Matt Johnson

Evolv becomes Official Fan Screening Provider of TD Garden

Evolv Technologies Holdings, Inc., a leading security technology company pioneering AI-based solutions designed to create safer experiences, today announced that it has agreed to a multi-year renewal of its hardware and software subscription agreement with TD Garden, the 19,000+ seat multipurpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. TD Garden, home of the NHL’s Boston Bruins and NBA’s Boston Celtics also hosts a full calendar of other sporting events, concerts, and shows annually.

The subscription renewal, which extends an original agreement struck in 2024, includes an upgrade of the Evolv Express® concealed weapons screening systems to the company’s Gen2 hardware. Evolv Express uses advanced sensor technology and AI to detect concealed threats and identify the person and location of the potential threat, while allowing people to move through checkpoints at their natural walking pace. The system is designed to screen visitors effectively while helping minimize congestion and disruptions to traffic flow at entry points. Under the new agreement, the Express units, which are deployed at all venue entry points, will be paired with Evolv eXpedite™ bag screening systems. All the new systems are currently deployed and in use at the venue.

The renewal also extends the official partnership between Evolv and the arena, under which Evolv has been designated as the “Official Fan Screening Provider of TD Garden.”

“TD Garden operates at an exceptionally high volume, often hosting multiple events in a single day, which makes reliable and efficient systems essential to delivering a strong experience for both guests and staff,” said Tim Townsell, SVP of Business Operations at TD Garden. “We value our continued partnership with Evolv and look forward to further enhancing operations with the Gen2 hardware and new eXpedite systems.”

“We’re grateful for TD Garden’s continued trust in Evolv to support entry screening operations at such a busy and high-profile venue,” noted John Baier, Evolv’s Vice President of Sports & Entertainment. “As a company, we take pride in serving one of the landmark venues in our hometown of Boston, so we’re especially pleased to continue our partnership with TD Garden for years to come.”

Evolv has official partner status with nearly all of the major professional and collegiate sports properties in the Boston market. In addition to TD Garden, the company is a “Proud Partner” of the Boston Red Sox; the “Official Fan Screening Provider” of the New England Patriots, New England Revolution, and Gillette Stadium; and the “Official Fan Screening Partner” of Boston College Athletics. These official partner designations join more than 50 others held by the company, which in total counts nearly 100 sports teams and venues worldwide as customers.

by Matt Johnson

Vivaticket become Official Technology Partner of U.S. Cremonese

U.S. Cremonese has reached an agreement with Vivaticket, a global leader in ticketing solutions, under which the company will become the club’s official and exclusive technology partner starting from the 2026/2027 season.

This agreement reinforces the club’s commitment to continuing its innovation and digital transformation journey by introducing advanced ticketing technologies designed to enhance the fan experience.

Through this partnership, Vivaticket will exclusively manage ticket and season ticket sales for U.S. Cremonese’s matches and events, providing a more efficient, secure, and fan-focused ticketing system.

For Vivaticket, this partnership further strengthens its position as a leading technology provider in European football, expanding its presence in the Italian market and reinforcing its role as a trusted supplier of integrated ticketing solutions for top-tier clubs.

For U.S. Cremonese, this partnership represents another important milestone in the club’s growth, reaffirming its ambition to align with the highest structural and technological standards in professional football while delivering an outstanding service to its supporters.

by Matt Johnson

Legends Global appointed Official Caterer of Emirates Stadium

Arsenal Football Club has confirmed that Legends Global has been appointed as the new Official Caterer of Emirates Stadium.

The multi-year agreement will see Legends Global bring its industry-leading culinary expertise to the club’s north London home from the start of the 2026/27 season, delivering all matchday and non-matchday food and beverage operations, as well as all hospitality experiences.

Kicking off soon, Arsenal supporters can look forward to an enhanced menu offering across the stadium’s main concourse spaces. There will be a complete reimagination of premium hospitality experiences, and the introduction of a series of exciting new innovations set to roll out across suites and lounges. Arsenal and Legends Global will continue to develop Emirates Stadium’s non-matchday Meetings and Events (M&E) offering, further strengthening its position as one of London’s most unique and leading conference and events venues.

With a proven track record of working closely with local suppliers, Legends Global will bring the same philosophy to Arsenal, helping to shape the new food offering with its local-first approach, bringing the many flavours of north London’s diverse food scene to supporters at Emirates Stadium. The Legends Global team will also continue to elevate Arsenal’s established partnership with Michelin-Star Chef Raymond Blanc. Together, the ambition is to evolve the Emirates Stadium experience through sustainably sourced ingredients, best in class hospitality, cutting-edge innovation and high-quality service.

