mondo | stadia - Issue 20 by Mondiale Media

ADAMS PARK

SOLITAIRE DU FIGARO

EDDIE THOMAS

AUDIO FOCUS

Landways deliver a new, multi-system digital infrastructure to transform the home of Wycombe Wanderers.

Sea Events, Dazzl and Dejero deliver uninterrupted coverage of France’s pretigious solo offshore sailing race.

PMAV-EU’s Managing Director discusses his work in sporting venues, as well as his exciting new venture.

We showcase sporting venue projects and state-of-the-art products from the audio industry.

ISSUE 20 - OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2021

THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TECHNOLOGY IN SPORTING VENUES

20 WELCOME

he last few weeks have certainly been a welcome change to the previous 18 months we’ve experienced. It’s such a huge relief to get back to visiting stadiums once again and meeting up with everyone in the industry. Our travels have seen us take in Anfield, Goodison Park, DW Stadium and, of course, Lord’s Cricket Ground - and we’ve loved every minute of it. There’s plenty more to come, too, so I’m sure we’ll see you out there at some point soon. But, first, it’s time for ISSUE 20 and we’re delighted to feature the Home of Cricket as our cover story. We’ve tracked the Compton and Edrich stands project for quite some time with WilkinsonEyre - and it’s great to see everything come together so spectacularly from those initial plans we saw way back when. Check out the Lord’s Cricket Ground feature on page 28. Elsewhere, we’ve delved into the huge transformation at Adams Park, the home of at Wycombe Wanderers. Landways have implemented new, highperformance digital audio, Wi-Fi and security systems, all supported by a long-life digital and power infrastructure. The revamp has certainly helped with the club’s ambitious vision for an incredible fan experience. In this issue’s Team Talk, Jon Darch from Ferco Seating discusses the recent annoucement regarding safe standing trials and the impact it’ll have for clubs. It’s very interesting read on what promises to be an exciting, but challenging time. We also have our report on the launch and demo of Electro-Voice’s MTS Series - high output, point source loudspeakers, described as the next stadium standard.

Sam Hughes Managing Editor

EVENT AVAILABLE ON CATCH UP ON SWAPCARD | WWW.MONDOSTADIA-AGORA.COM/HOME

SUPPORTERS

20 INSIDE…

Cover Image: Courtesy of WilkinsonEyre & Claire Adams Managing Editor Sam Hughes s.hughes@mondiale.co.uk

Contributing Editor Emma Davidson e.davidson@mondiale.co.uk

Digital Content Manager James Robertson j.robertson@mondiale.co.uk

Senior Account Manager Jamie Dixon j.dixon@mondiale.co.uk

Account Manager Laura Iles l.iles@mondiale.co.uk

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

Dave Bell d.bell@mondiale.co.uk

CEO Justin Gawne j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk

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

Credit Control

TEAM TALK

VENUE FOCUS

006 Jon Darch, Ferco Seating

VIDEO

046 PBA Super Slam | Virginia, USA

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

BROADCAST

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EXTRA TIME

012 Audio

056 Electro-Voice | MTS Series 060 Venue Tech Directory

Printed By Buxton Press WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

050 Solitaire du Figaro | France

010 Alberto Picco Stadium | La Spezia, Italy

INTERVIEW 032 Eddie Thomas | Pro Media Audio Video EU

THE FULL PITCH 028 Lord’s Cricket Ground | London, England 040 Adams Park | Wycombe, England

062 Event Diary 064 Full Time | Renkus-Heinz

JON DARCH FERCO SEATING UK safe standing trials are happening, but what does this mean for stadium operators and architects? Images: Ferco Seating

he recent announcement from

implementing a historic change which will

games and of switching easily to an all-seater

London that trials of safe standing

allow… safe standing.”

configuration for any midweek European

will be allowed in the Premier

So, what happened in between those two

match. So, they invented ‘Variositze’, variable

League and English Football

statements? And what do the impending trials

seats.

League from January 2022 means exciting

mean for ground operators and their advisors?

Key among the designers’ objectives for these

times ahead - and some challenges - for

As can be seen from Roy Hattersley’s

seats were clearly strength to withstand the

stadium operators and their architects. The

comments, there was immediate opposition to

robust treatment sometimes meted out to

success or otherwise of the trials will, to a

the standing ban. Indeed, the FA, the Football

stadium infrastructure in standing areas

large degree, depend on the design and layout

League and the then newly-formed Football

and maximum space for the fans when they

of the infrastructure installed for this newly-

Supporters Association had all spoken out

were being used for their primary purpose

permitted form of spectator accommodation.

against it the preceding months.

of providing standing accommodation. They

As a long-time campaigner for safe standing

Some years later, as the fans’ campaign built

therefore designed the seats to fold up flush

and, more recently, an agent for Ferco Seating,

up momentum, Germany’s ‘Variositze’ (rail

between slim but robust uprights, taking up

I look in this guest column at those design

seats) began to emerge as a potential option

just 50mm of the row depth. To prevent the

and layout issues - and, for instance, at how

for safe standing in England and Wales. As a

seats from causing an obstruction when not

a row of 28 seats could end up providing safe

German language graduate, I was asked by the

in use, and to eliminate the risk of spectator

standing space for just 23 fans.

organisers of the national campaign to speak

injury caused by fans standing on the seats

But, first, a step back in time. It’s

to German clubs about these new-fangled

and falling off, they also incorporated a lock

January 1990. Responding to the Thatcher

seats. Was there anything in their design that

into the design, so that the seats could be

Government’s announcement of a ban on

would make them unsuitable for use in the

secured upright and lowered only if unlocked

standing, the Shadow Home Secretary, Roy

UK?

by the ground operator ahead of a UEFA game.

Hattersley, asks: “Should not the government

The Germans had invented ‘rail seats’ in the

And, yes, there was no reason why these seats

be discussing with the football authorities the

late 1990s. UEFA had decreed that all its club

wouldn’t work in the UK.

provision of a seat for every supporter who

competition matches must henceforth be

So, rail seats became a focal point of my work

wants one and the creation of safe standing

played in all-seater stadia. With many German

for the safe standing campaign. Ferco built me

areas for those who do not?”

grounds having huge banks of terracing, the

a four-seat ‘roadshow’ unit and I travelled up

Now, 32 years later, the Sports Ground

member-controlled clubs were never going to

and down the motorways of Britain presenting

Safety Authority has written in its set of

deny their members the option to stand. So,

the rail seat concept to club executives, safety

criteria for participants in the trials: “From

they had to find a way of providing standing

experts, stadium architects, politicians, and

1 January 2022, the UK Government will be

accommodation at the weekend for domestic

supporters’ groups. The second ground I

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TEAM TALK

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007

TEAM TALK

008

visited was Celtic Park, and, in 2016, Celtic

ban on locks, their design went against one

row will inevitably encroach onto the radial

- not being subject to the Westminster

of the key objectives of rail seats for safe

gangways… This runs contrary to one of

government’s ban on standing - installed just

standing. Often featuring contoured plastic

the basic principles of safety management

shy of 3,000 rail seats, becoming the first club

seats and backs, the new hybrid models took

at sports grounds and other places of public

in the UK to create a rail seat safe standing

up a lot of seating row space. In some cases,

assembly; that all radial and lateral gangways

area.

they were more than six times the depth of the

be kept clear at all times”. In such event, the

South of the border, two years later, two

original rail seats.

guidelines say that the capacity must be cut. In

significant events would have a major impact

And so, we come to the present day and

the example they use, they say that this should

on the use and design of what the Sports

the publication of new guidelines for ‘safe

be by “at least five seats” per 28-seat row.

Ground Safety Authority were now calling

standing in seated areas’. Echoing the

More than a 17% capacity reduction.

‘seats incorporating barriers’: West Bromwich

objectives of those original German designers

Clearly, no stadium operator wants to have to

Albion were refused permission to install rail

who aimed to provide the maximum possible

cut their capacity by even 1%, let alone 17%!

seats at The Hawthorns and a new edition of

space for standing fans, the Sports Ground

So, innovative thinking was once again called

the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds - aka

Safety Authority says that while “seats

for.

the Green Guide - was published, specifying,

incorporating barriers… should conform to

The problem: the original rail seats provide the

for the first time, the conditions under which

the recommendations of Chapter 12 in the

maximum possible space, but their built-in

rail seats could be installed in English and

Green Guide”, i.e., those governing their use

locks make them non-compliant. The hybrid

Welsh stadia that were governed by the all-

for enhancing safety in what nevertheless

models, with plastic seats and backs, have no

seater policy.

remain areas of seating, for safe standing “the

lock and are thus compliant, but the space

Rail seats, or ‘independent barriers’ behind

following additional considerations should be

they take up can lead to capacity cuts.

conventional seats, would be allowed

noted… tip up seats will not be compatible

The answer: a new design that retains the

as a means of enhancing safety in areas

with safe standing in a seated area if [inter

space-saving DNA of the original, but with no

where ground operators had an issue with

alia] any element – for example the underside

offending lock.

persistent standing. Those areas would still

of the seat or its edges, or its fittings (such as

And that, if you’ll excuse a bit of self-

be classified as areas of seating, but the rails

its frame, hinges, or arm rests) – protrudes

promotion, is exactly what Ferco’s new

would enhance fans’ safety if they stood for

into the clearway to such an extent that the

RailSeat Ultra delivers: the same 50mm closed

prolonged periods in breach of the ground

backward movement or lateral movement of

depth, the same rugged steel design, no

regulations. However, rail seats of the style,

spectators along the seating row is impeded”.

protruding parts, and no lock.

by then being widely used all over Europe

The SGSA go on to say that due to standing

To paraphrase what Roy Hattersley said back

and at Celtic, would not be allowed. That was

fans in winter coats being c. 600mm wide

in January 1990, it is a design that enables

because it was ruled that a seat with a built-in

and seats often being only 460mm wide, if

operators of grounds governed by the new

mechanical lock could not be deemed ‘seated

the clearway depth left by any protruding

SGSA guidelines to provide a seat for every

accommodation’ for the purpose of compliance

elements makes it impossible for fans to stand

supporter who wants one and safe standing

with the all-seater policy.

slightly forward or backward of each other

areas for those who do not.

