unfolded in Shenzhen. The event marked the official designation of Unilumin Sports as the LED display strategic partner of Manchester City Football Club. Scott Moon, Chief Executive of City Football Group China, and LIN Mingfeng, Chairman of Unilumin, attended the ceremony and signed the cooperation agreement as a representative to respective party.
As pointed out by Chairman LIN in his speech, Unilumin is a leader and a 17-year-old veteran in the LED industry, and has developed full-scenario LED sports product lines and industry-leading one-stop audiovisual solutions. This strategic partnership with Premier League Manchester City Football Club represents an important step of Unilumin’s commitment in the sports industry. In the upcoming years, Unilumin will work with Premier League Manchester City Football Club, as well as experts, scholars and entrepreneurs present to explore the application of 5G transmission, LED display and lighting technology in the sports industry. These efforts are made to deliver a better game-watching experience and a more comfortable game-watching environment, and contribute to the high-quality development of the global sports industry. He further revealed that the LED display products of Unilumin Sports would make their grand appearance in the home court of Manchester City Foot Club—Etihad Stadium at the UEFA Champions League to be held on April 6.
Mr. Scott Moon introduced the City Football Group and Manchester City Football Club, and the cooperation model with Unilumin Sports in his speech. He revealed that Manchester City Football Club is committed to presenting a more excellent matchday experience for about 400 million football fans and TV audiences across the world, and creating greater value for global commercial partners through increased investments in the infrastructure of Etihad Stadium, game contents and data. Under this partnership with Unilumin Sports, Manchester City Football Club will give full play to the technological strengths of Unilumin in LED display, and work together to develop more intelligent LED display control system, explore more advanced new models for the sports industry and new opportunities.
Over the years, Unilumin Sports has served as the official partner of FIBA and the official supplier of display systems for Chengdu Universiade. With wide-ranging LED sports product lines, and one-stop audiovisual solutions incorporating LED display, lighting, audio-video and control, Unilumin Sports can provide customers with one-stop customised services including lighting for indoor and outdoor stadiums, natatoriums, stadium control centers and surrounding areas.
This strategic partnership between Unilumin Sports and Manchester City Football Club has laid a foundation for deeper and wider cooperations. In the future, Unilumin Sports will continue to work in the sports industry, enhance the quality of events and stadiums with more excellent one-stop audio-visual solutions and contribute to the high-quality development of the sports industry.
Wycombe Wanderers Undertake Stadium-wide Digital Transformation with Clearglow Sport
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club has announced plans to transform Adams Park after appointing stadium technology provider, Clearglow Sport, to install a giant new LED screen and digital perimeter system.
The new 42sq.m LED screen will provide a huge platform through which the club will be able to inform and entertain fans on a much larger scale than the previous screen it replaces. The high-resolution perimeter system will create a powerful channel through which to activate brand partnerships and drive revenue.
Since acquiring ownership of Wycombe Wanderers in 2020, club chairman and chief executive, Rob Couhig, has been determined to invest in the club and reward fan’s loyalty with an incredible matchday experience. The new LED screen and perimeter system will play a large part in helping the club to achieve those ambitions.
Clearglow Sport will work closely with Wycombe Wanderers to create an outstanding fan engagement platform to rival that of any stadium. As well as being able to deliver live match content, the club will be able to use the screen to keep fans up to date with match stats, team line ups, social media content and much more.
The new perimeter system will also enhance the stadium, offering a hugely powerful platform for the club’s commercial partners to reach fans and the wider TV viewing audience. The system, which will span three sides of the pitch, will measure an impressive 900mm high, making it one of the largest in the EFL.
Clearglow Sport will install their industry leading technology at Adams Park in collaboration with global leaders in LED manufacturing, Unilumin, whose pitchside perimeter LED system will also be installed at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium this season.
Speaking of the development, Wycombe Wanderers’ Chief Commercial Officer, Neil Peters, commented: “We can’t wait to welcome fans back into Adams Park, and we’re excited to be able to enhance the matchday experience for our incredible supporters. We’ve invested in new technology throughout the stadium, with the aim of bringing fans closer to the action and offer a strong platform for our commercial partners.”
“After a thorough review of the market, we’re delighted to appoint Clearglow Sport to help us deliver our vision. The team at Clearglow Sport have an incredible record in delivering large scale stadium LED projects which, combined with their industry leading technology, and powerful content management solutions, made them the ideal choice to help us grow.”
