Think... Fast | From roar to encore

Think... Fast

From roar to encore How technology turns a stadium’s peak moments into an ongoing performance.

Inspire a better world through influence and design

The challenge

We are designing for the crowd, not the calendar.

Most sporting precincts are designed to perform at their peak.

Ed Sheeran concert in the Melbourne Cricket Ground, 2023 Think fast... From roar to encore

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Capacity crowds, broadcast moments and big days justify a big investment.

But sporting precincts built for spectacle must be paid for over decades of use.

How do we create value on those ordinary days when there is no fixture, no crowd, no headline act?

Too often, the very thing that could give precincts life on quiet days – technology – is considered late. Stadiums are optimised for intensity, then left unused when the noise dies down.

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Why it matters

Value is measured between events.

Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Image courtesy of Populous (populous.com/showcases/aramco-stadium)

Here’s what the future looks like globally.

creating reasons for people to engage with the precinct year-round.

Aramco Stadium in Saudi Arabia’s Al Khobar.

This Ayesa-led project forms part of a broader mixed-use precinct integrating retail, entertainment and public space.

The 47,000 seat stadium incorporates digital sports and an e-gaming hub, extending the venue’s function beyond live events and Think fast... From roar to encore

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Caulfield Racecourse Grandstand, Melbourne. Image courtesy of Woods Bagot.

And here’s what the future could look like in Australia.

supporting a venue that must operate in multiple modes at once. That level of flexibility shifts the role of technology.

The new design for Melbourne Racing Club’s Caulfield Racecourse Grandstand has been conceived as a fully porous structure – with no defined ‘back’ and the ability to host events on all sides simultaneously.

Rather than being tied to a single orientation or event type, digital systems – from AV and lighting to connectivity and wayfinding – are poised to operate as a distributed layer, enabling multiple uses at once, not just a single moment.

ADP Consulting contributed building services and specialist systems design to the concept,

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Technology enables revenue without people having to take a seat in the stadium.

Value is generated not only by attendees, but by those who pass through, linger, connect digitally and engage remotely.

Content, connectivity and data become revenue streams that operate independently.”

Chris Sewell Associate Director, Technology, ADP Consulting

Fans interracting with the Real Madrid Games, a permanent installation in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, an Ayesa-led project. Image courtesy of Moment Factory (momentfactory.com/products/realmadrid-games).

Think fast... From roar to encore

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The opportunity

Technology can be the connective tissue linking culture, commerce and community.

Sporting precincts aren’t just stadiums. They now operate like media platforms – and that changes the experience and the economics.

Content becomes a tool for placemaking, not just promotion.

Integrated broadcast, AV and digital systems allow live moments to spill beyond the stadium, across screens, public spaces and surrounding precincts.

Designed right, technology turns temporary buzz into long-term belonging.

This does more than enhance atmosphere.

It animates retail and public spaces, increases dwell time and extends engagement before, during and after events.

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The insight

The same technology, designed early, can deliver a very different social return.

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Big screens and precinct audio used for instant replays, sponsorship and crowd energy on game day can be repurposed for outdoor film nights, local festivals, junior sport, live-streamed performances and civic celebrations after hours.

High-density Wi-Fi designed to handle tens of thousands of simultaneous connections during events also enables people to stream classes, track exercise, work remotely or linger informally in the precinct the rest of the week.

From live content to local culture

From capacity connectivity to casual use

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Stadium apps that enable mobile ticketing, in-seat ordering and wayfinding during events can support tours, retail, community programs and repeat visits on non-game days.

Digital signage and wayfinding that manage peak crowds can make the precinct easier to navigate for commuters, visitors and locals on ordinary days.

From event apps to everyday engagement

Think fast... From roar to encore

From crowd control to daily legibility

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A fan interracting with the Real Madrid Games, a permanent installation in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, an Ayesa-led project. Image courtesy of Moment Factory (momentfactory.com/products/realmadrid-games).

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Lighting and media systems that lift intensity during events can dial back between them, maintaining safety and identity without permanent visual overload.

Real-time integration with transport and traffic systems used to manage arrivals and departures at scale can improve daily access for locals year-round.

From spectacle to atmosphere

From event transport to everyday movement

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From event analytics to better places Data collected to manage crowd flow can inform longer-term decisions about shade, seating, retail mix and programming over time.

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The way forward

Design for the whole year, not the headline day.

The quality of a patron’s journey is influenced by how effectively a venue’s underlying systems are designed, integrated, and managed behind the scenes.

However, I don’t think technology is just about performance anymore.

It’s about creating places people feel connected to – places people belong, not just places they attend.”

Ryan Godfrey Associate Director, ICT ADP Consulting

Think fast... From roar to encore

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Decide early Treat technology as core precinct infrastructure from the outset, not as a late-stage fit-out for broadcast or events.

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Design for expansion and contraction Prioritise systems that can scale up for major events and scale back afterwards.

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Value the quiet days Measure success across the calendar, not just on event nights. The strongest precincts earn their return on ordinary mornings, informal use and repeat visits.

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Think precinct, not venue Plan technology as a shared layer across public space, movement corridors and adjacent assets, enabling different uses to operate as one integrated place.

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Treat experience as legacy Use media, connectivity and data to support participation, belonging and long-term value, not just spectacle.

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Think... Fast by ADP Consulting

Smart engineering insight Think... Fast is ADP Consulting’s short-form insights series.

Where Think… is deep and discursive, Think... Fast is concise yet compelling.

ADP Consulting’s vision is to inspire a better world through influence and design.

Founded in 2011 in Australia, ADP Consulting is a trusted sustainability-led multi-services engineering consultancy with more than 370 Thinkers, and a growing international footprint.

ADP Consulting has now joined forces with Ayesa, one of the world’s largest technology and engineering companies, in a move that facilitates new pathways and accelerates our growth.

We provide building services engineering, structures, sustainability, ICT, acoustics, audio visual,

security, vertical transportation, specialist lighting and energy design to the property and construction industry.

Our experts Xavia Hobson Director | Specialist Disciplines E x.hobson@adpconsulting.com.au M +61 7 3473 2132 Chris Sewell Associate Director | Technology E c.sewell@adpconsulting.com.au M +61 3 8583 9629 Ryan Godfrey Associate Director | ICT E r.godfrey@adpconsulting.com.au M +61 2 8043 7843 Will Gouthro Technical Director | Acoustics E w.gouthro@adpconsulting.com.au M +61 3 8583 9614

‘Think’ is a thought leadership series developed by ADP Consulting to ask and answer some of the big questions confronting the property and construction industry.

Scan the QR code to read our latest thought leadership.

Fans interracting with the Real Madrid Games, a permanent installation in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, an Ayesa-led project. Image courtesy of Moment Factory (momentfactory.com/products/realmadrid-games).

adpconsulting.com /adp-consulting-pty-ltd @adpconsultingptyltd

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