So, ‘rail seats’ without locks began to emerge.

and they instead have to stand shoulder-to-

Without any loss of capacity.

While these new hybrids did get around the

shoulder “those at each end of the seating

www.fercoseating.com

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10/5/2021 11:57:13 AM

ALBERTO PICCO STADIUM La Spezia, Italy Image: Empower Sports

pezia Calcio welcomed their fans back at the Alberto Picco Stadium for the Serie A match against Udinese after renovations to the Curva Piscina were completed ahead of schedule. Three months after taking over the club, US Investor, Robert Platek – whose ownership group also acquired two other teams in Europe (Sonderjyske Foodbold in Denmark and Casa Pia AC in Portugal) – decided to renovate Spezia Calcio’s ground, with an investment of €15m. The investment in the stadium project is a clear sign of the family’s long-term commitment to Spezia Calcio and its desire to keep the club in Italy’s top tier. Renovation work began on June 21 and increased the Curva Piscina’s capacity to 3,176 seats, divided into two sections. The refurbished Curva Piscina has been approved by the Supervisory Committee and Lega Serie A. Robert Platek said: “I want to say thanks to the mayor, the municipality, police and fire departments and everyone else in the city who supported us in this project. This herculean accomplishment would only be possible with the

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support of our great architects, GAU Arena, the construction company CLARIN ITALIA TRIBUNE S.R.L and, of course, our amazing team lead by Riccardo Lazzini – it’s an amazing achievement! To the fans, I say: we did this for you, your support is vital to the team and inspires us all. We look forward to hearing the huge noise on Sunday to support the boys! Forza Spezia!” The first phase of the three-year project has now been successfully completed. The other two phases of stadium renovations will begin at the end of the 2021/22 season and the focus will shift to the Tribuna of the Viale Fieschi facility.

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KICK OFF | AUDIO A closer look at products and projects from the world of audio.

FULCRUM ACOUSTIC BLUE CROSS ARENA

Blue Cross Arena is a multipurpose venue with just under 12,500 seats that has operated for more than 60 years. Solutionz worked directly with Fulcrum Acoustic on a design build project aimed at upgrading the arena’s sound system during the latest renovation of the space. The relatively low roof structure within the arena required a distributed loudspeaker system to achieve the project goals for audience area coverage. The available space was further limited by the need to avoid interfering with sightlines to the new scoreboard. Fulcrum Acoustic’s AH4, AH, and FH Series products were selected as the primary loudspeakers for the project. Their combination of output, fidelity, control, and efficiency is uniquely suited to the requirements of large-scale entertainment venues. They deliver extremely even response within their coverage pattern and offer the variety of horn patterns necessary to optimise coverage for the

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geometries of the venue’s seating. Their smooth off-axis response allows them to transition well in distributed systems where many audience members may be seated in a ‘seam’ between adjacent loudspeaker zones. Nine primary loudspeaker arrays provide coverage for most of the audience seats and the arena floor with supplementary delayed loudspeakers providing coverage for shadowed seats. Six of the nine arrays are flown above the dasher boards along the sides of the ice floor (three arrays per side). Each is comprised of two AH HighOutput Coaxial Horns, with a backwards-firing FH15 Full-Range Coaxial Horn providing coverage for the arena floor. Four arrays include four CS121 21-inch subcardioid subwooferd to provide low frequency support for music playback. At the north end of the arena, three arrays provide long-throw coverage for the taller seating sections that extend upward behind the hockey goal. Each array is comprised of one AH4 Higher-Output Coaxial Horn (long throw) above one AH (medium throw). The centre array includes four CS121 cardioid subwoofers. Supplementing the main arrays, five FH15s are mounted along the large north roof truss to cover the uppermost rows of sets that would otherwise be shadowed by the truss. On the south side of the arena, four FH15s cover the corners and the lower-level seating. Four GX12 Coaxial Loudspeakers provide coverage for a smaller, elevated seating section at the south end of the arena. Michael Lawrence from Rational Acoustics was retained to tune and balance the system. “Loudspeaker selection and system design set the bar for what’s possible during the alignment,” he said. “I could tell the Fulcrum team did a great job in that department because my team had an easy day. We worked through all 57 zones in about three hours and we were only able to move that quickly because the system was in such good shape when we showed up.” Each subwoofer array, using CS121 Passive Cardioid subwoofers, provides substantial low frequency output and control. “With distributed subwoofer designs, usually you have tons of late arriving energy coming at you from all over the room, and that makes a bit of a mess,” continued Lawrence. “But with the passive cardioid subwoofers, you shave about 10 dB off from what’s coming off the back of the box, and it’s a ‘big’ 10 dB. You end up with less energy going where you don’t want it, and perceptually it was night and day from what I would expect without that directional control in the low end. At times I had to ask the DSP tech to check the mutes because I couldn’t tell whether the subwoofers on the other side of the arena were on.” www.fulcrum-acoustic.com

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L-ACOUSTICS ROLAND-GARROS The iconic centrepiece of Roland-Garros, the 15,000-capacity Court Philippe-Chatrier, host to one of the most anticipated events in the tennis calendar and the only Grand Slam tournament to be played on clay, has received a major makeover with the completion of a new retractable roof and night lighting installation. The project also marks a new era of sound for the fabled court, with the installation of an L-Acoustics K Series PA, which was managed by the French Tennis Federation (FFT) with the support of French acoustic and audio consultant, Scenarchie, and installed by leading integration company, SNEF. The global renovation programme at Court Philippe-Chatrier was launched three years ago after the court was almost completely rebuilt to accommodate the strengthening required for the retractable roof, which weighs half that of the Eiffel Tower and was finally completed last year. “The next big step for us was to upgrade the audio system, so the action could be heard loud and clear by the audience at this year’s tournament,” said Julien Mauduit, Director of IT and audiovisual project lead at FFT. A key challenge for the installation of the system was its architectural integration. “We had designed and built two concrete structures that would house the PA. Their size was carefully evaluated due to limitations on height, which meant we also had to find the best compromise between the length of the line source system and audio performance for the audience,” continued Julien. “Our second challenge was to choose a system that would work well with the retractable roof, which has a significant impact on the arena’s acoustics overall. We needed it to be highly versatile, providing perfect coverage and crystal-clear audio for both the open and closed roof scenarios.” After a rigorous evaluation process, which included testing systems by four different loudspeaker manufacturers, L-Acoustics was chosen based on sound quality, build quality and price.

The final system design comprises two main hangs of nine Kara IIi with three KS21 per side, providing coverage for the majority of the court. These are hung in the concrete structures, positioned in the centre of the second tier of seats in the court’s southern tribune. The system is powered by seven LA4X amplified controllers. Thanks to L-Acoustics Panflex technology, coverage from the Kara IIi could be exactly matched to the audience geometry whilst maintaining a solid SPL level at 90-metres throw. Good intelligibility levels were preserved by limiting the overlap between the two hangs of Kara IIi and the existing PA, which is now used as a voice alarm system. Overseen by the company’s Rodolphe Roellinger, SNEF completed the installation in the summer of 2020, the new system is offering perfect sound distribution and audio quality. “The feedback from audiences has been fantastic with people complimenting the sound and saying how clearly they can hear everything,” concluded Julien. “On less clement days, we are also able to experience the system with the roof closed, and sound quality isn’t affected in the slightest. Overall, we are very pleased with the installation and the support we received from the Scenarchie and L-Acoustics teams. The Court Philippe-Chatrier is a key venue for tennis competitions on the world stage, and we know that our L-Acoustics system will shine there.” www.l-acoustics.com