The screen and perimeter system will be installed by Clearglow Sport over the summer, ready for the planned return of fans to Adams Park at the start of the 2021/22 season.
Clearglow Sport Director, Kristian Ball, added: “We are incredibly excited to be working with Wycombe Wanderers, who have demonstrated huge ambition throughout the planning of this project. By combining a giant stadium LED screen with our high impact perimeter technology, Wycombe Wanderers will be able to create an incredibly powerful platform for fans and sponsors.”
“It has always been our ambition to make high quality, revenue generating, LED platforms accessible to clubs of all sizes. No club should have to compromise on quality because of the league in which they are playing, and we’re delighted to be able to deliver the same industry leading LED display solutions for Wycombe Wanderers as used by some of the very top teams across Europe.”
PTI Digital & Oak View Group Announce Five-Year Strategic Relationship
PTI Digital has been appointed by Oak View Group as strategic consultancy partners for the arenas in OVG’s international regions. Initially focusing on the £350m Co-op Live at Manchester’s Etihad Campus, PTI Digital will provide venue-related expertise alongside technology, digital and data consultancy services.
After forming a strong relationship throughout 2020, during which time PTI were engaged to help design a world-class digital consumer experience for Co-op Live, the consultancy will continue to work on Co-op Live through to the venue opening in December 2023 at the earliest.
PTI will provide expertise across supporting sales from a digital perspective, continuing the development and delivery of the data and digital landscape and continued roll-out and oversight of the Venue Technology stack.
From strategy to execution, PTI Digital will deliver an integrated technology, digital and data strategy for Co-op Live, before managing the procurement of these elements and programme-directing their implementation to create a seamless consumer experience. Key projects already underway include customer persona generation, data warehousing, venue website, and creation of a mobile app.
PTI Digital is a technology, data and digital-focused business consultancy, providing world-class venue technology expertise and digital-led business transformation journeys for clients. Specialists in the sport and entertainment industries, PTI recently announced the opening of their Australia office to oversee APAC operations, alongside senior hires in the EMEA and APAC regions to support a growing client roster.
Oak View Group launched OVG International, based in London, in 2018 to expand operations and explore arena and stadium development and partnership opportunities in the market outside North America, including the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The ongoing relationship between PTI and OVG will see PTI acting at a strategic consultancy level and providing digital-led business expertise above each arena project.
The California-based Group, founded in 2015 by live entertainment leaders Irving Azoff and Tim Leiweke, is already responsible for significant North American projects including the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, the UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders, the Coachella Valley Arena and the Moody Centre in Austin, Texas.
PTI Digital’s CEO Mike Bohndiek added: “This hugely significant relationship between OVG and PTI comes following the success of our engagement providing data, digital and technology consultancy to Co-op Live and is a real statement of intent for OVG International’s ambitions to develop world-class arenas in the digital age. We are able to provide OVG world-class expertise across our core business areas, increasing our provision of services from the demonstrable success and value in the initial relationship. We are very much looking forward to continuing the relationship, providing support and expertise to OVG throughout the international region.”
Mark Donnelly, COO of OVG International, said: “OVG is committed to delivering a world-class experience in all our venues, ensuring they are built for the times we live in but also with an eye to the future. PTI have a unique proposition in covering commercial, data & digital and technology expertise in a single place and the team are supporting us to articulate a vision of that digital future, making sure the backbone infrastructure is in place to connect that for us.”
MTN SHOP EMEA Launch Exclusive UK Website
MTN SHOP EMEA, an E-commerce platform offering workwear, safety products, and rigging and lifting equipment, has proven to be a huge success across Europe since entering the international market in 2017. Building on this success, MTN has recently launched its exclusive UK website, shopmtn.co.uk, to provide its UK customers with a Brexit-proof shopping experience.
UK visitors will now experience seamless navigation across multiple collections, with over 5,000 products from over 20 industry-leading brands available from a one stop shop for businesses and consumers alike. ShopMTN.co.uk will be the leading source for hundreds of companies and crews looking for industrial and entertainment products that are affordable, reliable and readily available within the UK.
“Over the past five years in the EMEA market, MTN SHOP has adapted based on our customers’ needs. Launching a UK based site with a Brexit friendly purchasing process for our UK friends and colleagues is an essential part of our constant evolution to service and support our valued customer base” explained Managing Director, Ron Rose.
