MONDO | STADIA - ISSUE 24 - June | July by Mondiale Media

BAYARENA

Q2 STADIUM

DATAPATH ROUND-UP

HOSPITALITY & SEATING FOCUS

Coda Audio deliver a new sound experience at the home of Bundesliga giants, Bayer Leverkusen.

Henderson Engineers celebrate the one-year anniversary of the opening of the impressive Texas stadium.

A closer look at Datapath’s projects at stadiums in Montevideo, as part of a new, state-of-the-art security setup.

We showcase sporting venue projects and state-of-the-art products from the hospitality and seating industries.

ISSUE 24 - JUNE | JULY 2022

THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TECHNOLOGY IN SPORTING VENUES

24 WELCOME

t’s always a pleasure to feature one of the most iconic venues in the world as our cover story - and it doesn’t get much bigger than Wembley Stadium. Synonymous with English football for decades, the facility has now become one of the go-to stadiums for global sporting events, such as the UEFA EURO 2020 Final and the 2012 Olympic Games - not to mention the whole host of artists performing there, too. In a bid to continue evolving and maintain Wembley’s position as a worldclass venue, a new, state-of-the-art sound system from d&b audiotechnik has been installed to elevate the experience for fans, guests and clients. Check out the cover story on page 20. Over in Germany, Coda Audio has also provided a whole new sound system at BayArena for Bundesliga giants, Bayer Leverkusen. You can read more about the vast project on page 30. Elsewhere, we’ve taken a closer look at Datapath’s work on stadiums in Montevideo, Henderson Engineers’ incredible project at the Q2 Stadium, Adam Hall lighting up the ISTAF INDOOR Meeting in Düsseldorf, and plenty more. Our Team Talk guest column is from Pioneer Group, who discuss sustainability and stadia, looking at how AV can help, and we’ve also covered hospitality and seating in our Kick Off section. We hope you enjoy ISSUE 24...

Sam Hughes Editorial Director

24 INSIDE…

Cover Image: Wembley Stadium

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

Commercial Director Jamie Dixon j.dixon@mondiale.co.uk

Design & Production Dan Seaton d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk

Dave Bell d.bell@mondiale.co.uk

Finance Director Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk

Credit Control ar@mondiale.co.uk

Group Chairman Damian Walsh

MONDO | STADIA is published by Mondiale Media Limited, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK Tel: +44 161 476 8340

Printed By Buxton Press

TEAM TALK

VENUE FOCUS

006 Gerry Fredericks, Pioneer Group

ENGINEERING

042 Q2 Stadium | Texas, USA LIGHTING

KICK OFF

048 ISTAF Indoor Düsseldorf | Düsseldorf, Germany

010 Hospitality & Seating

SECURITY

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050 Datapath Round-Up | Montevideo, Uruguay AUDIO

THE FULL PITCH

052 Ed Robson Arena | Colorado, USA

020 Wembley Stadium | London, England 030 BayArena | Leverkusen, Germany

EXTRA TIME 062 Venue Tech Directory 066 Event Diary

GERRY FREDERICKS HEAD OF GROWTH, SALES STRATEGY & TRANSFORMATION, PIONEER GROUP Sustainability & Stadia - How AV Can Help Images: Pioneer Group

ustainability is a huge topic right

of the mind. Stadiums are expensive to build

centre assets to the public cloud operators

now in stadia, and rightly so. Most

and run, particularly in energy terms, even

(Amazon, Google, Microsoft). Businesses

clubs are dedicated to increasing

more so through the recent increases in the

realised they couldn’t continue to build and

their sustainability and reducing

cost of energy for power, cooling, and lighting.

run their own data centres due to high levels of

their environmental impact, not just through

There are, however, some quick wins that clubs

energy, staffing, and real estate costs and that

merchandising products, but within their

should seriously consider, bolstering their

they required a more flexible, consumption-

stadiums - the real heart of a club.

sustainability charter and move progressively

based model that could be easily scaled (up

In the Premier League, Emirates Stadium and

to achieving government guidelines and

or down) based on business imperatives and

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (two stadiums

recommendations to accelerate carbon footprint

market conditions.

that have been built in the last 16 years) are

reduction.

If it works for IT – then Audiovisual and Digital

at the top of the sustainability leader board;

Migrating away from halogen and LCD systems

Signage solutions should be the same – it’s all

this leader board considers key factors, such as

to LED-powered solutions is paramount. Energy

converging. The AV industry is lagging behind

renewable energy use, carbon emissions, plastic

consumption reduction for these new forms of

the IT landscape, and few, if any, suppliers

use and water saving.

technology is considerable. However, experience

can provide a more commercially innovative

Most clubs in the UK are dependent on existing

shows that many clubs will continue to sweat

mechanism to consume these services. That’s

facilities, often constructed many years

assets, even if they are no longer operationally

got to change. At Pioneer Group, we’re building

ago when the notion of sustainability and

cost-effective to run – due to restrictive capital

a blueprint for clubs to consume AV and Digital

biodiversity were unknown considerations.

budget cycles.

Signage as a Service. So, how’s that going to

However, for those clubs fortunate enough to

Over the last ten years or so, we’ve seen a

reduce my carbon footprint and improve my

be constructing new facilities, this is now top

progressive migration of companies’ data

sustainability credentials, I hear you ask?

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TEAM TALK

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007

TEAM TALK

As technological advancements continue at pace, every club

that works really well to help clubs offset their carbon

should have the opportunity to modernise its assets at a

footprint. They are a rich species of wildflower meadows that

point where the user experience and the reduction in energy

are a haven for biodiversity, attracting bees, butterflies, and

costs are compelling. Currently, this isn’t the case. Old

ladybirds with a high pollen flower mix. Wild strawberries

assets are simply held on for too long with no offset strategy

produce food for the local birds. Additional benefits include

to compensate. Moving to a Managed Service scenario

noise absorption and reduce rainwater run-off. Pioneer

addresses this.

