Matt Johnson

Enhanced Daktronics LED Displays coming to Wrigley Field

Daktronics is bringing bolder, brighter moments to fans at historic Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, through an LED display refresh. Eight LED displays, totaling more than 8,300 square feet, will bring improved resolution to the ballpark with the Daktronics Renew product line, adding more than 1.4 million LEDs to enhance every moment of a Chicago Cubs game.

“Video boards play a key role in driving fan engagement at the Friendly Confines, and our partnership with Daktronics ensures we continue to raise the bar,” said Cubs Vice President of Content and Production Matt Romito. “With advanced display technology and higher resolution, these upgrades will deliver sharper visuals and real-time content to help amplify the fan experience and energy in the ballpark.”

“The Chicago Cubs trusted us with their initial digital transformation and we’re proud they have continued to put their trust in Daktronics for this next step in their video display presentation at Wrigley Field,” said Daktronics Vice President of Live Events and Spectaculars Jay Parker. “These display upgrades are sure to build on the fantastic game-day experience the Cubs have created in Chicago and will make every moment even more memorable for their fans.”

LED Display Details

While the physical dimensions of the displays remain the same, the resolution improves from a 13HD pixel layout to a 10-millimeter pixel spacing, tripling the amount of pixels per square meter at a lower profile off of the display face for improved viewing angles. This adds 5 million pixels throughout the ballpark for better viewing angles and an overall improved fan experience. Because the size is the same, the existing structure is used, while new video, technology and cabling components are provided to save more than 5 pounds of aluminum per square foot of display.

“Being able to use the existing structure represents a major step forward in overall sustainability practices,” added Parker. “We’re extremely proud to share these sustainability practices with our customers as we continue to improve our products for the future.”

The displays in left and right field, along with two ribbon boards, two upper deck displays and two outfield wall displays, take advantage of this renewable option for LED displays. These will be integrated into the ballpark’s existing display system.

Daktronics has grown with the sports industry from the company’s beginnings in 1968. Today, the company has integrated LED super systems in more than 50% of all professional sports facilities in the United States and Canada. For more information on what Daktronics can provide, visit www.daktronics.com/professionalsports.

by Matt Johnson

Sisk begins £42M Edgbaston redevelopment

Sisk has been appointed as main contractor to deliver the £42M redevelopment of Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. The announcement coincided with the launch of Build UK – Open Doors 2026 at Edgbaston.

Forming part of Edgbaston’s Masterplan, the project will see Sisk undertake the redevelopment of the Raglan and Priory Stands into a new 3,200-seater stand delivering improved spectator facilities, plus a new four-star Radisson RED hotel complete with hospitality boxes and pitch-facing rooms.

The new hotel development is projected to increase Edgbaston’s local community contribution to £40 million per year, rising to more than £70 million in a Cricket World Cup year. It will also create 134 new permanent jobs for people within the local community, adding to the 1,000 full time equivalent roles currently provided by the stadium.

Coinciding with the formal announcement, Open Doors, an annual week-long initiative driven by Build UK, takes visitors behind the scenes of construction sites across the UK to showcase the range of careers available in the construction industry. Around 240 construction workplaces across the UK, including Edgbaston Stadium, open their doors to the next generation of the construction workforce, as Open Doors 2026 gets underway.

Currently, the construction industry needs to recruit around 48,000 extra workers a year to meet demand meaning initiatives like Open Doors more important than ever, with 88% of visitors in 2025 confirming they were more likely to consider a construction career after their visit.

Completion of the stadium redevelopment is forecast in time for the Men’s Ashes in Summer 2027.

Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk and Chair, Build UK said: “We are proud to be selected as main contractor as part of the Edgbaston masterplan and to continue growing our footprint in the West Midlands. As Chair of Build UK, it is also a fitting venue to launch Open Doors 2026. This annual initiative enables the entire sector to influence younger audiences to consider careers in our industry. Projects of this profile are a great way to demonstrate the career opportunities that exist within the built environment.”

Ger Hayes, MD, Sisk said: “Our construction works will see the Raglan and Priory Stands redeveloped into a new 3,200-seater stand delivering improved spectator facilities, and a new four-star Radisson RED hotel complete with hospitality boxes and pitch-facing rooms in time for the Ashes in 2027.”