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DYNACORD ADAMS PARK The 10,000-capacity Adams Park, home of English Football League club, Wycombe Wanderers, has undergone an extensive audio upgrade project with Dynacord’s MXE5 Matrix Mix Engine at the heart of its new digital audio system. The football club opted for Landways to design, fund and install this new system, alongside high-performance solutions for Wi-Fi and security, to help realise owner Rob Couhig’s ambitious vision for a great match day experience. Control and audio distribution for the new audio solution are courtesy of nine Dynacord MXE5 performance audio matrices. MXE5 serves as a communications hub for all IP-based peripherals and provides comprehensive supervision of all systemwide commands. In addition to this, the 24 x 24 crosspoint performance audio matrix offers both routing and mixing functionalities. Tying in with the stadium’s safety systems, a Bosch Praesensa system handles the emergency messages in all public areas, with guaranteed clarity for ground evacuation. These can be prerecorded messages from the System Controller digital message storage, or live announcements from two Praesensa emergency call stations. The audio from Praesensa is sent to the MXE5s over OMNEO IP-architecture. During an emergency, Praesensa messages are always ready to broadcast at the highest priority and the entertainment audio is automatically muted. The MXE5 audio matrices handle all of the signal routing and loudspeaker processing, distributing high-quality digital audio streams to a series of amplifiers located at the edge of the network, adjacent to more than 250 powerful new loudspeakers to serve every seat and public space in the stadium. In addition to this, 28 TPC-1 touch panel controllers, located in the function suites, bars, and corporate hospitality boxes, allow staff and guests to set their own volume levels and choose from different input sources, such as the match day presenter, or a local Dante enabled Bluetooth interface. Featuring a high definition 5.7-inch display, the TPC-1 touch panel interface is freely configurable

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in SONICUE sound system software, allowing custom images and text to be added to control elements. The MXE5 and TPC-1 devices were all programmed effortlessly with SONICUE sound system software using the powerful system logic editor, allowing the system designer to create advanced system tasks. Business paging is handled by two custom touchscreen PC call stations located in the match control room and the pitch-side press box. Each PC call station communicates with the MXE5s over the network using the OCA communications protocol architecture. The audio signal from an Electro-Voice PolarChoice microphone is distributed via Dante. Dante is also used to transport audio from the MXE5 outputs to the amplifiers and loudspeakers. “I am delighted that Landways’ digital infrastructure is now fully in place and available for everyone inside Adams Park to benefit from,ˮ said Rob Couhig, Chairman of Wycombe Wanderers. “Through our partnership with Landways, we are making a longterm investment in digital technology to improve the match day experience, reduce costs and help our business continue to thrive. It is great that the same underlying energy-efficient infrastructure that delivers our incredibly fast Wi-Fi can also be used to deliver high quality stadium audio and new safety systems, at the same time as being ready to handle data growth and new digital services in the future.ˮ “Landways’ project at Adams Park highlights just how powerful the MXE5 Matrix Mix Engine is,” noted Richard Leadbitter, Sales Manager at Dynacord. “This was a complex and innovative stadium sound solution and MXE5 was exactly the right choice to turn the concept into a reality. The combination with TPC-1 means simple and intuitive control is at the fingertips of stadium staff for every event the venue hosts.” www.dynacord.com

KICK OFF D&B AUDIOTECHNIK XSL SYSTEM The new d&b XSL System scales the industry-leading features of the SL-Series into a smaller, lighter-weight, even more energy efficient, package. XSL encompasses all the comprehensive features of its SL bloodline, from outstanding broadband directivity control and extended low frequency performance, to comprehensive rigging, cabling and transportation. The XSL System delivers cardioid performance across the full frequency spectrum, resulting in; reduced audio spill onto open mics on stage, improved clarity and impact of individual instruments, and less coloration of mid-range build up in venues and on broadcast and recording feeds. Less spill from the main PA to the stage, and backstage, improves the creative experience for performers, while giving more control to monitor engineers, particularly in the mid to low frequencies. XSL loudspeakers achieve broadband directivity using patented SL-Series cardioid techniques to control low frequency dispersion. The XSL System’s excellent sonic performance and clarity is achieved with this unique pattern control and enhanced further with d&b Enabling technologies including d&b ArrayProcessing. The system comprises installation specific and mobile touring variants. XSLi for permanent installations, is ideally suited to venues with a high dependency on the clarity of spoken word, together with the need for high power, full spectrum performance. The XSL mobile version addresses the needs of the broadest range of touring applications. The XSL system is suitable for the broadest range of applications. The XSLi installation system is shipping now. The mobile XSL package will begin shipping in January 2022. www.dbaudio.com

MAG AUDIO BOZSIK ARENA Bozsik Arena, a new, multi-purpose stadium in Budapest, Hungary opened this year. The stadium is a home arena for the Kispest Honved Football Club, where the legendary football player, Ferenc Puskás, started his career. Now, it’s a completely new sports arena, adorned in red and black colours of Honved FC, which has a capacity of 8,200 seats and meets the UEFA 4 category standards. AVmax System Integration company won the audiovisual design for the arena with the sound design project applying loudspeakers from MAG Audio. The purpose of the sound system is to provide live or streamed information at the stands, as well as high-quality music reproduction. The sound system is also aimed for emergency announcements and as a supplement for the fire alarm system. The main requirements are high SPLs and the right coefficient for speech intelligibility in order to meet the stadium safety requirements. “This design is very flexible to test, and it’s easy to modify and expand, so the building’s audio system is timeless and flexible, as well as adaptable to the changing needs,” explained sound engineers from AVmax System Integration. The sound system is based on MAG AIR-152 IP - a powerful installation-dedicated system with a 15-inch coaxial subwoofer. These loudspeaker systems operate in a normal non-peak mode and create the required SPL level and high speech intelligibility, which is vital to the stadium’s atmosphere. It also has IP54-rated weather-resistance, which allows convenient use in outdoor venues. “The broadband, high-performance, high-pressure loudspeakers are weather-resistant. The 42 pieces of MAG AIR-152 IP loudspeakers were placed under the roof facing the grandstands, and the amplifiers were installed close to the loudspeakers to achieve the lowest possible signal loss”. In the design and construction of the sound system, AVmax

engineers took into account the need to ensure adequate sound pressure and speech intelligibility in the open stand and in the areas delimiting the other sides, in addition to the background noise generated by fans and audiences. “During testing, the speech intelligibility measured in the empty stadium was STI PA≥ 0.64 at sound pressure of 81.4 dBA. The direct sound pressure was 103 dBA in the range of 125 Hz to 5,000 Hz - this was produced by the system for more than one minute without overheating, distortion and failure.” The stadium has already welcomed several matches this year, as it was selected as one of the venues to host the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. And even though the first matches took place without an audience due to COVID-19 restrictions, the opening quarter-finals match between the Netherlands and France got an attendance of almost 1,700 spectators. True football fans enjoyed the real-life football experience to the utmost - with true emotions, true atmosphere and true high-quality sound. www.mag-audio.com

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AUDINATE CHINESE ESPORTS LEAGUE The Peacekeeper Elite League is the highest level of esports competition for the video game Peacekeeper Elite – the localised title of PUBG Mobile in the Chinese market. And while esports is a burgeoning market in the live production world, the production costs across these performances have traditionally been high due to the need for dedicated, on-site staff and expansive cable runs connecting many different video and audio feeds. To mitigate this challenge, VSPN - a co-organiser of the Peacekeeper Elite League - recently experimented with a new way to host its events by relying on Audinate’s Dante for broadcast audio over a vast geographic distance. On May 3rd, 2021, the first weekly final of the Peacekeeper Elite League 2021 S2 season was held in Chongqing Banan Huaxi Sports Center. 20 professional teams from across the country gathered in the mountain city of Chongqing to compete. While the idea of remote production had previously been considered too challenging due to latency issues associated with audio, the production team’s discovery of Dante changed their approach. Used in more than 3,000 different products from more than 350 different manufacturers, Audinate’s Dante is recognised as the de-facto standard for digital audio networking. With near-zero latency and perfect synchronisation, Dante offers uncompressed, multi-channel digital audio channels that can be routed over standard Ethernet networks. And, as proven by the Peacekeeper Elite League, it can also be effectively transmitted over hundreds of kilometers without latency issues. Using Dante, the event’s commentators and production staff were able to largely work remotely in Xi’an – some 750 kilometers away from where the competition was taking place in `qing – with minimal audio latency. This setup enabled impressive cost savings by reducing the number of individuals on-site, minimising traditional AV cable runs, and simplifying the workflow under an easy-to-manage Dante network. In Chongqing, the event’s workflow uses an SSL System T S300-32 platform with a redundant T25 DSP engine for outside broadcast. An SSL Live L550 audio mixing console is also used with several Dante interface boxes to capture team voice chat. The Dante network located at the competition site in Chongqing is then connected to the studio in Xi’an through a dedicated