Group will be bringing these ideas to more of our customers

As clubs and stadiums consider greater fan experience

over the coming months.

and opportunities for their customers to become more

In bowl, lighting is directly associated with audio output

involved with everything the club has to offer, including

capability. Modernising the lighting and perimeter systems

food and beverage, merchandising and retail, digital signage

is only doing half the job. Modern PAVA systems are built to

systems both inside and around the ground will become

produce better sound quality, consuming considerably lower

more commonplace. Restaurant menus, seating availability,

energy resources, whether in an active or passive state. We

directional services for concessionaires, and advertising

have partnered with several global leaders in this space. We

opportunities will continue to grow.

will be recommending PAVA as part of our solutions portfolio

These digital signage assets are often sited on totems, in

for our “As a Service offering”, something we believe that

the ground or on building facades. Pioneer Group has forged

clubs will be keen to adopt once they have fully grasped the

an alliance program with Vertical Meadows. It’s a really

commercial model.

innovative solution and softens the look of the technology, making it much more appealing to the eye by bringing “Meadows” to the ground. It’s a simple idea but something

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pioneergroup.co.uk

KICK OFF | HOSPITALITY & SEATING A closer look at products and projects from the world of hospitality and seating... KAPPTURE HOSPITALITY TECHNOLOGY FOR ASM GLOBAL VENUES

In 2021, Kappture were selected as the hospitality technology supplier for all ASM Global UK venues. With short timeframes for turn around, the Kappture team worked tirelessly over a 20-week period to achieve successful installations across the ASM Global venues. During the installation cycle, there were ever-changing Covid restrictions that added complexity to the roll out. In cooperation, the ASM & Kappture teams made sure all regulations were followed to enable work to continue safely. The main obstacles the Kappture and ASM Global teams had to contend with was supply chain issues around computer chip products brought about by Covid. Both parties produced a roll out plan working to hardware availability, centred on those locations that would be re-opening from restrictions to start trading and hosting events. Thanks to all the hard work and effort, a smooth and successful roll out was accomplished. Over 1200+ devices were installed

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at 22 ASM Global venues across the UK over the course of the summer. Close to a quarter of the devices installed were all-inone mobile EPOS and payment devices. With the devices having a leather case and shoulder strap, the devices were ideal for the challenging events market, with waiting on teams able take orders and payment at the same time. This reduced the number of trips staff needed to take to tables, resulting in more frequent service. Sean Marshall, Central EPOS Development Manager, ASM Global explained further: “Kappture went the extra mile on a daily basis to ensure every site went live on the scheduled date. They managed to deploy across a large and challenging estate with a motivated project team, who prioritised on a regular basis to manage the supply chain and Covid restrictions. “The speed of installation, training and ease of use was testament to the quality of the software. On-site support during the implementation was agreed with each site manager to ensure the

KICK OFF

EPOS upgrade for both fixed and mobile terminals was achieved. The company now has real-time sales analysis and the ability to make quick changes for all our UK sites” One of the driving initiatives throughout the project was cash control and to reduce cash where possible at all venues. This had escalated through the pandemic, with many of ASM Global’s venues becoming cashless. Pre-loaded cards with set values are used for Hospitality Account customers, using the integrated RFID contactless card readers on each of the tills. Pre-loaded cards are also sent out to VIP customers and visitors. This is all managed though the Kappture back office where the cards can be identified to companies who will be using them and set up with specific parameters for that individual or party - promotions, discounts and accounts, for example. Since the beginning of May 2021, the Kappture system has processed more than three million transaction across the venues, which include stadiums, arenas, racecourses and theatres.

All the data is available in one data lake in the ASM back office, which enables multiple reports to be run, including flash reports to see overall estate figures, but also to drill down to individual numbers on a specific site. Kappture reporting enables straightforward reconciliation for the ASM financial team and venue managers. Thanks to the ability to see live dashboard reports using real time data, key business decisions can be made in terms of managing stock around venues. This partnership has grown over the course of the last 12 months to the extent that Kappture are now venturing into new European markets alongside ASM to provide the same impressive system to arenas in Europe starting this summer. www.kappture.co.uk

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DAPLAST INJECTION-MOULDED SEATS VS. BLOW-MOULDED SEATS Injection moulded seats vs. blow moulded seats… what difference does it make? Both technologies are the most used to produce stadium seating. A wide variety of stadium seats can be found on the market that are manufactured using one of these two processes. Essentially, in injection moulding, the material is melted and introduced in the mould through one or more orifices at very high pressures. Whereas in blow moulding production, the material is semimelted and inserted as a shape of semi-molten plastic sleeve or parison into a mould. Once the mould is closed, air is blown with pressure to form a moulded hollow body in the shape of the mould. But, which technology is the most suitable for each project? Are there differences in the stadium seats obtained, and which production system makes it possible to create more original stadium seats designs? Let’s review the most important characteristics to choose the best stadium seat for each project: - Design is an important factor to consider depending on the requirements of each project. Blow moulded stadium seats allow designs with more volume or hollow geometries. However, injection moulded seats have more limitations in terms of geometry and thickness. In their favour, the injection moulding process allows greater definition, precision, and detail in the pieces. The appearance of the surface of the seat or backrest is better finished because the piece copies the mould surface with great precision. - Mechanical strength depends on the geometry of the piece rather than the process. Although there are more and higher quality materials available for injection moulding than those available for blow moulding. - Cost-effectiveness: there are differences between investment in machinery and investment in moulds. On the one hand, the required investment in blow moulding machinery is higher than in injection moulding, as injection moulding machinery is

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produced in large series, which saves on costs. On the contrary, blow moulds are more economic than injection moulds, because blow moulds work at lower pressures and are softer and easier to produce than injection moulds. - How does this impact on a seating project? When we are designing a new seat or backrest for a specific project, factors such as seat design (geometry) and the volume of production must be considered. Depending on the customer’s requirements, we will choose the most suitable manufacturing technology, from both technical and economical points of view. - Delivery times: Injection moulding production times are faster and the final finish requires less manipulation than in the case of blow moulding. This translates into higher availability for short series, and better lead times in the case of injection moulded seat production. Which seats are the best, those produced by injection moulding or those produced by blow moulding? How does the production system affect the result? In conclusion, they are different processes, each one with its own advantages or weaknesses. There is no one process that is better than another. It depends on the design of each part or component of the seat, the choice of one system or the other. Blow moulding is a suitable process to obtain a seat or backrest formed from a hollow part, offering different opportunities in aesthetics, volume and geometry of the product. For structural parts of the seat, the injection moulding process is better, allowing the use of technical materials and precise and defined geometries. The combination of the two technologies offers more opportunities in terms of product design. Daplast has both technologies and is betting on this combination.

www.daplast.com

Tel. +34 957329448 daplast.com daplast@daplast.com

Specialist in “turnkey” projects, we design stadium seating and customized technical solutions for each sport facility.