The new website offers standard three-five day shipping, free shipping on all orders over £200, hassle-free refunds and returns and no additional customs charges or VAT. What’s more, with enhanced aesthetics and more advanced navigation, visitors will benefit from optimised loading speed, filtering and search, a live chat function, and secure online payment options. ShopMTN.co.uk is also compliant with UK data protection regulations.
Whether you are a rigger, rope-access technician, stagehand, craftsman, painter/decorator or tradesman, MTN are always here to make sure you’re well-equipped for the trek ahead.
GLP Lights Budapest Pool for International Swimming League
Production Designer, Frédéric ‘Aldo’ Fayard (of Concept K), deployed FUSION by GLP FS20 Sticks for the first time - and to great effect - when lighting the recent ISL (International Swimming League) event in Budapest, Hungary.
Born from the initiative of Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Grigorishin, the event features 10 teams of 28 swimmers, who take part in a knockout competition, culminating in two semi-finals and a final. Held inside a sanitary bubble, the audience-free occasion was one of the biggest sporting events in the world this year and was broadcast on CBS in the US and BeIN Sport among others.
From a lighting perspective, Frédéric had to ensure this high-profile international competition, where several world records were broken, still retained its entertainment value in the absence of an audience.
The LD founded Concept K 23 years ago, mainly for touring and classical events. With up to 15 designers and programmers working for it over the years it has become a forerunner in its field in France.
He joined forces with Antoine D'Halluin, Projects Director at PRG, on the set and scenographic design, as the event’s production team sought their expertise. The two men have been frequent collaborators over the years and Fayard remarked that “for this type of project there is no precedent, so everything had to be invented. The fact that there was zero audience added difficulty to the equation, as did meeting the strict requirements of broadcast, an omnipresent Augmented Reality, and of course all the requirements linked to the obligations of a world-class competition.”
The set design thus included lighting, photo direction, video, and the LED screen integration design, as well as the studio for the English-speaking commentators and the entire complement of technical and sports equipment. ”It was a complex challenge,” he admitted.
One product that quickly came to his aid was GLP’s IP65-rated FUSION FS20. Aside from its all-weather deployment, addition of beam angle filters and various diffuser plates presents the designer with many creative options, while for broadcast, a fanless design enables silent operation—perfect for television.
Frédéric had been introduced to this by Antoine D’Halluin. “He suggested this solution and I must say that I was immediately seduced. For some time now GLP has been producing interesting tools—the JDC1, of course—but now the KNV, which is a very innovative and atypical product.”
The designer could immediately see why the FS20 would present such an attractive option. “I was looking for a powerful, discreet, aesthetically pleasing and IP65-rated source—I suppose hoping for the impossible!
“But the FS20 ticked all the boxes and stood out from all the other solutions considered for several reasons. In addition to its IP65 rating, the FS20, with its 20 lamps per metre, offers a unique concentration of light. This sensation is reinforced by the possibility to attach the bars together, which allowed us to create a real continuous horizontal lighting thread at the edge of the pool while outputting considerable power.
“We opted for the widest optic (60°), which was not yet available from any other service provider. It is in this kind of situation that I, as a lighting designer, enjoy working with PRG. They did not hesitate and immediately invested in the 60° optics required.
“Furthermore, the FS20 is very discreet, and physically attractive as it disappears behind the light it provides. It was the ideal tool for emphasising the image and meeting the constraints of very tight planning.”
Implementation had been simple and efficient, he confirmed. In terms of the design the 25m long pool had to be lit on both sides and so they installed 24 FS20 horizontally around 20cm from the pool overflow (leaving one gap each side for the swimmers’ access). “The fact that they could all be physically linked created the desired effect,” he explained. “The whole thing was oriented at about 20° upwards and gave the result that I was expecting from the camera, whether it was a tight shot or a wide shot.”
This approach enabled the FUSION FS20 to fulfil multiple roles: a rhythmic marking on the intro of the show via the time code, the finishes of each race, and finally as a background and decoration in all the camera shots.
In terms of programming, Frédéric opted for full 92-channel Pixel mode. “When you're working on a project that's going to stay in place for a month and a half, you want to push it to its limits. We absolutely needed to use the LEDs individually, i.e. to create effects as if we had a single bar of 240 LEDs. But I also wanted to have access to the strobe function for all the bars, and to be able to create bar-by-bar effects for some more dynamic moments, such as the celebration of world records; which is why we needed the 92-channel mode.