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network line. This allows for real time, remote audio production in the live broadcast with minimal latency. Further, the team was able to add a robust level of features and management capabilities to the production using Dante Domain Manager. “To realize the Dante remote production, we needed to solve signal transmission across subnets, network delay, and PTP clock synchronization,” said WangWei Xie, Technical Manager of VSPN. “To solve most of this we added Dante Domain Manager to the system, which allowed us to group and isolate devices across subnets and plan device group attributes.” Dante Domain Manager is network management software that enables user authentication, role-based security, and audit capabilities for Dante networks - all while allowing for a smooth expansion of Dante systems over any network infrastructure. “In our system, Dante Domain Manager enables PTP V2 functionality for all Dante devices,” WangWei Xie said. “It locks the devices in the two places under their respective GPS clocks through the Assign Zone function and divides the domains of the Dante devices in the system for distributed management. It also allows us to activate the maximum latency value of the Dante devices and opens enough buffer space to deal with the data transmission delay caused by the remote transmission of the dedicated network line.” The workflow used a Leader LT4610 GPS master clock generator with the Dante systems in Xi’an and Chongqing. This enables the two locations to receive GPS satellite signals through an antenna and convert the signals into PTP, BB, and other clock synchronisation signals. “The result was that the system was stable, and the live event was a complete success,” WangWei Xie said. “We used Dante to realize the two-way real-time transmission of nearly 20 uncompressed audio streams through the dedicated network line. After three days of live broadcast and testing, the entire audio system had no failure. It perfectly achieved our expected results.” www.audinate.com

KICK OFF

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20 INTERVIEW

“We want to deliver new ideas and concepts that will help owners and operators of venues actually see the benefits of using technology to enhance the client experience.” Eddie Thomas Managing Director Pro Media Audio Video EU

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INTERVIEW

EDDIE THOMAS

Managing Director, Pro Media Audio Video (PMAV-EU)

Can you give us some background to how you started

You’ve built a positive reputation based on your work

your career in the industry?

in stadiums and sporting venues – was that an area

I started out like most people in their school days –

you specifically wanted to focus on?

learning electronics, building my own disco system

I did have, and still do have, a frustration about the

and going from there. In those early days, I really got

level of quality and attention to detail that’s paid to

into audio through my work with Apple Sound in Mold,

large format audio systems, and I just wanted to do it

North Wales, then onto my apprenticeship, working as

properly and better than anyone else. I believe that I’ve

a service engineer for a high end HiFi shop in Chester.

managed to do that on the projects that I’ve worked

I sort of darted in and out of audio as I was working

on. I’ve been lucky enough to work on some prestige

in banking, office computer systems and financial

projects that I really wanted to do, and I love the fact

systems. These industries gave me great networking

that I’ve been able to help them develop the client-

opportunities and insight into other technologies,

facing experience, while also pushing the envelope in

which definitely helped when it came to the pro audio

terms of what technology can do.

sector.

I don’t like to use the same concept twice when I

Come the late ‘70s / early ‘80s, I went to work with

work on venues. I’ll always try and develop something

Tyco and was Contracts Manager for the Avalon Audio

new and that’s because technology moves along very

PA/VA division based in Slough. That’s when I started

quickly. It’s always good to try and use that new

to really get involved in commercial audio, as I like

technology to help with your design concept. Plus, it

to call it. During my time at Avalon, we relocated to

really does help with that spectator experience, which

Tyco’s head office up in Manchester, which was a lot

is obviously a huge part of every project now.

easier in terms of my commute to North Wales. Tyco purchased another business and merged us

What stadium and sporting arenas have you worked

both, which didn’t work out in the long term as they

on in the past?

operated in different marketplaces, so I looked to move

Most recently, I designed and delivered the Tottenham

away. I started working as an independent freelance

Hotspur Stadium and Ascot Racecourse PAVA

engineer / consultant for a few fire alarm and audio

(public address voice alarm) and performance audio

businesses and then, after about 18 months, I was

systems, which were two incredible venues to work

introduced to Millbank – who I’d already been working

on. There’s the O2 Arena, too. I’ve basically been

with. Millbank were purchased by a company called

on site at the venue, in its many guises, since 1998.

Vision Systems and I was taken on to help bring those

And I’m still there today! I’ve completed some work

two businesses together. I was there with a couple of

at the Olympics, of course, then there’s the likes of

other people in the industry at the time and we won

Hillsborough, Villa Park and Liberty Stadium, to name

quite a few contracts – the Millennium Dome, as it was

a few.

known back then, as well as many other stadiums. From there, Vision Systems became Xtralis. There

So, you’re now heading up Pro Media Audio Video EU

wasn’t really the appetite to continue with the audio

(PMAV-EU) – how did that come about?

and video side of things so, basically, I was left looking

I didn’t actually have a particular plan or another

after the Dome and I eventually decided to start my

role to step into, but I knew that a new challenge was

own business in ETASound.

needed. SSE Audio bought my company, ETASound, in 2012, so I had been part of SSE Audio for the last

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or nine years. I feel as though I helped grow that business quite considerably on the install and contracts side, and we built a premier team of people who are very good at what they do when delivering technically complex types of projects. I decided to make one final move before I retire, so to speak. Through a contact of mine, I got introduced to Ted Leamy who

“I think American culture has got it right with regards to the ‘game day’ entertainment and what they do to enhance the experience as a whole.” Eddie Thomas

runs Pro Media Audio Video (PMAV), which is now part of Clair Global Integration. In the beginning, we had discussions about how it would work, where PMAV wanted to be in the future as part of the Clair Global Group and so on. We identified quite quickly that it would be the ideal opportunity to bring the PMAV brand from the US into the UK and Europe as part of a global expansion. Like Clair, PMAV has an outstanding technical reputation built up over the last 45 years. For me, it’s the number one integrator in sporting venues and has unparalleled relationships with Major League teams. They asked if I was interested in leading the European expansion and I thought it was an incredible opportunity to build something new again, from scratch. In April this year, we officially launched Pro Media Audio Video Europe (PMAV-EU). We see ourselves as more than an integrator, as an innovative technology solutions company with real blue-sky thinking. We want to deliver new ideas and concepts that will help owners and operators of venues

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INTERVIEW actually see the benefits of using technology to enhance the client experience. In turn, the venues will see visitors staying within stadiums and sporting venues for longer periods of time, choosing to spend more as part of a fuller entertainment experience. With PMAV-EU, you’ve recruited some of the best in the industry – who have you brought in to work alongside you? The first person to join after myself was Andy Rigler, who headed up the UK and Ireland business for Bose. Andy is very well known in the industry, with a huge range of contacts, and he had the opportunity to come and join us, which we are delighted about. Andy was actually one of the people who introduced me to Lez Dwight and Twickenham-based audio rental company Britannia Row Productions (also part of the Clair Global Group), which is where the PMAV-EU office is now located. It made sense that Andy would bring his own experience to developing PMAV-EU. It’s a great fit as we’d worked together on a few projects during his Bose days, such as The O2 Arena, Ascot Racecourse and Villa Park. I knew Andy well and the last four or five years had seen us working closely on sales, contract and partnership negotiations, so we were firmly on the same page. His primary responsibility is to meet with consultants, clients and operators and develop those relationships, as that’s what our industry is all about. The next person we brought on board was Tom Williams. I have known Tom for many years and always admired his professionalism, so the opportunity to bring him on board was a no brainer for me. Tom is heading up the technical design and development side of our business. He’s a hugely experienced applications engineer, having spent around 10 years with Harman and, more recently, with L-Acoustics during which he looked after design and implementation of complex audio systems in stadiums, arenas and large venues. It made perfect sense to bring in Tom’s wealth of experience, not to mention his audio and acoustic knowledge. After securing our sales and technical department, we required someone to actually deliver the projects. Our newest hire is Jake Miller. Jake is also a very experienced Project Manager, whom I have worked with on many prestigious projects. I have total confidence in Jake heading up our projects division. His responsibility is to deliver what we design and sell under contract to clients. He’ll be building his own team to deliver those projects, so it’s an exciting development for the company. As you mentioned, PMAV have a great reputation in the US, is there anything that you can learn from how they have approached projects that you can utilise in UK and Europe with PMAV-EU? There definitely is. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium touched on it, in that they have a proper video production gallery for all of the content around the stadium, on their website, across their social media and so on. That’s not something many stadiums have in the UK. I think American culture has got it right with regards to the ‘game day’ entertainment and what they do to enhance the experience as a whole. They bring the fans into the venues earlier and keep them there longer, and that’s all down to the audiences having a good time and enjoying the experience of live sporting entertainment. That concept is something that we are trying to bring over to this side of the pond. It’s about changing the approach to largescale venue design to have a more encompassing solution. Instead of just focusing on the venue’s PA or VA, we see ourselves as a technology partner; we want to help develop fully integrated state-of-the-art technology solutions for any sporting venue.