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KICK OFF

DAS AUDIO ESTADIO DE LA CERÁMICA El Ceramista restaurant, based at the home ground of Villarreal C.F., is presented as a meeting point for sport and culinary fans. Fernando Roig, the majority shareholder of the Pamesa business group and Villarreal CF, decided to undertake a visionary project. The businessman chose the club’s soccer stadium to start a restaurant that would become the new meeting point for the fans - an innovative, welcoming and sophisticated place. The facility would also serve as a showroom for the ceramics of the group, of which Fernando Roig is part, standing out for a latent balance between design and gastronomy. Miguel Martí, a renowned Spanish chef with a consolidated career, would be in charge of creating a cuisine to match the place. The project was presented with remarkable complexity and wonder in a place as foreign to sophistication and haute cuisine as a soccer field. All the details had to line up perfectly to live up to high expectations. Consequently, in order to achieve an ideal atmosphere in every major event that would take place in this venue, it was essential to install a high-quality professional sound system. The Quantum series systems were the protagonists in this installation, along with some models from the Arco, Artec, WR and Ceiling Series. The challenge was to combine exceptional sound quality with thoughtful design, and for that, the Quantum Series, available in all RAL colours, was the ideal choice. These highly intelligible and configurable response installation systems suit spaces with complex acoustic conditions and immersive experiences. With a horizontal dispersion of 120º and a vertical dispersion of up to 90º, these systems can create an exceptional sound environment in any corner of the restaurant. The selected models of the Arco series were also available in white, giving the installation a similarly refined appearance,

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as well as doing justice to the sound quality. The ARCO-4-TW incorporates a 4” woofer with a weather resistant polypropylene cone and a 19mm neodymium tweeter, which delivers sparkling highs. It includes an overload safety circuit that protects the loudspeakers, 4 M6 rigging points and fixing points for the safety cable. The aesthetically-pleasing models of the Artec series, made of high-quality birch plywood, together with systems from the WR series are used for sound reinforcement guaranteeing the best sound throughout the restaurant. To complete the installation, systems from the Ceiling Series were fitted on the ceiling, blending seamlessly with the space. The good results are undeniable. Improving sound quality and power, as well as offering uni-form coverage in the premises, DAS Audio systems have managed to deliver an ideal environment to host all kinds of events. In addition, the thoughtful system design guarantees customer satisfaction thanks to the excellent performance that the installation delivers. wing statements leave no room for doubt: “We have achieved high-quality acoustics in a very complex space, considering the previous soundproofing that had to be done plus the room large dimensions. Immersive sound lets us combine different environments in different zones of the restaurant, offering highquality and exclusivity to our clients, taking into account their needs at all times. For example, it is possible to have music in the gastro area, a company presentation in a meeting room, and a sports broadcast in the restaurant area, all simultaneously.” The versatility of DAS Audio systems as well as our experience makes each new challenge of the brand an undeniable success www.dasaudio.com

KICK OFF

CAMATIC SEATING QUANTUM Stadium seating is not a simple matter, whether you’re building an outdoor stadium with a capacity of 80,000 seats, or a boutique indoor arena of 2,000 seats, there is no-one-sizefits-all approach and countless hours of meticulous planning are required from preliminary design through to installation for all well delivered projects. It is the strategic planning that ensures optimised sightlines for all spectators, no unnecessary seat-count losses, on time and on budget delivery, and most importantly a comfortable memorable game day experience for spectators. The best stadiums and arenas are those that engage the fan-experience by putting spectators at the forefront of their design. Seating can often be overlooked, but is one of the most fundamental components in enhancing the spectator experience and should be recognised for the key technical roles that seating provides within any stadium or arena. This is why architects, venue owners and operators around the world choose Camatic Seating. Camatic Seating has been producing world-leading seating systems to stadiums and arenas around the world for more than 30 years, during which time they have become the go-to resource for expert seating solutions. As the leading supplier to the National Football League (NFL), Major League Soccer (MLS) and Grand Slam Tennis, Camatic has built a reputation within the industry for having the right skill set to deliver the best-inclass seating solutions that are designed to perform and push past all client expectations. Camatic Seating do not only provide stadiums and arenas with high quality products, but it is the superior technical capabilities in seating and project experience that sets Camatic from the rest and allows for any situation to be solved professionally and efficiently. Camatic Seating is arguably the only seating company in the world to maintain all phases of the seating design and manufacturing in house, developing products that are not only comfortable but globally certified to perform in the harshest environments from blistering heat and high UV to sub-freezing temperatures, in all conditions Camatic seats are built to last. The flagship product from Camatic is the Quantum, which is defined as the industry standard for high quality professional sports arena seating. The Quantum system has brought to market the revolution of beam mounted seats, which provides ease of install, ease of maintenance and the ability to reconfigure over the life of the facility amongst many other profound benefits. With more than a million sold around the world, there’s no arguing Quantum is the world’s best stadium and arena seating system. In the past 12 months Camatic has completed the mammoth task of supplying more than 180,000 seats to three professional league stadiums within the United States, amongst many other projects around the world at a concurrent time including Wimbledon Court One and The Curragh Racecourse. The aforementioned stadiums are SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles and Chargers Stadium), Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas Raiders) and Globe Life Field (Texas Rangers) all of which could not have been delivered without the resources and skill that comes with Camatic’s long term experience. The Raiders team understood the importance of seating while designing the Allegiant Stadium. “Camatic Seating out of Australia provided all the bowl seating in the stadium - they are one of the sports industry leaders in stadium seating and that was certainly one of the biggest

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reasons why they were selected,” revealed Joe Wright of Allegiant Stadium. Camatic are pleased to have recently launched several new products to market that are generating keen interest from architects and key decision makers. This includes the Quantum SQ 150, a compact fold-down retractable system that has the ability to retain arms and cup holders when used in a retractable setting, a feat which has not been seen before in a stadium. Camatic has also brought to market the Valencia Sport Fixed, an ultra-luxury suite seating system adapted from cinema seating technology and designed for VIP sections and owners suites. The success of Camatic is ensured long into the future with projects including West End Stadium (Cincinnati FC), Empower Field at Mile High (Denver Broncos), Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs), SDSU Aztec Stadium and numerous other projects around the world. www.camatic.com

24 THE FULL PITCH

020 Wembley Stadium | London, England 030 BayArena | Leverkusen, Germany

WEMBLEY STADIUM London, England

THE FULL PITCH

fter two lost years for sports and music en-masse, German audio technology and solutions company, d&b audiotechnik, is delighted to report that London’s iconic Wembley Stadium is now preparing for its longest concert season yet – with a permanently installed d&b sound solution. Since hosting its first FA Cup Final in 1923, Wembley has become synonymous with English football. Today the stadium’s sporting calendar invites a global audience with events as prominent as the UEFA EURO 2020 Final and the 2012 Olympic Games. Then there are the A-list artists, from Beyonce to Coldplay, whose legendary concerts have made Wembley a mecca for musicians. Despite its historic stature, Wembley is not resting on its laurels. Driven by the need to remain world-class the stadium is continuously evolving, benchmarking itself against the competition. “One area that we knew would add value to our guests and clients was upgrading the bowl audio,” explained Liam Boylan, Stadium Director at Wembley. “The previous system was not specifically designed to be used for the delivery of music and that was becoming increasingly apparent; we wanted to