“In this mode, and with 48 sources, you need to be fully organised. But it honestly went very well, and the product datasheet is well thought out.”
In addition, he used GLP’s impression X4 L in a dual role: to provide general counterpart for the main entrance for all swimmers and also to generate effects on race arrivals and after advertising breaks. Needing efficient and affordable sources in quantities, Fayard placed two lines of X4 L; the first with 20 fixtures and the second with 16. A further three X4 L were also used backstage.
The designer also specified nine X4 Bar 20, explaining: “I was looking for a decorative product that would also be an effective counterpart to the studio dedicated to English-speaking commentators; the tilt and moving focus allowed me to fine-tune the complex settings to the best of my ability.”
Summing up, Frédéric was generous in his praise for the FS20. “It is without equivalent in the market,” he said. “To have 20 LEDs in just one metre is a real asset. But not content with this advantage, GLP has been clever enough to make a connection between the bars. This was key in enabling me to create a perfect horizontality in the image. I had two 24-metre-long LED bars, with 240 LEDs at my fingertips, and this gave me lots of ideas for other designs.
“The mechanical and inherent flexibility of a product such as this creates a real plus for a designer, as it multiplies his design capabilities tenfold.”
Concept Group Partners with UniLED
Concept Group, a leading UK-based sign and large format LED display specialist, today announced an exclusive partnership with UniLED, the UK’s market leader for digital screen services and products for the digital signage and digital out-of-home (DOOH) industry.
The formal partnership will see UniLED act as Concept Group’s service, maintenance, and software arm to provide an enhanced level of support to its UK-based LED customers, covering the sports, DOOH, transport, corporate, and retail markets.
UniLED already maintains over 4,000 screens in 500 locations across the UK, totalling over 25,000m² of digital real estate. The company has been at the forefront of the digital revolution, providing the DOOH industry with a range of market-leading products and services, from ad-serving and verification technology to 24/7 monitoring and support.
“We’re delighted to formally announce our partnership,” commented David Neale, director at Concept Group. “By combining our expertise in full turnkey project design and integration with UniLED’s service and maintenance capabilities, we are able to provide customers with an unrivalled end-to-end service to help push the digital signage industry forward.
“Both teams share a strong desire and ability to get the job done to the highest possible standard, so we are confident and positive about what the future holds for our businesses and our customers.”
Ben Zloof, CEO of UniLED, commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Concept Group to create an industry leading partnership. By combining our expertise, we are able to offer a high-quality, complete service for clients. We’re looking forward to working with them to continue to redefine excellence in digital signage.”
Together, Concept Group and UniLED will provide an unparalleled level of support with best-in-class client response times, supported by powerful service management tools to streamline the operation, management and maintenance of digital signage networks.
Ajax Appoint SecuTix & TIXnGO as Ticketing Technology Partners
AFC Ajax has appointed cloud-based ticketing solution SecuTix and its sister brand TIXnGO, the secure mobile ticket wallet, as the club’s new ticketing technology partners. As part of the agreement, Ajax will also become a development partner of the SecuTix 360° SaaS ticketing platform and collaborate on new features specific to the sports sector.
The Dutch professional football club started using TIXnGO this summer, as they welcomed limited numbers of home fans back into the Johan Cruyff Arena in a series of pilot events. This culminated in 10,000 fans at the game on 20th September receiving their tickets using the TIXnGO mobile ticket wallet.
Using secure blockchain technology, TIXnGO creates a unique, encrypted ticket for smartphones that is verified, removes the risk of counterfeit tickets and simplifies the process of transferring or reselling tickets for Ajax fans.
The SecuTix 360° ticketing engagement platform will be phased in from now onwards, starting with the Ajax Women and Youth teams. Tickets for Ajax men’s first team will be sold through the new system from early 2021.
SecuTix will help the club improve their fan experience, better understand fans and use ticketing data to have a full stadium consistently. The open SecuTix 360° platform will be integrated with other third-party software providers, giving Ajax the flexibility to work with their preferred solutions for the club and their fans. This includes TIXnGO.
Ajax sponsors and partners will also benefit from the new system with the ability to independently manage and distribute their tickets whilst providing data collection for the club.