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INTERVIEW

With the effects of the pandemic, we’re seeing things

Considering that the business has only been going for five

fundamentally change within stadiums and sporting

months, things have been very positive in terms of stadium

venues. Has this had an impact in terms of how you

designs. We’ve focussed a lot on AV integration as a complete

approach a project?

solution. We’ve got two or three in the pipeline, so watch this

I think we’re at a point where we’re starting to see stadiums

space.

and sporting venues open up again and normality return on some level, but the sports clubs, owners and operators have

What do you consider to be the next big thing in terms of

lost considerable amounts of money over the last couple

stadium and sporting venue technology?

of years. When it comes to a new stadium being built or

I think the fan experience and using technology to enhance

an existing one being refurbished, what really needs to be

that in any way possible is key. We’re fortunate that we

considered is the other uses and opportunities for that venue.

can lean on the expertise of the live production and touring

It’s about that corporate world, too – conferences, product

specialists in the Clair Global Group to truly tap into fan and

launches, exhibitions and so on – when developing stadiums.

audience engagement, alongside the live sports knowledge

During the week when stadiums are, in effect, closed, they

we all bring to the business. So much happens in terms

have to become a venue for that world in a bid to create more

of technology in quite a short timeframe - it’s difficult to

revenue for these enormous buildings that cost millions to

predict where we’ll be in the next few years. The standards

build, service and run. Stadiums need to be looked at as more

and restrictions we work under do limit things. I don’t

than just sporting venues, and that’s really how they are

think the construction standards move as quickly as the

going to recoup some of that money that has been lost during

technology used in the building does. Saying that, there’s

the pandemic.

still plenty around the corner in terms of AV distribution and networking. We may even see the cabling infrastructure

It’s obviously an exciting new era for yourself and PMAV-

be replaced with wireless systems. There are all sorts of

EU – what’s the aim for the next few years?

concepts in the pipeline, which will hopefully make things

Realistically, we know that competition is out there and we

easier for the owners and operators.

know them really well from prior working relationships. We just want to be recognised as one of the key technology

Finally, what has been your favourite sporting venue that

partners and integrators that the European stadia and venue

you’ve worked on?

markets come to. We will win new projects with future-

That’s hard to say! I suppose the one that stands out as being

proof concepts, fresh ideas and forward-thinking uses of the

the most enjoyable to deliver and to work on for the last

available technology.

three years – both for myself and the team I’ve got on board now – is the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Are there any projects coming up for PMAV-EU in the future?

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MANICA

Lead Design Architect of Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV

manicaarchitecture.com

20 THE FULL PITCH

028 Lord’s Cricket Ground | London, England 040 Adams Park | Wycombe, England

THE FULL PITCH

LORD’S CRICKET GROUND London, England Images: WilkinsonEyre, Andrew Fosker, Claire Adams, Hufton+Crow, Jason Hawkes, JL

stablished in 1814, Lord’s Cricket Ground is internationally renowned as the Home of Cricket. Responding to an increasingly competitive sporting environment, the iconic venue is undergoing an

upgrade as part of a wider masterplan, which aims to increase operational efficiency and enhance the overall spectator experience. Beginning with the first phase, which was to redevelopment of the Warner Stand in 2014, work is scheduled to continue until 2032. The second phase of the masterplan has seen architects, WilkinsonEyre, complete the redevelopment of the Compton and Edrich stands, delivering two new, distinctive architectural

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structures at Lord’s.

the overall capacity to 31,180 (the Compton and Edrich are

The new stands form an integral part of Marylebone Cricket

non-members stands). Half of the 11,600 seats fitted have

Club’s (MCC), plans to future-proof the ground. The stands,

been re-used from the previous stands to mitigate waste. The

designed with multidisciplinary engineers, Buro Happold,

stands also have wheelchair accessible positions, facilities,

deliver greatly improved sightlines and an enhanced spectator

and lift access at all levels. Additionally, they also house two

experience for cricket fans, as well as upgrading capacity,

pitch-facing restaurants, two sponsor suites, 12 additional

accessibility, and amenities at the UK’s premier cricket

food and drink outlets and integrated washroom facilities.

venue.

The design concept of the stands is in keeping with both

The new Compton and Edrich stands, constructed by

the historic and contemporary architectural context of the

contractor ISG, sit either side of the iconic J.P. Morgan Media

venue. The stands form part of an overall composition that

Centre at the famous Nursery end of the ground. They feature

includes the iconic Grade II*-listed Pavilion, the J.P. Morgan

a canopy roof, integrated facilities, and an elevated walkway

Media Centre, the Grand, Mound, and Warner stands, with

facing the Nursery Ground that connects the two new stands

each stand presenting a clear expression of the engineering

and link into the Mound and Grand stands. At 24m high, they

principles behind it.

are now the tallest stands at the venue, offering unrivalled

Speaking to MONDO | STADIA, Sam Wright, Director at

views of the field of play, featuring three tiers that elevate the

WilkinsonEyre, explained some of the things that had to be

spectator experience.

taken into consideration when it came to the design of the

The stands provide an additional 2,600 seats, increasing

new stands: “One of the things about Lord’s – and UK cricket

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grounds in general - is that it has evolved organically from

while creating a distinctive silhouette.

a very old site, so that was something to always consider.

The canopy is made up of a combination of white-painted

The MCC has been particularly strong patrons of modern

radiating steel ribs, a visible timber supporting shell on

architecture and we were appointed through a limited

the underside and a white fabric skin. Its design provides

competition to replace quite an austere pair of stands. With

a subtle contrast to the futuristic, aluminium J.P. Morgan

the exposed upper tier and obstructed views in the lower,

Media Centre, while corresponding to the tent-like forms

we were told stories of St. John’s Ambulance handing out

of the Mound Stand’s fabric roof, alluding to a sporting

sunblock to those in the upper and foil blankets to those in

typology. The original white and grey seating is set in light

the lower – it was those kind of extremes.

grey concrete terracing, divided by glazed bands which mark

“The big challenge for us was the setting of these new

out the premier seating and restaurants and the J.P. Morgan

stands, but we had a very strong, singular concept of a

hospitality suites, echoing the Grand Stand and Mound Stand

balanced design either side of the media centre – and that

elevation.

really sustained itself from the very early days. There was

Jim Eyre, Director at WilkinsonEyre, added: “The shape of

very little change in terms of the form and the silhouette of

the media centre means that if you built right up to it at full

this concept. Of course, there was refinement as we went

height, you would really crowd it out. A shape like that needs

through the process of understanding the constraints and the

space around it and there was quite a lot of accommodation

emerging brief, but that concept maintained throughout.”

to fit in. So, the question for us was how do you do that –

The steel mainframe of the new stands feature large

and I think the two ideas really go well together as it’s all

identifiable columns and double-height colonnades, which

about the sightlines.”

references the rhythms of the original brick arches of the

Both stands are designed to be open and spacious, with clear

adjacent Mound Stand arcade, while the roof canopies

open stairs, access walkways and wayfinding, improving

complement the subtle curvature and form of the design

accessibility and crowd circulation. A bridge connects the

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THE FULL PITCH

two main hospitality lounges, linking the stands for the first time, while introducing impressive dual aspect views of the pitch and Nursery Ground. A permeable two-storey arcade opens up the stands’ outward facing elevations. Together, the stands improve the east-facing frontage of the ground and present a new identity from the North and East Gate entrances. Permeability was of huge importance, as Sam explained further: “One thing that was requested was to maintain a view of the trees in the church grounds beyond Wellington Road for the members in the pavilion. So, permeability was really important, not just in terms of the shoulders between the media centre and the new stands, but also in breaking up those horizontal tiers.” The design and construction of the Compton and Edrich stands also had to consider the site itself. Sam furthered: “There is actually a two metre different from one end of the pitch to the other at Lord’s. Not only did we have to balance the transition as we tried to marry the stands together, but we had to look closely at the space planning for the bars, toilets and facilities under the tiers. “Also, the Edrich stand has a smaller footprint that the Compton, so we had to balance the geometry – we didn’t want to impact the field of play and needed to maintain alignment between the stands. But, at the same time, each stand has its own individuality – as I mentioned earlier, with historic cricket grounds, it’s a series of pavilions with their own features and idiosyncrasies.” Jim added: “There’s this sort of overarching sense of symmetry in the way that the media centre is pretty much directly opposite the historic pavilion. This is hugely important, as this is what the members are looking at – the media centre and the two new stands need to present a degree of symmetry and I think that emerged well in the final design.” A key requirement for the project was a coherent design and construction strategy. This procedure had to embrace the refined aesthetic identity and broad user-friendliness of the new stands, while delivering the client’s ambition to complete the first phase – demolition and replacement superstructure – within a six-month, off-season period. This deadline was intended to ensure that the stands could be used to watch The Hundred. Following the outbreak of Covid-19, this approach had to be modified, however, site construction continued throughout and the stands were ready for use ahead of the 2021 cricket season. It was important to maintain the architectural vision, which included circulation spaces on a constrained site that has interfaces with adjacent structures. Below ground, limitations included existing foundations and a shallow Thames Water tunnel. Buro Happold worked closely with WilkinsonEyre and the wider project team during the concept design stage, developing a range of options to fulfil the architectural intent while addressing site constraints. The primary aim of the design was to develop an integrated solution that complemented WilkinsonEyre’s proposal, creating open, flexible spaces for optimal spectator experience. The proposed solutions met the requirements, while maximising the opportunity to standardise structural components, facilitate prefabrication and enable off-site construction. At the beginning of the project, it was anticipated that the new stands would be a concrete structure. Buro Happold undertook significant constructional analysis to understand the benefits of other materials, and found that using steel construction would dramatically improve efficiency, allowing

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the stands to be built far quicker than through concrete construction. Consulting on 14 disciplines throughout the project, the Buro Happold team proved uniquely capable of co-creating outcome-focused solutions to complex engineering problems without compromising function or form. Steve Macey, Project Director at Buro Happold, said: “We wanted to ensure that Lord’s remains the best place in the world to watch and play cricket. The distinguished ground is loved by fans around the world, so the design of the new Compton and Edrich stands needed to recognise that and, quite simply, be exceptional.