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offer our clients a state-of-the-art system that they would never consider not using! “d&b offered a solution that would elevate the audio experience for our fans - for all of our events - and thus keep our standards as high as possible.” In simple terms the brief was straightforward: ensure the person sitting in row one, level one, experiences the same quality of sound as the person in row forty-eight, level five. Additionally, the system needed to be lightweight to stay within roof loading limits, appeal to both the music industry and sports organisations, and integrate with the existing network as part of the stadium’s life safety system. Mervyn Nock, Audiovisual Manager for The FA, added: “With the d&b system, PAVA compliance was a given, so instead of thinking about baseline intelligibility we could focus on performance quality expectations. Before the installation, we rigged an array of d&b loudspeakers to give Wembley’s senior leadership team and various stakeholders an A/B comparison. The difference surpassed everyone’s expectations; not only was music much clearer, cleaner and brighter, but speech was so

THE FULL PITCH

much more intelligible, more authoritative.” Steve Jones, Head of d&b Education and Application Support EMEA, was tasked with the system design. “Because the Wembley bowl is so high and so steep we needed to propose a single system that was up to the task of properly covering the large vertical geometry from front row to the back of the upper tiers, provide horizontal consistency and be suitable for both sports events and augmenting concert productions. “I’d be asking what would the system do when it was in sports mode,” Steve continued. “And what did that full coverage need to be; and then with, in effect, a smaller array formed from the top cabinets, check that we still had a system that could deliver concert sound levels into the top tier. My next consideration was informed by our observations of concert productions at Wembley; the best results involved the deployment of a ring delay system.” Steve set about honing his design, moving between the venue’s two principal modes of operation - and started asking a different set of questions: “This was the light bulb moment when I realised that for optimum performance from a single system, I needed 024

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to talk to Wembley’s technology consultants, Vanguardia, about the possibility to rotate the arrays and deploy them at an overall lower height, in the North and South stands. Eventually, after lots of toing and froing, we were able to define the arrays’ optimal height and position to do both sports and concerts really, really well.” The main loudspeaker system, including corner fills, comprises Special Version Stadium (SVS) V-Series and Y-Series line arrays. SVS models are acoustically identical to their standard versions, with extra protection for use in harsh environments and full consideration of wind loads and seismic activity. The complete system integrates with Wembley’s existing control infrastructure via MediaMatrix. A critical advantage of the d&b system is the ability to rotate the arrays. During sports events the arrays are in their default position, on axis with the spectators’ seating position. In concert mode they are rotated to optimize the acoustic path between the stage and the audience in the upper tiers, enhancing the listening experience. Installation specific 30D amplifiers are housed on two fifty metre

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high gantries running along the length of the pitch, alongside floodlights, control networks and power distribution, broadcast technology and IT infrastructure. Mervyn added: “Obviously with a new installation there is very little maintenance, but with the amplifiers’ system diagnostics functionality, the status of the system is relayed to the main PAVA maintenance graphical user interface and also onto the stadium’s building management system, instantly flagging any issues should they appear. “With so many different types of events at Wembley, d&b’s R1 software enables us to quickly configure the system and cater for any event specific PA requirements, for example reducing the sound levels in temporary press/broadcast locations.” Ultimately, what Steve, in collaboration with Vanguardia, structural engineers OPS and integrator RG Jones, has achieved is more than a two-for-one solution. “Thanks to ArrayProcessing it’s now possible for Wembley to create upper and lower zones, and to easily offer multiple performance layouts,” explained Steve. “And switch from sports mode to concert mode without any compromise in quality.” As any venue knows, flexibility is essential to owning a truly multipurpose reputation, and Mervyn is in no doubt about the scope afforded by ArrayProcessing: “There’s always been a strong, valued partnership between UEFA and Wembley over the years, and they were pleased to see the d&b system installed and 026

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available to use for UEFA EURO 2020. “During the championship, a twenty metre long temporary press area was built over 6-8 seating rows and UEFA requested a lower sound level in this area; this was achieved by a reduction of as much as 12 dB with spectators in front, behind and to the sides still experiencing the full sound level. It’s been invaluable.” The sound system installation took place during winter 2019 – and was completed by RG Jones. Just three months were allocated to design, fabricate, and install the new system with several large projects taking place simultaneously including relaying the pitch and installing an LED floodlighting system. Due to the tight timescales and number of interfaces, the programme was planned to the highest level of detail. The project teams met daily to collaboratively resolve risks, address technical uncertainties, and to monitor safety, progress and quality. Commissioning of the audio system was completed in time for the EFL Carabao Cup Final in February 2020, just weeks before the first Covid-19 lockdown. Laurence Young, Project Manager, Wembley Stadium, said: “The programme was delivered safely and to very tight timescales. Coordination between contractors and the added risk of working at height were the biggest challenges but the installers and project teams, including d&b, were fantastic at working together and resolving any issues that we were faced with. “For me, the moment that truly encapsulated what has been

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THE FULL PITCH

achieved was at the UEFA EURO 2020 Final and experiencing the d&b system, together with the new LED lighting system, in front of a capacity crowd.” “I think the highlight of the project, as is usually the case, is when good content is being played through the system and the resulting audio experience leaves you feeling, ‘wow’ this is something special,” said Jon Berry, Sales and Installations Director, RG Jones. “Of course, overcoming the engineering difficulties to deliver the UK’s first rotatable stadium loudspeaker system suspended from wire ropes - and in our national stadium, the iconic home of football - makes you feel pretty good, too.” Following the Carabao Cup Final in 2020, football at Wembley was audience-free or at significantly reduced capacity until UEFA EURO 2020 in June 2021 - at which point resident DJ Tony Perry put the new audio system through its paces: “The sound at Wembley during EURO 2020 was incredible. I received messages from so many fans saying it was the ‘best atmosphere they’ve ever experienced at a football match’. This level of fan interaction would not have been possible without such an incredibly enhanced sound in the stadium. 028

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“I’ve been fortunate to play at many stadiums. At Wembley this summer, there was a notable difference in clarity and depth. Whether the stadium was at its lowest 20,000 capacity audience, or during the epic closing ceremony, the sound was remarkably well balanced. Perhaps what stood out most, was how the sound maintained clarity both at low level, and when being pushed to its loudest. It’s something I hadn’t experienced in a stadium environment before.” As sports fans and music lovers make their way back to the bowl, there’s an uncompromising audio experience waiting in the stands, in all 90,000 seats. Add the prospect of a significantly bigger concert season this summer and 2022 at Wembley looks set to give next year’s centenary year a run for its money. “We must be a stadium that artists want to use and fans want to go to,“ concluded Liam. “And, to do that, you have to remain ahead of the curve and not rely on history alone. The d&b audio system is a huge part of that and I am delighted to say that the sound in our stadium now matches our iconic name.”