Menno Geelen, Commercial Director at AFC Ajax, said: “This overhaul of our ticketing strategy will future proof our ticketing business, with endless possibilities for integrating ticketing and its data with our ambitions for the wider digital experience. We look forward to working with both the TIXnGO and SecuTix teams to serve our fans better and develop the best global ticketing platform in football.”
Frédéric Longatte, CEO of SecuTix and TIXnGO, added: “We’re excited to be working with one of the world’s top football clubs. From the start, it was clear we shared similar values and goals. We’re both globally ambitious and want to lead the way in sports innovation. I’m delighted that Ajax has also become our first football club Development Partner. This is a commitment to invest in developing brand new features with us that will improve the fan experience and drive greater engagement with the club. Together, we can deliver real progress and change in sports ticketing.”
Dorna Thrills MotoGP Audience with Viz Arena Software
MotoGP, the best motorcycle racing spectacle on earth, featuring the world’s leading riders and the most technologically advanced and fastest motorbikes, is thrilling television audiences even further with cutting edge graphics using Viz Arena software from Vizrt.
Viz Arena enhances sports coverage during live broadcasts with virtual and augmented reality graphics added over stands in a stadium, beneath players on the field, or in the case of MotoGP, on the infield of a race track.
Dorna, the exclusive commercial and TV rights holder for MotoGP and other leading motorcycle racing championships, began experimenting with Viz Arena at the end of the 2019 season. Despite rollout plans being delayed by the pandemic, MotoGP returned to screens in July with Viz Arena being used from the start on the live broadcast.
“Our fans crave real-time data during races that help tell the story unfolding on the track. It’s as important as the race itself,” said Sergi Sendra, Senior Director, Media Content, Technical and Production Departments at Dorna. “Viz Arena helps us deliver that in a visually compelling way that brings even more excitement to our viewing audience.”
“Virtual graphical enhancements can be applied through Viz Arena to any sporting event,” said Jonathan Roberts, Global head of Vizrt Sports. “The calibration process and the graphical workflow is simple with minimal training for operators.”
Viz Arena employs unparalleled and robust image-based camera tracking and image processing to deliver value to clients. This technology enables tracking of cameras in real-time, based on the video feed only and makes it possible to apply virtual graphics from the studio. Without the need of mechanical tracking heads, Viz Arena delivers striking results saving costs and resources but, more importantly, reducing the stadium or venue footprint. The value of deploying pure software and image-based solutions increases during the on-going pandemic as it allows customers to produce content remotely without needing people or gear on-site.
Major League Cricket Signs Lease to Develop First Stadium
Major League Cricket (MLC) has received approval from the City of Grand Prairie on a long-term lease agreement to begin an extensive redevelopment of AirHogs Stadium as the organisation’s first major cricket stadium in the United States. The parent company of MLC, American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) -- in cooperation with USA Cricket, the national governing body for cricket in the United States -- has retained the internationally renowned design firm, HKS, to repurpose and design what will be a world-class stadium for cricket in the United States.
One of the best sports performance facilities in minor league baseball during its previous life as the home of the Texas AirHogs, the soon-to-be renamed stadium will now become a dedicated world-class cricketing facility. The redevelopment of the venue is scheduled to take place throughout 2021 before playing host to the Texas MLC franchise that is planned to launch in 2022, as well as a base for the USA Cricket National team and a premier High Performance Center.
“As the first Major League Cricket stadium in the United States, Grand Prairie represents a seminal moment for the sport in America, and we are incredibly excited to partner with the City of Grand Prairie to bring Major League Cricket to Dallas,” said Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, co-founders of ACE and MLC. “Grand Prairie’s centralised location in the U.S. and the thriving Texas cricketing community, allied with the quality of the facility, made it the perfect site for us and we are certain that this is the beginning of a fruitful long-term partnership with the City that will bring much success.”
The City of Grand Prairie is an ideal location for a premier cricket stadium in Texas, with its strong cricket fan base and demographics in surrounding areas, favourable time zone for broadcast in major international cricket markets, and Dallas-Fort Worth’s pedigree for major sports teams and stadiums. The new cricket stadium will see the existing baseball diamond converted to an international size and quality cricket field capable of hosting major international competitions, a number of training nets and batting lanes added, as well as two additional outside turf fields that will be used for training and by the affiliated MLC academies. Upon completion, it will be the most extensive fully-dedicated cricket facility in the United States.