Backed by its global expertise and network, Legends Global will be investing in the continued training and development of the club’s food, beverage and hospitality teams. As part of this, leaders from Arsenal’s front and back of house operations will join Legends Global’s culinary teams for a Michelin-level training program, taking service standard to the next level.

Karen Smart, Arsenal Chief Operating Officer, said, “We’re always looking for ways to improve the experience for everyone who visits our north London home, whether they’re here on matchday or for one of our many events throughout the year. We’re excited to build on our relationship with Legends Global and bring supporters and our community new and enhanced food, hospitality and service.”

Chris Bray, Legends Global’s President, Europe said, “We are delighted to be working with Arsenal. At Legends Global, our focus is on the supporter experience at the Emirates Stadium. Through investment in technology and genuine food innovation, we want to elevate every touchpoint of the matchday journey. This exciting new partnership is a real opportunity for us to build on everything that makes Arsenal who they are, and to create experiences that honour the club’s history while raising the bar for what supporters can expect in the future.”

by Matt Johnson

AFC Bournemouth hold ceremonial groundbreaking at Vitality Stadium

AFC Bournemouth have marked a key moment in the club's history as representatives gathered at Vitality Stadium to officially celebrate the start of the stadium's redevelopment.

The ceremonial groundbreaking recognised the beginning of a transformation that will shape the future of AFC Bournemouth for generations to come.

President of Business Operations Jim Frevola was joined by President of Football Operations Tiago Pinto as work continues on the ambitious redevelopment.

The occasion celebrated far more than the start of construction. It marked another significant step in the club's long-term vision to enhance the matchday experience for supporters while preserving the unique character and atmosphere that has made Vitality Stadium home for decades.

The redevelopment will increase the stadium's capacity, modernise supporter facilities and strengthen the club's ability to welcome more local fans through its gates, all while remaining at its historic home, Dean Court.

Speaking during the ceremony, Frevola reflected on the importance of the occasion.

He said: "This marks the beginning of the next chapter in our club's history. This redevelopment is about creating a stadium that's worthy of our supporters. Our vision is to preserve everything that makes Vitality Stadium special – the atmosphere, the intimacy and the connection between the players and supporters – while creating a modern home everybody can be proud of for decades to come."

The ceremony also recognised the collective effort behind the project, with thanks paid to BCP Council, project partners and contractors, alongside the many people who have helped bring the redevelopment to life.

Above all, the milestone served as a celebration of AFC Bournemouth's supporters, whose backing has helped the club progress from its proud history to an exciting future in the Premier League.

As redevelopment work continues over the coming months, today's ceremony will stand as one of the defining moments in the club's ongoing journey, representing both its ambitions for the future and its commitment to remaining rooted in the heart of the local community.

Supporters are thanked for their continued patience and support while work progresses, with the club looking forward to welcoming fans into an enhanced Vitality Stadium in the years ahead.

by Matt Johnson

Telekom Center Athens upgrade audio with d&b audiotechnik

Officially known as the Telekom Center Athens, this indoor venue in Greece is the largest multipurpose space in the country, hosting a varied programme of shows and events as well as being home to the Panathinaikos BC AKTOR team. With retractable seating and flexible configuration possibilities, the 19,000-seat venue has very specific demands for sound coverage – demands met by d&b’s A-Series augmented array.

Coverage, Flexible Control and Weight Limitations

What management company White Veil required was a sound system capable not only of delivering clear, consistent audio coverage across the whole audience area – regardless of the event type – but which could ensure independent zonal control (for example, court area, retractable stands, lower and upper seating tiers) so that only those areas needed for each event would be active. To allow for fast transition between configurations, access to zone control needed to be via preset scenes. On top of that, the system had to be lightweight enough to meet the roof’s load limitations.

To come up with a solution to meet these needs they turned to Athens-based systems integrator and audiovisual specialist, Telmaco. They, in turn, knew that d&b’s products could rise to the challenge.

A Tight Timescale

Telmaco’s CEO Vassilis Kyriazis explains, “The system had to deliver sufficient SPL and clear, consistent, full-range coverage across the entire audience area for all event types. We needed an average of 100dB(A) over 90% of seats, with ±3 dB uniformity and a 37Hz–18kHz frequency response – combining all this output and precise directivity with a system that could fit with the low structural capacity.”

Project completion was initially planned for summer 2026, however, once the arena was selected to host the EuroLeague Final Four in May 2026, the deadline was brought forward. The challenge of achieving such high acoustic performance, while keeping structural weight to a minimum, was now compounded by the project’s shortened implementation window.

3D Model & ArrayCalc

To make it happen, Telmaco imported a detailed 3D model into d&b’s ArrayCalc software, enabling d&b’s Education and Application Support team to design the sound system and support the commissioning on site, including the setup of the required operational scenarios in d&b’s R1 Remote control software.