BRAND: d&b audiotechnik | ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT: Vanguardia | INTEGRATOR: RG Jones | STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: OPS

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BAYARENA Leverkusen, Germany Copy: Jörg Küster Images: Jörg Küster; Shutterstock / JelenaA

everkusen’s BayArena now features a new sound experience. Since the 2021/22 Bundesliga season kicked off, loudspeakers and power amplifiers from Coda Audio’s portfolio have provided a state-of-the-art sound reinforcement for visitors and the players on the field alike at the home ground of Bundesliga football club, Bayer 04

Leverkusen. The BayArena sees itself as a modern sports venue with a model character, where top-class football can be experienced at a close proximity: With a total capacity of 30,210 seats (4,500 of which are standing room), the distance from the furthest seat to the field’s centre is only 94 metres – in hardly any other Bundesliga stadium are viewers this close to the action on the field. Spanning the spectator stands is a self-supporting ring cable roof with a diameter of 215 metres and a surface area of 28,000 square metres. With a roof depth of up to 70 metres, the Makrolon roof skin – a development by Bayer – extends beyond the stands and offers visitors protection even from inclement weather. Eight pairs of diagonal supports carry the entire roof structure and create the impression of a “floating” roof.

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Emerging as the winner of the nationwide tender for the new

with an existing EASE model of the BayArena to ensure that

sound reinforcement system was Wilhelm & Willhalm. The

the targeted STI values are reached: With the new system,

owner-managed company has not only been a distribution

our clearly communicated goal was to achieve an STI value

partner of Coda Audio since January 1st, 2021. It is also the

of 0.56 on at least 90 percent of the areas that are to be

point of contact for the complete portfolio of the Hanover-

covered.”

based manufacturer. Leading the Leverkusen BayArena

In close cooperation with Coda Audio’s tech support, Wilhelm

project on Wilhelm & Willhalm’s side were Christoph zur Loye

& Willhalm created a sound reinforcement concept based

(Head of Sales) and Thomas Dürrbeck (Sales Manager Brands

on the EASE data provided and later also carried out the

& Integration).

installation as an integrator. The latter was complicated

On the client side, the project was the responsibility of

by the fact that during the 2021 summer break, extensive

TecArena Plus GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer

construction work took place in the stadium (which included

04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH: TecArena is the football

new hybrid turf with heating and drainage as well as trenches

club’s technical service provider and responsible for facility

at the edge of the pitch for distribution pipes) and therefore

management, construction and project management as well

only a very limited number of time slots were available in

as greenkeeping. Felix Duden (Managing Director TecArena

which the fixing points could be accessed via a boom lift.

Plus GmbH), Wolfgang Seßmann (Head of Strategic Facility

Coda Audio GmbH, represented by Wilhelm & Willhalm, is an

Management), Christian Wild (Media Technology) and Philip

internationally active pro audio loudspeaker manufacturer

Poerschke (Media Technology) were primarily responsible for

based in Hanover, Germany. According to Managing Director,

processes regarding the new sound reinforcement system.

Svetlomir “Svetly” Alexandrov, Coda Audio manufactures

“Representatives of several suppliers visited the stadium to

drivers and enclosure components with a high vertical range

get an impression of the prevailing conditions,” recalls Me-

of manufacture in its own production facility in Bulgaria – a

dia Technician, Christian Wild. “We provided the companies

fact that reduces costs for example regarding transport and

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THE FULL PITCH

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favours short development times. Quality management is

or vertical array. Weighing 27 kilos, the three-way system

also not left to chance: Coda Audio is DIN EN ISO 9001:2000

was designed as a “one for all” solution for medium-sized

certified.

applications. In other words, it is a “best of both worlds”,

The installation in the BayArena was the first time that a

as the APS combines the scalability of a line array with the

German Bundesliga stadium was equipped with products

flexibility of a point source system.

from Coda Audio. To cover the tiers as well as the field,

Coda Audio recommends the use of APS systems both as a

82 white APS loudspeaker models are used in combinations

main sound reinforcement system (as single units or in an

that matched the respective position. “Compared to the

array) and as near or side fills. As an all-rounder for short

previously installed system from another manufacturer,

to medium distances, the eight-ohm APS model is intended

the Coda Audio arrays are visually much less noticeable,”

for DJs and bands as well as for clubs, theatres and houses of

Christian noted with satisfaction. “Instead of eight units, only

worship – a stadium installation like the one in Leverkusen

five speakers are now required in most positions, and the

should thus mark the upper end of possible applications for

weight of the individual arrays is also much less than before.”

the APS models.

Media Technician, Philip Poerschke, added: “To be honest, we

The compact, polyurea (PU) coated birch multiplex

were a little sceptical at first when we saw the comparatively

loudspeaker cabinet, which is equipped with an integrated

small number of loudspeakers that Wilhelm & Willhalm

two-point rigging system, contains two low-distortion

wanted to install in the BayArena. We were, however, quickly

10” woofers (symmetrical arrangement, bass reflex

proved wrong, and the Coda Audio speakers’ dual-diaphragm

principle) and a patented 9” DDC driver (“Dual-Diaphragm-

technology in particular completely convinced us.