Stuart Cain, Chief Executive at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, said: “The next stage of our masterplan project will help cement our city as a world class sporting and tourism hub.

“Sisk has an excellent track record of delivering high-quality sporting developments such as the Etihad Stadium north stand expansion, and West Midlands-based projects like Great Charles Street in the Jewellery Quarter. Major projects like these make it the ideal delivery partner for the next stage of our masterplan project. We’re looking forward to working alongside the SISK team to have the hotel and redeveloped stands ready for the Men’s Ashes in summer 2027.”

Jo Fautley, Deputy Chief Executive, Build UK said: “Construction is at the heart of the Government’s plans for economic growth and projects like Edgbaston offer so much to their local community. I was delighted to join the Sisk team at the historic stadium with my 9-year-old son as part of Open Doors 2026, which will see events taking place at sites across the country this week to showcase careers in construction. By giving young people the opportunity to see first-hand what our industry has to offer, we can inspire the next generation on their journey from education to employment.”

by Matt Johnson

Daktronics install Arizona's largest LED display at Chase Field

Daktronics has partnered with the Arizona Diamondbacks to design, manufacture and install the largest LED video display in Arizona and three ribbon boards at Chase Field in Phoenix ahead of the 2026 baseball season. The video display in center field will total nearly 9,600 square feet of digital canvas, a 52% increase over the previous Daktronics display and top 10 in size at the major league level. The ballpark now has more than 21,000 square feet of digital signage totaling 16.9 million pixels at the Diamondbacks’ disposal to entertain and inform their fans.

“Our goal is always to make Chase Field one of the most exciting places in baseball to watch a game,” said Derrick Hall, D-backs President, CEO & General Partner. “Daktronics brought incredible expertise and innovation to this project, helping us deliver a world-class scoreboard and ribbon board system that will transform how fans experience the game at Chase Field. These new displays are an innovative step forward, building on recent lighting and audio upgrades as we continue enhancing the ballpark for our fans.”

Display Details

The new main video display will measure 63 feet high by 152 feet wide. It features a 10-millimeter pixel spacing to deliver excellent image clarity and contrast to fans in the seating bowl of the stadium. It features variable content zoning to share one large image or multiple zones of content baseball fans expect at every game, including live video, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.

“Every moment at the ballpark is a chance to create memories, and we’re honored to help the Diamondbacks make those moments even more unforgettable,” said Jay Parker, Daktronics vice president of Live Events and Spectaculars. “These new displays will bring fans closer to the action, amplify the excitement and turn every play into a shared experience. For decades, the Diamondbacks have trusted Daktronics to deliver technology that performs when it matters most, and that trust is what makes projects like this so special.”

Ribbon Display Details

One ribbon display runs from the right field foul pole to behind home plate to past the left field foul pole and will measure roughly 1141 feet long. An upper ribbon display will measure nearly 984 feet long and a press box ribbon display will measure 232 feet long. All three will measure more than 3.5 feet high.

These three ribbon displays also feature 10-millimeter pixel spacings and offer the ability to highlight sponsors throughout events while also sharing supplemental statistics and game information to the main display.

Daktronics has grown with the sports industry from the company’s beginnings in 1968. Today, the company has integrated LED super systems in more than 50% of all professional sports facilities in the United States and Canada. For more information on what Daktronics can provide, visit www.daktronics.com/professionalsports.

by Matt Johnson

Cardiff's Principality Stadium to host 2026 Community Shield

The 2026 FA Community Shield will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday 16 August.

The ‘curtain raiser’ for the new football season is traditionally played on the weekend before the Premier League begins.

Due to alterations to the 2026-27 football calendar, next season’s Premier League will begin over the weekend of Saturday 22 August, and Wembley Stadium connected by EE is unavailable on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August due to pre-planned concerts.

The Welsh national stadium has a rich history of hosting major football events, including the FA Community Shield on six occasions between 2001 and 2006, and it provides a neutral venue for the competing clubs as well as one of the largest capacities in the United Kingdom for fans to attend.