The venue will also be a centerpiece of USA Cricket’s efforts to bring major international events to the United States, including regional International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup and T20 World Cup Qualifiers for Men and Women, Cricket World Cup League 2 series, and International Series against local rivals Canada and the West Indies, as well as other contemporary nations. The stadium will also be a featured aspect of USA Cricket’s efforts to bring the ICC T20 World Cup and other major events to the United States by 2031, in a process that is ongoing as part of a joint bid with Cricket West Indies.
“We are very excited about this opportunity to bring cricket to Texas by converting our minor league baseball stadium,” said Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen. “Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world behind soccer, with a large and growing audience in the states. We look forward to an exciting future with our partners.”
The redeveloped stadium is slated to be ready for cricket in Spring 2022, but will serve as a key High Performance center for the USA Cricket Men’s and Women’s National Teams and other key youth and zonal cricket squads during the interim. The Men’s National Team is currently ranked 19th in the world, having gained One Day International status for the first time in 2019. The USA Women’s National Team will be attempting to qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup for the first time next year, having advanced to the global qualifier in 2019.
“In association with our partners at ACE, we now have a world-class facility to develop our domestic talent and help us fulfill the goals we announced in our Foundational Plan,” said Paraag Marathe, USA Cricket Chairman. “The successful development of a cricket-dedicated stadium has long been a priority for us, and it is a significant stride forward for the growth of cricket in America. We also look forward to bringing international cricket events, and the crowds that go with them, to our new stadium, and to help introduce the sport to a broader audience.”
USA Cricket has recently undergone a significant transformation that includes the release of the organisation’s first Foundational Plan with a vision to establish cricket as a leading sport in the USA and become a full member of the International Cricket Council by 2030. Cricket is the world’s second-most popular sport in terms of global viewership, attracting billions of viewers worldwide with a significant, growing American fanbase. USA Cricket counts more than 150,000 regular players across the country, with roughly 20 million fans and more than 4 million regular viewers of cricket.
Honored by Baseball Digest as the Best New Ballpark in 2008 following its inaugural season, AirHogs Stadium served as the home of the Texas AirHogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball for 12 years. The stadium, located conveniently between Arlington and Dallas, is adjacent to Lone Star Park horse racing track and The Theater at Grand Prairie, currently seats a capacity of 5,445 and features 13 luxury suites and ample space for improved amenities to enhance the experience of fans and cricketers alike. The stadium will be repurposed to be completely dedicated for cricket, with an increase in the seating capacity planned to accommodate more than 8,000 spectators with additional and upgraded hospitality features.
Along with the changing demographics of the Dallas region that have made the area a prime location for the grassroots development of cricket, the sport has seen recent progress domestically at the professional level. Following a player draft in August this year, Minor League Cricket (MiLC) successfully staged a series of exhibition matches over five weeks, the largest national cricket competition in U.S. history. The best amateur cricketers in the U.S. combined with 36 first-class and international players to play 51 competitive and entertaining T20 matches across 17 venues involving 18 of the 24 MiLC franchises with 312 drafted players competing in at least one match. ACE is preparing to launch its full inaugural MiLC T20 cricket season in May 2021, with MLC expected to start its competition in 2022.
Major League Cricket, which is exclusively sanctioned by USA Cricket, represents the most ambitious and transformational venture ever undertaken in the American cricket landscape. Focused on staging the highest quality T20 cricket for U.S. cricket fans, MLC will feature top international cricketers from around the globe, and provide a stage for domestic cricketers to showcase their talents to a global audience.
As the ICC’s member body for the United States, USA Cricket selected MLC as its exclusive partner for the development of a professional T20 cricket league. As exemplified by this establishment of AirHogs Stadium as a High Performance Training Center for USA Cricket, MLC provides support for both the USA’s Men’s and Women’s teams, with the goal of elevating them to the highest level of international competition.
The founders of MLC have been deeply involved with cricket in the U.S. for years, particularly with the establishment of the U.S. as a major broadcast market for the sport. MLC is co-founded by the founders of Willow TV, the largest cricket broadcaster in North America and the principals of The Times of India Group, India’s largest media conglomerate. MLC is also backed by a prominent and diverse group of investors from across the U.S.