Curved-Wave-Driver”). Thanks to exchangeable couplers,

The main task of the sound reinforcement system in the

different nominal dispersion angles can be realised – both

BayArena is the transmission of speech (Shure wireless

symmetrically (20° × 60°/90°/120°) or asymmetrically with a

systems to a Yamaha QL1 mixing console for the stadium

total opening angle of 75° (30 + 45°), 90° (30° + 60°) or 105°

announcers), although the new system is also well suited for

(45° + 60°). When using the Arrayable Point Source speakers

the reproduction of music, not least due to the double 10”

in array configurations, the vertical coverage is extended

configuration of the loudspeaker modules, as Christian Wild

by 20° with each unit added. The manufacturer promises a

and Philip Poerschke unanimously confirm. An independently

“linear phase response for superior fidelity” and specifies a

operated voice alarm system is available in the BayArena for

frequency response of 50 Hz to 22 kHz (-6 dB). High-quality

use in hazardous situations; a connection between the voice

components are to guarantee operational reliability and

alarm and pro audio systems was set up via an interface in

durability.

the Coda Audio Linus system amplifiers in accordance with

Inside the BayArena, the APS loudspeakers responsible for

DIN 60849.

the tiers are distributed across 16 positions, 14 of which are

APS is the loudspeaker manufacturer’s acronym for

equipped with five APS each. Due to structural conditions,

“Arrayable Point Source”, a hybrid loudspeaker that can

only 2 x 2 APS are used for sound reinforcement on the south

be used as a single point source as well as in a horizontal

stand. A new feature in Leverkusen is a sound system for the

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THE FULL PITCH

playing field that consists of 4 × 2 APSs pointing downwards from the roof towards the field and covering the entire field area. APS versions with a horizontal dispersion angle of 60°/90°/120° are used in different combinations to match the respective tier topology, so that different sound zones are realised in a customised manner: Media representatives, for example, can work relatively un-disturbed at predefined interview and reporting positions while fans continue to be entertained with music and announcements. The APS speakers installed in the stadium are MG (“Marine Grade”) versions, which are also suitable for use on cruise ships. Their features include sealed fixed connection cables, corrosion-resistant stainless steel grilles, sealed crossovers, stainless steel screws and special gauzes that are acoustically transparent yet waterproof. In the BayArena, custom-made metal enclosures were added, which enclose the clusters at the back and on their rear flanks and also protect the junction boxes positioned on the cradles. The special “packaging” is necessary as pyrotechnics and pigeon droppings can pose significant problems in football stadiums. The enclosures’ smooth surfaces ensure that nest-building materials cannot be attached and pigeons are therefore unable to build nests on the arrays. Twelve Coda Audio Linus 14D system amplifiers are used in the BayArena in Leverkusen to match the APS loudspeakers. The four-channel power amplifiers (19”, 2 RU) each deliver 4 × 3,500 watts at 4 ohms. A total of four audio inputs can be addressed in Coda Audio’s amps, either analogue, with AES3, LiNET or Dante, and can be flexibly routed to any of the four outputs. In the stadium, the USV-buffered amplifiers are spread over four control rooms located in the upper tier. Cross-over

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cabling (“tooth gaps”) between the four control rooms as well as between each control room’s three power amplifiers ensure that the supply of the sound reinforcement zones is guaranteed also in the event of a theoretically possible amp failure. Large cable cross-sections counteract losses on lines with lengths of 80 to 120 metres. Christian Wild points out that the power amplifiers running in continuous operation require considerably less energy than the models previously used in the stadium: In the BayArena, the twelve four-channel Linus 14Ds have replaced a total of 72 power amplifiers. LiNET, which may not be widely known, is Coda Audio’s signal transport ecosystem that allows redundant signal

“The simulation results, all performance parameters, as well as the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of the offer clearly spoke in favour of Coda Audio.”

transmission of eight digital audio channels as well as of control data over a single CAT5e cable. AES3 signals with sampling rates of up to 192 kHz can be sent via LiNET to any Linus amplifier, where they are buffered (clock recovery/ regeneration with minimum latency) and passed on to the next unit in the chain via “LiNET Link Out”. According to the manufacturer, cable distances of 300 metres are possible

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when using shielded CAT5e cables; even longer distances are

The Linus 14D model’s signal routing can be conveniently

feasible with shielded CAT6A cabling.

set via remote control software (“Linus Control”, available

In the BayArena, two fibre-optic rings are installed to dis-

for macOS and Windows) or optionally also directly on the

tribute Dante signals redundantly. The associated switches

unit via buttons located on the front panel, a jog dial and a

feature interfaces that convert incoming Dante signals to

monochrome display.

AES (primary network) and to the analogue level (secondary

Also included is a SHARC DSP (“Linus CORE”), which is

network) and then pass them on to the power amplifiers. A

responsible for functions such as IIR and FIR filtering as well

fallback function ensures that the amplifiers automatically

as peak and RMS limiting (with look-ahead function). Pre-

switch to the analogue inputs without artefacts if the digital

sets that are perfectly suited for the Coda Audio loudspeakers

supply is interrupted. In addition, a Dante connection to the

facilitate system setup and are also deployed in the BayArena

amps has been set up, but is currently not actively used.

– no external processing is used.

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In the control room, “Linus Control” is displayed on

“There have been no more complaints like that, and we’ve

one of the numerous screens and shows an immediately

received feedback from our fans that everything can be

comprehensible, clearly structured interface that does without

understood now and that the music sounds really good,” said

unnecessary bells and whistles. “For us, an important aspect

Philip

is that the sound reinforcement system for the upper tier and

According to Poerschke, the best STI value in the BayArena

the individual stadium blocks can be controlled separately in

today is 0.72 at specific positions, while the maximum

order to avoid unnecessary excitation when fewer spectators

average level required for stadiums in the spectator area (at

attend events in the stadium,” Philip outlined.

least 105 dB A-weighted from a capacity of 15,001 people

“For years, Bayer 04 Leverkusen has been relying on

onwards) is achieved without any effort.

innovative and sustainable solutions when it comes to its

Due to the pandemic, Leverkusen‘s stadium was quite

stadium technology,” said Felix Duden, Managing Director

unevenly filled during the current season, with a maximum

of TecArena Plus GmbH. “Our objective when renewing the

occupancy of 27,000 fans during a briefly-relaxed Covid

sound reinforcement system was to significantly improve the

phase.

electro-acoustic sound situation in the stadium with a high-

“When it comes to audio technology, it is certainly

quality but also attractively priced solution.”

interesting in this context that even during matches be-hind

Wolfgang Seßmann, Head of Strategic Facility Management

closed doors and without spectators, the speech intelligibility

at TecArena Plus GmbH, added: “The simulation results, all

was very good despite many reverberant and thus reflecting

performance parameters as well as the sustainability and

surfaces,” said Philip

cost-effectiveness of the offer clearly spoke in favour of

“Bayer 04 Leverkusen plays a leading role in the Bundesliga

Coda Audio. Wilhelm & Willhalm convinced with a system

and, as a trendsetter, is innovative in many respects,” stated

design that was as innovative as it was efficient. The required

Christoph zur Loye. “This is undoubtedly one of the reasons

acoustic parameters were clearly exceeded during the project

why Coda Audio was selected for the BayArena’s sound

acceptance, and after the first Bundesliga matches, our new

reinforcement system. The technological concept convinced

sound system has more than convinced us.”

in an ambitious pitch and I’m convinced that the price was

Christian reported that in the past there were occasional

not the decisive criterion – those responsible were definitely

complaints from fans who reported after a match that the

not interested in a budget solution! Rather, thanks to a

stadium announcers were not easy to understand at their

convincing overall concept, we were able to prevail with Coda

seats.