Further details about the 2026 FA Community Shield, which sees the winner of the Emirates FA Cup take on the Premier League champions, will be announced at the earliest possible opportunity following the conclusion of the 2025-26 football season.

by Matt Johnson

Euroleague Basketball partner with Coca-Cola

Euroleague Basketball and The Coca-Cola Company have announced a new multi-season global partnership that will see Sprite become an Official Partner of the EuroLeague, starting from the 2026-27 season, with Sprite set to appear during the highly anticipated 2026 EuroLeague Final Four Athens presented by Etihad.

The agreement marks Sprite's first partnership within Europe’s premier basketball competition and brings one of the world’s most iconic brands in the sport into the heart of the European game at a time when the sport is growing rapidly across the region.

Basketball has long been central to Sprite’s DNA, with both Sprite and Basketball sitting at the intersection of street culture. For decades, Sprite has shaped how fans connect through the culture surrounding the game, spanning sport, music, fashion and self-expression. Through this ground-breaking new partnership, Sprite will bring that legacy into a new chapter in Europe, creating fresh ways for fans to engage with the EuroLeague.

“Basketball is more than a sport. It’s a powerful force in culture, shaping how people connect through music, style, self-expression and community” said Michael Willeke, Vice President, Marketing – Sparkling Flavors Europe at The Coca-Cola Company. “Sprite has always stood for fresh perspectives, and we see basketball as a space where culture isn’t just consumed, it’s co‑created. Through our partnership with Euroleague Basketball, we will celebrate the voices, creators and communities that unlock fresh energy, new connections and experiences keeping basketball culture moving forward.”

As part of the partnership, Sprite and Euroleague Basketball are exploring a series of premium, access-driven fan experiences that bring supporters across Europe closer to the heart of the game. These include opportunities to meet current and former players and engage with the EuroLeague trophy, gain behind-the-scenes access to team environments, and experience the competition from unique vantage points typically reserved for insiders.

This relationship aligns with Euroleague Basketball’s commercial strategy, which focuses on strengthening partnerships with top-tier brands that share the organization’s pan-European identity and global reach.

“This partnership with Sprite represents an exciting milestone for Euroleague Basketball,” said Gawain Davies, Euroleague Basketball Chief Commercial Officer. “Partnering with one of the world’s most iconic brands reinforces the global appeal of the EuroLeague and reflects our commitment to collaborating with partners that share our ambition to continue growing the competition. Together, we look forward to creating memorable experiences for fans across Europe and beyond.”

The collaboration will leverage EuroLeague expansive digital ecosystem, offering Sprite’s unparalleled visibility and engagement opportunities across multiple platforms. It will also feature in-venue channels, including on-court branding and in-arena advertising, bringing the brand into arenas across Europe, starting with the EuroLeague Final Four in Athens this May.

Together, Sprite and the EuroLeague will create fresh new ways for fans across Europe to experience the game and the culture around it.

by Matt Johnson

VITEC upgrade signage and IPTV for Meydan Racecourse

by Matt Johnson

River Plate secure financing of $100 million for stadium work

Club Atlético River Plate has secured approval for international financing of up to US$100,000,000 aimed at developing social, educational, and sports infrastructure, as well as the expansion and renovation works of the Estadio Más Monumental.

The financing will be structured jointly with BID Invest—the private sector financing arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group)—and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), the region's leading multilateral credit institutions for development. Both institutions will contribute equally to the total financing amount. The project will support the expansion of the new building for the Instituto River Plate and the Casa River youth residence.

The stadium expansion will help improve attendee comfort, increase and diversify revenue sources, boost capacity for events, reduce noise, and enhance year-round usage. The Club will allocate at least 25% of the additional revenue from the stadium expansion to additional scholarships and the development of further sports and social infrastructure through the Social Reinvestment Fund.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, soccer is a powerful unifying force and a tool for social integration and transformation. Investments in sports clubs whose activities extend beyond professional sports to include amateur sports and community initiatives can generate significant social benefits. Investments in sports and cultural infrastructure can stimulate economic activity in the project's area of influence.

The commercial revenues from this project are contractually linked to education, scholarships, women's sports, and community infrastructure. Through the stadium's expansion and modernisation, the goal is to generate new private revenues that will be partially allocated—via a contractual framework—to educational programs, social inclusion, and community development.

This initiative, driven in partnership with CAF and IDB Invest, does not target financing for sports performance but rather aims to consolidate a sustainable model in which the club's activities directly contribute to social objectives.