“We wanted to create a heightened sense of sporting theatre for the new Compton and Edrich stands, allowing many more fans to share the match action.”

“The new designs convey the character and quality expected of a world-class sporting venue that will now significantly enhance the spectator experience and provide exceptional, modern facilities expected by a global fan-base. It’s fantastic to finally see fans returning once again to the Home of Cricket and enjoy the matches from the new stands.”

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Zoe Price, Chief Operating Officer for ISG’s UK Construction

have witnessed on the pitch at Lord’s. Enabling the theatre

business, added: “The sensitive redevelopment and extension

and spectacle of live cricket to be experienced and enjoyed

of the Compton and Edrich stands at the Home of Cricket

by many more fans is a key legacy of a project that has

owes much of its success to an approach rooted in teamwork

successfully navigated the complex challenges of building a

and collaboration – something countless generations of fans

sympathetic yet forward looking infrastructure improvement

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within an iconic global sporting venue.”

Discussing the new stands, Guy Lavender, MCC Chief

“We wanted to create a heightened sense of sporting theatre

Executive & Secretary, said: “We have received some

for the new Compton & Edrich stands,” Sam concluded.

wonderful comments about the new stands and seeing them

“Allowing many more fans to share the match action, they

filled with cricket supporters on match days was a very

have already become an instantly recognisable backdrop

pleasing scene. With increased capacity and accessibility,

around the globe following the dramatic India Test and

and excellent facilities spectators sitting in these stands are

the hugely successful inaugural The Hundred finals. Rapid

treated to an unforgettable experience at Lord’s.

adoption by this famous club’s ground’s loyal members and

“The stands are a great achievement and an important part

ground visitors is testament to the strength of the concept.”

in future-proofing the ground and it is with thanks to the

Jim also added: “This has been a wonderful project to which

MCC Committee and project team who have seen the project

we have been able to bring our skills and experience to bear

through to its completion.”

in designing great new facilities for enjoying cricket in this iconic setting.”

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Rise Up. Reimagine. Ignite the Future. ISE 2022 unites and inspires AV professionals to meet the latest challenges with innovative solutions. The future begins in Barcelona.

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Discover more iseurope.org

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ADAMS PARK Wycombe, England Images: PRiME Media Images, Clearglow Sport, Landways

dams Park, the home of Wycombe Wanderers FC, has undergone a huge transformation during what has been a turbulent year, allowing the club to welcome fans back to a whole new experience delivered by state-of-

the-art technology. All visitors to Adams Park can now enjoy a new, concert-quality digital audio system throughout the stadium, high-performance Wi-Fi, giant LED screens, a digital perimeter system and a number of new systems to improve ground safety and security – all supported by a long-life digital and power infrastructure delivering guaranteed levels of performance. The club engaged Landways to design, fund and install the new systems to help realise owner, Rob Couhig’s ambitious vision for a great match day experience. Chris Smedly, Chief Executive at Landways, takes up the story: “Landways was introduced to Rob Couhig before he completed his majority share acquisition of Wycombe Wanderers. Coming from the USA, Rob was aware of how good connectivity platforms could add value to sports clubs and their fans, and he was keen to put in place a high-performance and reliable network at Adams Park. “After visiting one of the company’s other stadium projects and understanding the wider range of technology systems Landways was able to provide, Rob asked for a detailed survey and proposal.” Rob added: “When we came to the UK, we visited a number of other clubs to see how their digital systems were performing. We were amazed to find that most clubs had no viable way for fans to connect with them when they were at the ground with local mobile networks overloaded and the few existing Wi-Fi systems providing either very poor or no service at all. Landways was the only business that was able to demonstrate to us that they could deliver a highspeed, reliable service, which not only compares well with the best US systems, but actually exceeds them. They are a natural fit with our ambitions.” There was a clear aim in terms of what Rob wanted for Adams Park, as Chris explained: “Stadium-wide Wi-Fi was the first system Wycombe Wanderers wanted to deploy in order to support a planned strategy for adoption of new digital services throughout the stadium. Landways worked with the club to develop the requirements, including coverage areas, user groups, data modelling and expected adoption rates. From this, we agreed what constitutes

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a great connectivity experience from a fan perspective and

deploy digital and power networks, both on day one and into

used this as the basis for creating our performance guarantee.

the future. Developed in-house, it is comprised of a high-

“The club wanted to ensure that the system would be able

capacity, low-profile microduct system which can support

to cope with significant growth in data traffic, so scalability

optical fibre, ethernet and DC power cabling to create a

and the ability to add capacity for the contracted term with

flexible distribution frame.

minimal disruption to the club was a key requirement.

“The system can provide optical fibre and DC power to

“Another requirement was that the risk of technology

multiple connected technology systems across the site.

selection, design and operation was passed to Landways.

Capable of being deployed in five-15 minutes across a typical

This led to Landways offering to invest all the capital in the

site with no need for intermediate access, it is certified with

initial system it had designed in return for a long-term,

a fire safety rating of B2ca, an important requirement in

performance-based service contract.

modern high-density buildings. It is significantly lighter and

“The brief quickly extended to include high-resolution

lower profile than conventional traywork with much higher

surveillance cameras, a new digital audio system and

capacity.

improvements to several security systems, as the club

“Induct connects to multiple distribution points for the edge

exploited the initial Landways infrastructure investment

equipment, allowing core equipment to be centralised in the

to cost-effectively deploy several other high-quality new

onsite data centre, rather than in intermediate equipment

systems.”

rooms. This design method makes use of underused overhead

The basis of all the new systems is the new digital and power

space, removes the need for excess hardware and frees

infrastructure – it’s long-life, future-proofed and scalable,

up space devoted to multiple distributed communications

including a ground-breaking series of technical innovations.

cabinets in otherwise useful real estate. With built-in excess

This enabled Landways to meet the guaranteed performance

capacity, Landways’ Induct solution is capable of supporting

standards, upgrade the various systems quickly and with

seamless upgrades, additions and new technology adoption

minimal disruption, and launch new digital services in the

with minimal disruption.”

future at much lower cost.

Adams Park also has the first DC microgrid in a European

There are several significant features to the new digital and

commercial venue, which saves approximately 10% of energy

power infrastructure, including 200km of air-blown optical

use and reduces the costs of power equipment by 25% when

fibre, which has replaced old, capacity-limited and unreliable

compared to a conventional power infrastructure deployment,

copper cabling. There are also distribution points installed

thereby supporting the club’s plans for reduced carbon

in the stadium canopy and ceiling voids to terminate the

emissions.

fibre and power infrastructure and easily add or upgrade

“The DC microgrid removes the need for multiple AC/DC

equipment in the future. A private optical fibre network to an

power conversions across the site by centrally converting

off-site data centre has been installed, too, which allows for

AC power to DC and storing in a centralised battery storage

seamless network growth. Plus, there is a secure on-site data

system. All of Landways’ equipment at the edge of the

centre for critical network and power equipment, providing a

network are native DC devices so this means there is no need

three-hour standby time for all supported systems.

to invert the power supply at the edge of the network,” Chris

Significantly, Adams Park is home to the first installation

said.

of Landways’ new containment system, Induct, which Chris

“The DC microgrid and battery system also provide a three-

explained to MONDO | STADIA in more detail: “Induct is

hour battery backup for the connected systems. Entirely

Landways’ new patent-pending containment system. It

scalable to support additional systems, this removes the

revolutionises the way large venues and other buildings

need to run multiple back up power sources across the

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THE FULL PITCH

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043

044

site. Together with Induct’s fire survivability and built-in

design and development and are highly regarded in the field

resilience, this increases site safety and security in the event

of PA/VA and professional audio.”

of an emergency.

“Landways’ project at Adams Park highlights just how

“It is also compatible with renewable energy sources like

powerful the MXE5 Matrix Mix Engine is,”noted Richard

solar panels. Solar energy is generated as DC power and can

Leadbitter, Sales Manager at Dynacord. “This was a complex

be stored in Landways’ batteries and distributed throughout

and innovative stadium sound solution and MXE5 was

the site over the DC microgrid. The potential to use the

exactly the right choice to turn the concept into a reality. The

stadium roof to help reduce rising energy bills has become a

combination with TPC-1 means simple and intuitive control

point of interest for Wycombe Wanderers.”

is at the fingertips of stadium staff forevery event the venue

The new digital audio system at Adams Park is an industry

hosts.”

first, as it is designed using optical fibre and a new low

A carefully-designed OHM system, consisting of 24 TRS 112

power infrastructure, which distributes high-quality digital

and over 70 BRT-10 AWs, covers the audience areas. The

audio streams to a series of amplifiers located at the edge

system was distributed across the tiers and mounted against

of the network, adjacent to more than 250 powerful new

ceiling yokes and positioned for controlled dispersion and

loudspeakers to serve every seat and public space in the

minimal reflection.

stadium.