Audio in a very committed competition.”

BRAND: Coda Audio | DISTRIBUTOR: Wilhelm & Willhalm | TECHNICAL SERVICE PROVIDER: TecArena Plus GmbH

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24 VENUE FOCUS

ENGINEERING 042 Q2 Stadium | Texas, USA

LIGHTING 048 ISTAF Indoor Düsseldorf 2022 | Düsseldorf, Germany

SECURITY 050 Datapath Round-Up | Montevideo, Uruguay

AUDIO 052 Ed Robson Arena | Colorado, USA

ENGINEERING

Q2 STADIUM Texas, USA Images: Henderson Engineers

enderson Engineers, a national building systems design firm, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the June opening of Q2 Stadium, the first ever major league sports venue in Austin, Texas. The Kansas City-based company, which has offices in nearby

Dallas and Houston, served as the lead engineer for the $260 million facility that is home to the Austin FC Major League Soccer (MLS) team. In providing architectural lighting, electrical, fire and life safety, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom design services, Henderson was keen on elevating the fan experience. Most striking of all Henderson-designed features are the lighting systems, which enabled Q2 to be the first ever stadium worldwide to be constructed with tunable RGB LED lights from the ground up. As a result, all 402 light fixtures throughout the facility have color changing and color tuning capabilities. The stadium’s operations team can instantaneously shift the lights from white to more than 16 million unique colors, allowing them to illuminate the pitch, the stands, and even attendees in numerous hues and patterns. “Most stadiums use fireworks to boost excitement, so it’s an amazing experience to watch everything around you change color to red, white,

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ENGINEERING

044

and blue during the national anthem, to rainbow when

plumbing systems are fully equipped to allow the facility to

commemorating PRIDE Month, and so on,” explained Mischa

install a SubAir System for the pitch if desired in the future to

Haramia, Henderson’s Entertainment Practice Director, who

supply fresh air into the root zone to help maintain healthy

project managed the firm’s work on Q2. “Austin FC fans

turfgrass.

are ravenous, and the full-colour-tunable lights are a great

“In a relatively dry state like Texas, it’s important to make

complement to the passion they show for their team at every

sure we’re using our natural resources responsibly,” noted

game. The operations team also really loves the experience

Haramia. “We’re proud to have helped provide fans, families,

it provides, so much so that they host tours for the general

and the surrounding community with beautiful green outdoor

public and other major league sports teams to specifically

spaces that they can enjoy throughout the year while still

showcase the lighting.”

limiting water usage. The amphitheater is an especially great

Adding to Q2’s stimulating atmosphere are several landscaped

addition in a city where live music is a beloved part of the

green spaces surrounding the stadium that serve as outdoor

local culture. And because we’re diverting rainwater, the City

recreation areas on game days and public parks year-

of Austin’s sewer systems are less strained whenever there’s

round. This includes a terraced 2,500 capacity amphitheater

unusually high rainfall or wastewater.”

that doubles as a concert venue. To sustainably irrigate

For a seamless technological experience for fans and the

the greenery, excess rainwater is diverted from the soccer

operation team, Henderson provided a public distributed

pitch via piping and pumping systems that were powered

antenna system (DAS) and WiFi throughout the 465,000

by Henderson and stored in nearby ponds, the stormwater

square foot venue to boost connectivity and power key

catch basins designed by GarzaEMC, the civil engineer on the

stadium technology features including a large LED

project. Henderson helped implement a HVAC condensate

videoboard. Given the rapidly evolving technological

capture system that stores condensation in a holding tank

landscape, the systems are designed to be readily adaptable to

and pumps it out to irrigate the landscaping as needed.

future innovations.

Furthermore, the stadium’s electrical, mechanical, and

“Social media, video, and other communication tools are an

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ENGINEERING

integral part of the modern sports experience,

infrastructure upgrades. That helps ensure the

and we made sure fans are able to engage with

venue can remain at the forefront of tech for years

the game and each other from virtually every

to come.”

location at the stadium,” said Haramia. “Our

The Q2 Stadium project team included Gensler as

venue experts work on projects for every major

the lead architect, Walter P Moore as the structural

sports league, giving us firsthand experience on

engineer, and Austin Commercial as the general

how fast technology is changing and the steps we

contractor. The facility is LEED Gold certified

can take to keep up. So, we consciously provided

by the U.S. Green Building Council owing to the

Q2 with the flexibility to upgrade its WiFi systems,

sustainability efforts undertaken during design

cellular network, and DAS without needing major

and construction.

BRANDS: Henderson Engineers | WEBSITES: hendersonengineers.com 046

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Simplicity at its best

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LIGHTING

ISTAF INDOOR DÜSSELDORF 2022

n February 2022, the international track and field elite met at the ISTAF INDOOR Meeting in Düsseldorf, Germany. In front of 2,650 spectators in Düsseldorf’s PSD BANK DOME and live on TV, Olympic long jump

champion Malaika Mihambo and Ivorian sprint star Artur Cissé, among others, battled for victory in various disciplines. The technical service provider btl next GmbH was responsible for the TV-compatible lighting of the sports field, as well as the show staging for the run-in and award ceremonies. For these purposes, a total of 80 Cameo ZENIT W600-D Outdoor Wash Lights – in the Daylight version – were used.