The financing features a total term of 10 years, including a three-year grace period, allowing the Club to begin repaying the loan once the project starts generating the anticipated resources. In this regard, the repayment structure is based on the incremental revenues from the Estadio expansion—both through ticketing and new commercial agreements tied to the increased capacity and infrastructure improvements—as well as the concerts contract and naming rights.

Financially, the loan is denominated in dollars and referenced to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR)—the short-term interest rate published by the United States Federal Reserve—plus a preferential margin aligned with market conditions, a milestone that reflects the confidence in and financial strength of our institution. The approval of this financing is the result of months of effort, during which the Club underwent a thorough analysis and due diligence process by both entities.

As a nonprofit civil association with over 350,000 members and an extensive network of educational and social programs—including Casa River, the Colegio River, and the Fundación River—the club already maintains a robust ecosystem of impact on youth and vulnerable communities. From a financial perspective, the operation introduces long-term conditions and discipline mechanisms unavailable in the local market.

The initiative is expected to create jobs, boost local economic activity, and expand access to educational and sports opportunities. Overall, the project seeks to demonstrate that sports institutions can serve as effective vehicles for sustainable and replicable development in Latin America. This achievement not only ensures progress on a strategic project for institutional growth but also positions River Plate as a benchmark in management, transparency, and access to international financing within the sports world.

by Matt Johnson

Chesterfield FC modernises matchday experience with Uniguest

Chesterfield FC has deployed Uniguest’s Sports Hub platform to transform matchday communication at the SMH Group Stadium, bringing Premier League-grade technology to a League Two environment.

Founded in 1866, Chesterfield FC is one of England’s oldest football clubs and a central part of life in North Derbyshire. As the club worked to rebuild on the pitch and return to the Football League, attention also turned to improving the stadium experience for fans, partners and the wider community.

“There are two sides to having a successful football club,” said Ashley Kirk, Chairman of Chesterfield FC. “There’s what happens on the pitch, but off it we knew there was investment needed in the ground. We wanted fans to feel proud of the stadium as well as the team.”

While the stadium itself was modern, digital communication across the venue had become outdated and difficult to manage. Content updates were manual, IPTV lacked flexibility and the club’s small internal team faced increasing pressure to keep systems running smoothly on matchdays.

Chesterfield FC deployed Uniguest Sports Hub across approximately 40 screens throughout the stadium, spanning concourses, hospitality lounges, offices and reception areas. The platform brings IPTV and digital signage into a single interface, enabling the club to manage content, layouts and scheduling centrally while maintaining flexibility across different areas of the venue.

A key improvement has been the ability to control live content across the stadium. With Sky Bright Box integration, different screens can now display different channels simultaneously, enhancing both the concourse and hospitality experience.

Sports Hub also enables real-time engagement through event triggers, allowing goals, substitutions and 50/50 draw results to be shared instantly across the screen network so fans remain connected wherever they are in the stadium.

Beyond matchdays, the platform supports the club’s wider commercial strategy. Hospitality suites can display tailored branded content for conferences and corporate events, while integration with Microsoft Teams Rooms turns idle meeting room screens into branded digital signage.

“The team are constantly coming up with new inventory that we didn’t have before,” said Kirk. “Sponsors recognise they’re getting in front of 8,500 people every Saturday, and that’s powerful. It took a bit of investment, but the return has already been very, very good – we’re very pleased with it.”

The expanded digital estate has created new sponsorship opportunities across the stadium, while also strengthening the club’s conference and banqueting proposition through more flexible and engaging event experiences.

The improvements have coincided with a strong resurgence in attendances, which have more than doubled in recent seasons. While success on the pitch has played a role, the enhanced matchday environment has contributed to improved fan feedback and a stronger overall perception of the club.

“Stadium technology needs to be both impactful and accessible across the sports and entertainment spectrum,” said James Keen, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Uniguest. “From stadia and arenas to community venues and clubs, platforms need to scale to meet both engagement and budgetary goals. Chesterfield FC is a great example of how teams lower down the pyramid can create a high-quality, connected experience for their supporters.”

The project reflects a broader shift in the industry, where technology once limited to top-tier venues is becoming accessible to clubs at every level – enabling them to improve operations, unlock new revenue streams and deliver a more connected fan experience.

by Matt Johnson