“ArrayCalc gave us a solid idea of where and how we would achieve our targets,” according to Andreas Zantzas, AV Design Engineer at Telmaco, “and it helped us speed up tuning of the system after the installation was completed.”

Beyond design and commissioning, d&b’s custom solutions team produced bespoke rigging frames specifically for this project, allowing the line arrays to be deployed exactly as required by the venue’s structural and coverage constraints.

System Solution

The system is based around 14 flown main arrays of ALi60 / ALi90, centrally suspended on custom d&b frames. These consist of four arrays serving the outer corners, four extended to lower positions for the retractable seating behind the baskets, four for the court-level side seating and another two arrays aimed at the playing area, also covering the court-side seating.

These are complemented by 10 Vi-GSUBs flown directly behind the main arrays in cardioid configuration. Further ALi90 and ALi60 cabinets provide delay for the central and corner areas of the upper tier, while 18 8S cabinets provide under-balcony fill.

“The low weight of the A-Series was key,” says Zantzas. “It let us reach the required SPL, output and directivity while staying well within the roof's rigging and load-bearing limits.”

Ready and Waiting

Control of the entire system is via d&b R1 from a dedicated PC, handling both scenario presets and system monitoring. Custom snapshots were configured for easy, straightforward operation by the end user. Furthermore, the system is connected to the existing public-address/announcement system, to relay emergency signal when required.

White Veil – Telekom Center Athens CEO Ilias Vrisis: “The new d&b system has transformed the arena's audio performance by delivering outstanding sound quality and consistent coverage throughout the venue. It has significantly enhanced the experience for both audiences and performers.”

by Matt Johnson

Coca-Cola Arena upgrades audio with DirectOut PRODIGY.MP

Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, one of the most iconic live entertainment venues in the Middle East, has recently undertaken a significant upgrade of its resident audio infrastructure. The arena is the first multi-purpose, fully air-conditioned indoor arena in the Middle East operating all year round.

Driven by the need to meet the increasingly demanding technical requirements of internationally touring productions—while seamlessly integrating with the venue’s complex, multi-use service ecosystem—the arena invested in a new state-of-the-art audio system. As part of this major upgrade, unveiled in September 2025, the venue introduced a brand-new d&b line-array system alongside the integration of DirectOut PRODIGY.MP platforms. The result is a flexible, future-proof audio environment capable of supporting the highest-level live performances, broadcast workflows, and event production standards.

Julian A Chetty is Head of Technical Services at Coca-Cola Arena and for him, working in one of the most iconic venues in the world is both exciting and demanding. He is responsible for overseeing the venue’s Technical department and ensuring that every event meets the highest possible technical standards. For Chetty, the choice of PRODIGY.MP to upgrade the system with felt like the natural choice and a perfect solution for their needs allowing the audio team to adapt to any workflow required by the show.

“With the integration of our new system, choosing DirectOut was the obvious direction to take,” he explains. “Malcolm Giles, our Senior Director Venue Management and Mark Jan Kar, General Manager of Coca-Cola Arena, have a strong understanding of new technologies and how quickly the industry evolves, so they were instrumental in the choice. The PRODIGY Smart Platform has become an industry standard across major touring, live, and broadcast environments. I had originally specified MAVEN.A, so being able to integrate two of the larger PRODIGY.MP was ideal.”

Both PRODIGY.MP units are fitted with Dante/Milan Dual network cards, plus two AES SRC I/O cards and an AN8 I/O card. Typically, the PRODIGYs act as primary and secondary units, with the secondary providing complete redundancy. Thanks to the flexibility of this setup, the PRODIGY.MPs are able to function as matrix processing, but also fulfil several other uses, depending on the application.

“I believe the PRODIGY platform is a device with virtually no limitations,” he expands. “While we primarily refer to it as a matrix processor, it can just as easily function as a standalone mixer for almost any application. With all the features added over the past two years, the PRODIGY now feels closer to a fully capable audio console rather than just a processor.”

There are many artists visiting the arena and most recently Majid Al Mohandis returned for another sensational performance. Known as the Engineer of Arabic song, the record-breaking, best-selling Middle Eastern artist celebrated Eid at the arena in May 2026, selling out the landmark venue. With artists as huge as Majid Al Mohandis, there could be additional pressures on Chetty and his team but, as he expands, with exceptional solutions like PRODIGY.MP providing the central brains of their system, they can take everything in their stride.