Düsseldorf, Germany

“We needed a powerful white light with a TV-like response time that would allow us to switch the sports field lighting on and off in quick succession,” explains Julian Siewertsen, who is

Images: ©ISTAF

responsible for the entire lighting division at btl. “This was not possible due to the ignition behaviour of the discharge lamps installed as standard in the stadium, which is why we opted for an LED-based solution with the ZENIT W600-D wash lights.” Since the end of 2021, 40 ZENIT W600-D lights have been in the portfolio of the Düsseldorf-based full service provider, and 40

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additional units were purchased together with a cooperation

flux of 41,000 lm and IP65 classification, the Cameo ZENIT

partner for this event. “The ZENIT W600-D closes the gap

W600-D is a particularly powerful wash light for demanding

in the conversion from powerful HQI floodlights to LED

indoor and outdoor use. With 5,600K colour temperature

luminaires in the white light range.”

and a colour rendering index of 90, the fixture is the ideal

After working out what levels of brightness would be required

choice when extreme, daylight-like brightness and pristine,

for the sports field, btl specified the number of white light

natural colour rendering are required. With advanced 16-bit

floodlights needed and installed the 80 ZENIT W600-D lights

technology that enables high resolution colour mixing and

on the flown trusses above the spectator stands in the PSD

dimming, the ZENIT W600-D projects extremely intense

BANK DOME. The result impressed both the organizers and

and homogeneous colour areas with its 18° beam angle.

btl: “The ZENIT W600-D completely fulfils the purpose of

Colour temperature correction and LED colour correction,

pure white light illumination. And we also have to give a

four selectable dimming curves and adjustable simulation

particular mention to its impressively high output power!”

of the dimming behaviour of a halogen lamp make this

In the future, btl sees the ZENIT W600-D primarily at

floodlight the perfect tool for highly professional lighting.

home in the trade fair business. “In addition to further

For maximum flexibility, the ZENIT W600-D is equipped

sporting events, it will be able to show its strengths in

with Cameo’s innovative SnapMag technology. It allows

particular for the illumination of large stands and objects,

optional filter frames to be magnetically attached in seconds

for example machines and vehicles. However, due to its IP65

to easily change the beam angle, without tools or having to

classification, it is of course also suitable for any outdoor

disassemble the floodlight.

requirement.” With a total of 40 white 18W Cree LEDs, a massive luminous

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SECURITY

DATAPATH ROUND-UP

ontevideo, Uruguay, has become a destination for art, dance, and culture. The city has also made a name for itself in the world of sports. With a passion for football, Montevideo is home

to three of the best-known football stadiums in the country. The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), supported by the Ministry of the Interior, explored ways to bring facial

Montevideo, Uruguay

recognition technology and IP-based surveillance cameras into the city’s stadiums to protect fans and prevent crowd disruptions and hooliganism - common problems in large venues.

Images: Datapath

The challenge came from stadium operators requesting a way to visualise multiple content streams, including surveillance footage from Axis IP-based PTZ cameras integrated with the facial recognition technology and Wavestore VMS. AUF commissioned H&O Tecnología (DDBA Ltda), a leading Montevideo-based integration firm, for this unique project.

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After researching various available technologies, DDBA

powerful enough to drive these mission-critical systems 24/7

implemented Herta’s facial recognition solution, Wavestore’s

and yet compact enough for facilities with tight real estate.

video management software (VMS) platform, and Datapath’s

It also offers a high degree of flexibility. It can house various

VSNMicro 600 video wall controller. The various video feeds

video capture cards alongside multi-output graphics cards

are now visualised simultaneously on three-by-three video

and SQX IP cards, the VSNMicro 600 can be customized to

walls, powered by Datapath. This project brings real-time

meet specific project requirements.

stadium monitoring to a new level.

The ability to visualise data and video is critical, but it’s also

Wavestore had collaborated for many months with the

important to build a video wall offering operator flexibility. If

local integrator, DDBA, developing the projectr across three

the football stadium end users want to view IP camera feeds

separate stadiums with the end user. Datapath partnered

alone, or cameras coupled with facial recognition metadata,

with Wavestore so their VSNMicro 600 controller could work

they have the choice.

hand-in-hand with the video management platform as a

As stadium stakeholders strive to optimise data - combining

complimentary product set. Datapath’s video wall controller

analytics, facial recognition, live videos, recordings, and

systems facilitate the display of live and recorded images

object recognition – the video wall presents itself as the

captured by operator-selected cameras on large control room

common solution. Datapath deliver reliable performance each

video walls.

and every time to survive the stadium stress test.

The VSNMicro 600 self-contained video wall processor is

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AUDIO

ED ROBSON ARENA Colorado, USA Images: LEA Professional

he new Ed Robson Arena at Colorado College is a 3,400-seat, multi-purpose, state-of-the-art sports venue and the first on-campus hockey facility for the Colorado College Tigers in their 86-year

history. With Colorado College management recognizing that today’s audio systems play a critical part in any stadium and arena event they looked to AJP/C.V. Lloyde team. This team came to the conclusion that LEA Professional would ensure fans would have the best possible experience. To enhance audience enjoyment and engagement, many multi-use stadiums and arenas are now installing highquality, flexible sound systems that can give spectators a great experience — far beyond that of the harsh, voice-only PA systems of yesteryear. With quality sound objectives in mind, Colorado College brought in AV consultant AJP to design

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AUDIO

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and integration firm C.V. Lloyde to install the

used to excellent sound quality from their home

Ed Robson Arena’s sound system. C.V. Lloyde

systems and theaters and clubs; it’s expected

recommended using a set of new Dante Connect

everywhere,” said Stephen Morris, President of

Series multi-channel digital audio amplifiers from

C.V. Lloyde. “To keep fans and audiences coming

LEA Professional to play a critical role in the audio

back, arenas need to put in the effort to improve

system.

sound and ensure that audiences and fans cannot

C.V. Lloyde Audiovisual has been providing pro AV

just see but also hear everything going on.

design, sales, and installation services for more

Colorado College was committed to this, and the

than 150 years. With a deep-rooted philosophy

results have been great.”

that the actual installation must not compromise

C.V. Lloyde was responsible for the entire AV

the quality of a professional system, C.V. Lloyde

package, including being part of certain design

counts many universities, stadiums, houses of

changes, installation of the new arena sound

worship, school districts, and corporate facilities

system, all of the suite and zone programming,

among their long list of clients.

and for all exterior/back-of-house sound systems.

“Good audio quality is a critical part of any sports

At the heart of the new system is a set of five

and entertainment venue; audiences have gotten

Dante-enabled, Connect Series digital audio

WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

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AUDIO

056

amplifiers from LEA Professional. Specifically, two

The Dante Connect Series is also the first

CS704D, two CS354D, and a single CS168D deliver

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a total of 24 audio channels. The Connect Series is

connectivity. With Dante Connect Series,

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integrators can harness the power of the Cloud

series of amplifiers. Ideally suited for medium-

for remote control, monitoring, notifications, and

scale installations, these two-, four-, and eight-

MONDO | STADIA - ISSUE 24 - June | July

Articles inside

Datapath Round-Up | Montevideo, Uruguay

Venue Tech Directory

ISTAF Indoor Düsseldorf | Düsseldorf, Germany

Gerry Fredericks, Pioneer Group

BayArena | Leverkusen, Germany

Q2 Stadium | Texas, USA