OHM had been finalising a new environmentally-friendly,

This unique approach combats the challenges of audibility,

weather-resistant material to manufacture loudspeaker

speech clarity, music quality and volume found in so many

enclosures with. “We had the solution just at the right

stadium audio systems. It enabled Landways to deliver

time as installation companies shifted to outdoor projects

specified levels of speech and music quality, depending on

to fulfil the need of venues taking their services outside to

the needs of different areas of the stadium – all of which are

comply with government regulations,” said Gareth Coleman,

precisely measured to give guaranteed levels of performance

OHM’s Director of International Sales. “We were invited to

throughout the system’s useful life.

get involved with this bespoke project by Landways. With

The installation incorporates a fully IP-based PRAESENSA

everything manufactured in our Manchester facility, it was

public address and voice alarm system by Bosch. Control and

easy to redesign for the specific requirements.”

audio distribution is courtesy of Dynacord MXE5 performance

Landways has also rolled out a high-density Wi-Fi system

audio matrices. TPC-1 touch panel controllers provide a

throughout the stadium, providing market-leading and

simple user interface, multiple inputs and easy integration

guaranteed network speeds for fans, staff and other visitors,

with video sources. Landways has installed the touch panels

throughout the contract term.

in all hospitality and event spaces, allowing the club to

“Our approach to Wi-Fi is also very different from

control each area centrally or to offer private guests the

conventional systems. Benefitting from the stadium-wide

ability to customise their entertainment experience on match

optical fibre and power infrastructure, we were able to avoid

days or at other events.

the capacity and performance limitations of copper ethernet

“After conducting a competitive process and having ensured

cabling. All the access points for the Wi-Fi are located on

that the proposal against our specification was fully

or near to the distribution points and are positioned using

compliant, we selected Bosch PRAESENSA equipment for

detailed radio engineering to ensure every seat and public

the public address and voice alarm system and Dynacord for

space can receive a signal to a minimum specified level,” said

audio control and distribution,” said Chris.

Chris.

“Both brands have many years of experience with product

“The underlying network has then been dimensioned using

WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

THE FULL PITCH

traffic models that predict and monitor data usage on the

deliver live video, including pitch side and roaming camera

system. Because each element of the underlying infrastructure,

feeds, social media messages, goal stings, commercial content,

including the backhaul connection to a nearby internet peering

live stats and much more. The club’s media team have been

location, is controlled by Landways and has been designed to

putting the system to good use, with plenty of green screen

be upgradeable, we have been able to commit to handle both

content used to bring the screen to life, as well as interactive

today’s traffic levels and those that are forecasted over the

games at half time to engage the crowd.

lifetime of the contract.”

With a height of 900mm, the 200-metre-long perimeter system

Even in a packed bowl, fans can seamlessly stream content to

creates a hugely powerful commercial platform, worthy of any

their smartphones and take full advantage of mobile apps, such

Premier League stadium. As well as featuring industry-leading

as the club’s new Fetch service for ordering food and drink. The

display technology from Unilumin, the display uses Clearglow

Wi-Fi system already supports other digital services around

Sport’s powerful content management platform, which offers

the ground, including the club’s new digital ticketing system,

the club huge flexibility in how it can activate commercial

connectivity for staff and media, and electronic payment

partnerships.

devices in support of the club’s plan to go cashless, with more

Rob Couhig concluded: “I am delighted that Landways’ digital

to come in the future.

infrastructure is now fully in place and available for everyone

Behind the scenes, Landways has also deployed a series of other

inside Adams Park to benefit from.

systems to make sure that Adams Park is a safe and secure

“Through our partnership with Landways, we are making a

environment for fans and to comply with the requirements set

long-term investment in digital technology to improve the

by both the EFL and the local council for ground safety and

matchday experience, reduce costs and help our business

survivability in the event of an emergency. This includes a new

continue to thrive. The first services using the new Wi-Fi

high-resolution 48-camera surveillance system, which was

system are already up and running and we plan to introduce

supplied by Hikvision.

more in the future.

Adams Park is also benefitting from a new giant LED screen

“It is great that the same underlying energy-efficient

and digital perimeter system, which was provided by Clearglow

infrastructure that delivers our incredibly fast Wi-Fi can also

Sport in the summer ahead of the new season.

be used to deliver high-quality stadium audio and new safety

Launched in spectacular style, the new visual technology

systems, at the same time as being ready to handle data growth

received its grand unveiling as the Chairboys welcomed Premier

and new digital services in the future.”

League side, Leicester City, to Adams Park for a pre-season

Chris added: “We are extremely proud to work with Wycombe

friendly.

Wanderers and play our part in the digital transformation of

The new 42 sq metre LED screen provides a high-impact

Adams Park. We would particularly like to thank the Couhig

platform through which the club can engage fans on match

family, the club’s staff and the Wycombe Wanderers Trust

day. Clearglow Sport’s turnkey solution provided Wycombe

who have been a pleasure to work with throughout this very

Wanderers with a powerful content management system, which

challenging period for us all. We are delighted that the club’s

offers a huge range of functionality for the club to entertain its

fans are now back at Adams Park and we look forward to

fans.

making sure these new systems deliver to them for years to

More than simply a clock and scoreboard, the new screen can

come.”

COMPANIES: Landways, Clearglow Sport, Bosch, OHM, Unilumin, Hikvision, | WEBSITES: www.landways.com, www.clearglowsport.co.uk, www.boschsecurity.com, www.ohm.co.uk, www.unilumin.com, www.hikvision.com WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

045

VIDEO

PBA SUPER SLAM Virginia, USA Images: Justin Wyman, JWI Entertainment Technologies

046

he recent Professional Bowlers Association Super Slam

tournaments since 2017. Established in 2012 by Justin Wyman, who

was an invitational event featuring the five winners of

personally has more than 20 years of experience in technical event

the 2021 PBA Tour Majors. Offering a total prize purse

production, JWI Entertainment Technologies offers a turnkey service

of $200,000, this all-star tournament was broadcast

covering audio, lighting, video, and rigging.

live on FOX Sports. It featured a dynamic set, constructed from a

Justin has developed a close working relationship with the PBA

variety of different ADJ LED video panel models, which surrounded

over the past five years, helping them to raise the production value

the bowlers on three sides and provided a vibrant backdrop of

of their events and use LED video panels to create versatile sets

animated patterns and sponsor logos.

that can be fully customised with animated patterns and sponsor

Hosted in Annandale, Virginia, the inaugural PBA Super Slam was

logos. This has helped the organisation to attract premium sponsors

hotly contested between Kyle Troup (PBA Players Championship

for PBA competitions by ensuring their logos appear prominently

winner), Francois Lavoie (Kia PBA Tournament of Champions

whichever way the audience looks and – more importantly – every

winner), Tom Daugherty (Guaranteed Rate PBA World Championship

direction the TV cameras may be pointed. Justin is constantly

winner), Thomas Larsen (USBC Masters winner) and Chris Via

refining this concept and investing in additional ADJ LED video

(BPAA US Open winner). Following a close competition that saw

panels to allow even more impressive set designs.

Daugherty eliminated in the first round and Lavoie and Troup win

For the 2021 season, Justin made his first investment in ADJ’s new

the semi-final matches, Francois Lavoie clinched the victory beating

Vision Series of LED video panels, adding 20 of the VS2 model to

Troup 247 to 202 in the final and walking away with the $100,000

his inventory. The Vision Series panels offer the highest quality

top prize.

LED binning and bright, clear output, with a variety of pixel

Responsible for designing and supplying the set for the competition

pitch options from which to choose. All models are front and rear

was niche bowling industry technical supplier, JWI Entertainment

serviceable, and feature four individual mini modules for quick and

Technologies, which has supplied ADJ LED video panels to PBA

easy servicing. They are all also built on the same frame, allowing

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047

VIDEO

panels with different resolutions to be used together. All the

designed a set that featured his usual 90º curved backdrop

Vision Series panels use the same rigging bar (VSRB1) and fit

constructed from 88 AV2X panels, with an additional smaller

into the same road case (VSFC8). All models have retractable

curved section comprised of 28 panels. The two curved

corner protectors that safeguard the corners while they are

sections were erected at either side of the handrails, while

not connected. There are also magnets on the top and bottom

a third straight section – constructed from 12 additional

of the panels that allow users to temporarily connect two

panels – was positioned behind the steps. This allowed the

panels together, let go of the panels, then securely latch them

players to make their entrance ‘through’ the LED video wall

on the rear. This allows for a single user to install a full wall

backdrop, which proved to be very effective.

of panels, which isn’t possible with other LED video systems.