“Pressure is always part of a live show environment, regardless of the artist,” he notes. “The audio department is always thoroughly prepared and take every precaution to ensure each show runs smoothly. The PRODIGY.MPs serve as the master clock for our MILAN setup, while also providing analog outputs as a redundant secondary protocol. They are responsible for system management, clocking, routing, and backup paths, essentially ensuring that every part of the signal chain remains stable and secure. Having the PRODIGY.MPs is a major advantage, a real asset. They provide quick, reliable solutions even in complex and demanding setups, which definitely helps reduce stress on show days.”

Looking ahead, Chetty expresses full confidence in the team's ability to navigate future challenges successfully. Even with the ultra-high expectations set by this unique venue, the overall excellence of the audio system is able to wow the audience every night. When international star Teddy Swims came through on tour, they brought three PRODIGY.MPs with them.

“It’s always exciting when visiting productions arrive with the same level of technology we’ve invested in, but for me, the most important thing is to keep those systems simple, while still retaining the flexibility to handle any request at any level,” he finishes. “The PRODIGY.MP gives us exactly that balance; simplicity in daily operation, but huge capability when we need it. It has definitely made many tasks easier without adding any unnecessary complexity. 7Hertz team – the official DirectOut pro audio distributor in UAE - is always available, both by phone and email, and DirectOut Luca Giaroli’s CEO videos go into impressive depth, especially on more complex topics. With all the excellent documentation and support on hand, I feel more than lucky.”

by Matt Johnson

Extreme Networks launch Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless™

Extreme Networks today expanded its wireless portfolio with the addition of Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless^™, a next-generation stadium connectivity solution engineered to redefine Wi-Fi performance in the world’s most demanding venues. Built for high-density environments, it helps increase capacity while supporting more devices and higher bandwidth demands with less complexity. Its multi-beam architecture extends high-performance coverage into traditionally hard-to-reach areas, creating a seamless fan experience throughout the venue and helping deliver more coverage and capacity with dramatically less infrastructure, driving substantial capital and operational benefits for venue operators. Through a strategic relationship with MatSing, Extreme customers will have access to a differentiated multi-beam wireless architecture not available from any other networking provider.

As fans increasingly depend on mobile apps, streaming video, mobile ticketing, and real-time venue services, stadium operators face growing demands for reliable connectivity in some of the world's most challenging wireless environments. Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless addresses this need with the industry's first 16-sector directional antenna system, combining MatSing's lens antenna technology with sixteen Extreme AP5022FX Wi-Fi 7 access points in a one-to-one AP-to-sector architecture.

Rather than treating a stadium bowl as a single coverage area, each system divides the environment into 16 independently serviced RF sectors, delivering targeted overhead coverage, predictable RF boundaries, and capacity aligned to user density. By deploying multiple systems above the stadium bowl, operators can extend coverage and maintain consistent performance across large seating areas from a centralized deployment model.

As the latest addition to Extreme's venue connectivity portfolio, Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless helps venue operators deliver high-capacity connectivity with less infrastructure. Its centralized overhead architecture helps reduce deployment complexity, minimizes cabling and installation requirements, and simplifies ongoing operations. The result is a more efficient network that lowers capital investment, helps reduce operational overhead, and scales as venue demands grow.

Expert Insights

The Tennessee Titans will be the first to deploy the Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless solution at Nissan Stadium, opening Spring ’27.

“As the first venue to deploy Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless, we're defining the future of stadium connectivity. The integration of MatSing's innovative lens antenna technology into Extreme's wireless platform changes what's possible inside a stadium, and more importantly, gives our fans the best experience.” - Russ Hudson, VP of Information Technology, Tennessee Titans

“Extreme is one of the most trusted names in high-density Wi-Fi, powering connectivity in many of the world’s most demanding sports and entertainment venues. By combining Extreme’s leadership in large-scale wireless networking with MatSing’s breakthrough multi-beam lens antenna technology, we’ve created a first-of-its-kind solution that fundamentally changes how stadiums deliver connectivity. Together, we’re enabling venues to support more fans, more devices, and more data than ever before, while delivering greater efficiency, reliability, and performance for the ultimate fan experience.” - Bo Larsson, CEO of MatSing

“Every stadium and arena presents unique wireless challenges, so venue operators need more than a one-size-fits-all Wi-Fi design. Extreme has a long history of delivering high-density connectivity through purpose-built under-seat and directional wireless solutions. With Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless, we're expanding that portfolio with targeted coverage for challenging environments. Alongside our omni-directional, directional, and under-seat access points, the solution gives venues the flexibility to optimize coverage, maximize capacity, and deliver exceptional fan experiences."- David Coleman, Director of Wireless in the Office of the CTO at Extreme Networks.

Availability

Extreme Multi-Beam Wireless will be available in CYQ4 26. For more information visit: https://www.extremenetworks.com/resources/solution-brief/extreme-multi-beam-wireless.

by Matt Johnson