The final use of ADJ video panels at the PBA Super Slam was

The VS2 model is the highest resolution panel in the series,

for the scoreboard positioned above the lanes to inform the

offering a pixel pitch of 2.97mm and a brightness of 1,000

in-person spectators as well as the bowlers themselves. This

NITS.

was constructed from 27 AV6X panels, arranged in a three x

For the PBA Super Slam event, Justin deployed his 20 new

nine rectangle, and hung from a truss structure positioned

VS2 panels running down the side of the lanes, rigged to a

over the three lanes used for the competition. As this screen

truss frame. Long thin video displays like this have been a

was viewed from a considerable distance, the lower 6mm

signature feature of Justin’s set designs for PBA events for

pixel pitch of the AV6X was more than adequate. However,

some time, allowing the placement of animated sponsor

Justin plans to upgrade the panels he uses for this purpose

logos – as well as competition branding – that appear on TV

to the new VS3IP model before the end of the year in order to

when the cameras follow the path of the balls down the lanes.

improve the image quality when the scoreboard is picked up

“The new VS2s are great panels that are very bright and have

by the TV cameras.

a really impressive contrast,” said Justin. “However, when

Processing for both the backdrop and ‘down lane’ sections

I’m doing these broadcast events I have to dial the brightness

were provided by a Novastar MCRL4K connected to a

right down as the TV cameras are very sensitive to light! They

dedicated graphics computer running ArKaos Media Master

blend in very well with my existing inventory, so no-one

Express 5. Meanwhile, a Novastar VX4S – connected directly

would look at this setup and know that the panels running

to a laptop – was used for the scoreboard. Justin uses ADJ

down the lanes were different to the ones on the backdrop.

panels exclusively for all of his LED video needs, having had

“I also like the physical design of the VS2s, they are

positive experiences with both the products and the support

lightweight and fit together really easily using the convenient

service offered by ADJ.

half-turn locking connectors. Another nice touch is the

“I’ve always found ADJ LED video panels to be good quality

dedicated VSFC8 flight case has a viewing window which lets

and reliable,” Justin confirmed. “But what I like most is the

you see which of the eight slots are filled with panels without

customer service and support I receive right down the line.

lifting the lid.”

From my dealer, Tom [Capo] at KPODJ, to ADJ’s local rep,

Another key element to Justin’s PBA set designs are the

Scott [Jolliffe] from Healy Sales, through to Edgar [Bernal]

curved backdrops he positions behind the bowling area,

ADJ’s Regional Rep and of course not forgetting Corey [Saenz]

constructed from arrangements of ADJ AV2X panels. The

ADJ’s Video Product Specialist. I have a great relationship

Super Slam event featured the biggest of these backdrops to

with these guys, they’re extremely patient with me and there

date, made up from a total of 128 panels arranged into three

have been a number of occasions when they have gone above

separate sections. The reason for this design was a practical

and beyond to support me. I have no reason to look anywhere

one, as the bowling facility featured steps behind the bowling

else for my LED panel needs.”

area with fixed metal handrails. To accommodate this, Justin

BRAND: ADJ, Novastar, ArKaos | EVENT PRODUCTION: JWI Entertainment Technologies | WEBSITE: www.adj.com, www.novastar.tech, www.arkaos.com

048

WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

Redefining the Stadium Experience

BROADCAST

SOLITAIRE DU FIGARO France Images: Alexis Courcoux, Christophe Breschi, Sea Events

050

olitaire du Figaro, originally called the Course de

In order to capture live shots of the skippers at the start and end of

l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis

each stage, and to be as close to the action as possible, Sea Events

Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault, who both wanted

positions its crew at multiple vantage points around the harbour;

to create a solo race - with two stages and without

using iPhones on the shore and a drone for a birds eye view.

assistance - for both professionals and amateurs.

On board its ‘production’ boat, a Sony PMW 400 camera with a

It has since become one of the most prestigious sailing races

stabilised lens connects to a Dejero EnGo mobile transmitter, which

in France - and is widely considered the unofficial world

is designed to withstand harsh environments.

championship of solo offshore sailing. The race, which has created

MONDO | STADIA spoke to Rob Waters, Director of Sales EMEA &

some of France’s top offshore sailors, takes place over 1,830 miles,

APAC at Dejero, about how the company’s technology helped deliver

across some of Europe’s roughest waters, making it a fiercely

the event coverage: “We come from a long broadcast background

competitive competition.

and we specialise in delivering reliable connectivity from anywhere

For this year’s Solitaire du Figaro, French production company, Sea

in the world. In this case, we were delivering low latency video

Events, who is the European leader in the audiovisual coverage of

content back to Sea Events, who handled the production, using our

ocean racing, delivered uninterrupted coverage of the event, with

Smart Blending Technology.”

the assistance of technology from Dejero and Dazzl.

Dejero’s ruggedised EnGo, which was used for Solitaire du Figaro’s

The combination of Dejero’s mobile transmitter and Dazzl’s cloud

coverage, is equipped with six integrated global modems, global

video platform enables Sea Events’ production crew to easily

roaming connectivity services and interchangeable SIM modules,

access tools for live production, live clipping, rapid editing and

and utilises Dejero’s Smart Blending Technology to create a resilient

video distribution from the various stages of the race between

internet connection by aggregating multiple networks into a single

France, Ireland and Spain, all while maintaining reliable internet

service. This allows for the transmission of high-quality live video

connectivity.

with latency as low as 0.8 seconds.

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051

BROADCAST

“When using EnGo, we don’t need to worry about the

“However, it is pretty much a standard broadcast workflow

movement and positioning of the boat in order to gain the

– we’re delivering into one of our cloud servers and that’s

best viewpoints - no matter how far away we are from the

feeding directly into Dazzl’s software. And the great thing

coast,” explained Erwan Riquier, CEO, Sea Events. “We don’t

about that is that it can literally be done from anywhere

even have to think about switching to different network

in the world. It doesn’t need a studio, broadcast centre or

carriers or constantly finding the most reliable network when

master control room – it’s entirely remote. So, the editor can

we cross borders or worry about patchy coverage.”

be in the port, on a boat, or even in a café.”

Thierry Scozzesi, CEO and Founder of Dazzl, explained

With this being the first time Dazzl has worked alongside

how they have assisted in providing perfect coverage of the

Dejero for Solitaire du Figaro, Thierry spoke to MONDO

event for the third time: “So, Dazzl is a 100% cloud-based

| STADIA about the difference they made to the event’s

production platform, mainly for digital video broadcast.

coverage: “Simple, straightforward and easy to use – it’s

Basically, you can access the platform through a web browser

everything that Dazzl wants to hear from the customers and

and that will bring you real-time stream switching from

that’s what we got with Dejero. In fact, in previous years, we

multiple sources.

only used the drone and iPhones, but, this year, we now have

“For Solitaire du Figaro’s, we had Dejero’s EnGo with the

the camera with the EnGo. The great thing with Dejero is that

camera, the drone and also iPhones using the Dazzl mobile

they really bring the connectivity, which is, of course, vital.”

application – and these are all sent to the virtual studio.”

Erwan concluded: “The combined Dejero and Dazzl

The camera, drone and iPhone sources are streamed over

technology has opened up new opportunities for live

RTMP to the Dazzl cloud server for use by the producer.

streaming because of the reliability and low latency it

The production director, located in the arrival harbour, and

provides. These solutions link up in seconds and connect to

two remote commentators, further engage with the event’s

any type of source, including cameras, drones and phones.

30,000-strong Facebook Live audience.

A traditional control room isn’t required, which means we

Thierry added: “I would call it unique - it allows producers

can deliver a quality live stream with network stability to any

to create digital-first broadcasts for social platforms,

platform – whether digital or linear, from anywhere in the

websites and mobile apps.”

world.”

A project such as this isn’t without its difficulties, as Rob

The 30 solo skippers of the 2021 Solitaire du Figaro crossed

explained further: “The nature of our technology is that we

the race’s finish line at the Loire-Atlantique (Saint-Naizre),

require internet connectivity from SIM cards. Now, along the

Western France, on September 16 - and Sea Events, with the

coastline, you’re generally without any issues, but, obviously,

help of Dejero and Dazzl, live streamed the departures and

the further out to sea you go, the more restrictions you have.

arrivals of each stage of the event since it began on August 22.

PRODUCTION: Sea Events | BRANDS: Dejero, Dazzl | WEBSITE: www.dejero.com, www.dazzl.tv

052

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20 EXTRA TIME

PRODUCT LAUNCH & DEMO 056 Electro-Voice | MTS Series

VENUE TECH DIRECTORY & EVENT DIARY 060 Venue Tech Directory 062 Conferences & Exhibitions

FULL TIME 064 Renkus-Heinz

ELECTRO-VOICE - MTS SERIES | LAUNCH & STADIUM DEMO DW Stadium - Wigan, UK

lectro-Voice is expanding its portfolio of sound solutions for stadiums and sports venues with the global introduction of the MTS series of full-range, high-output, long-throw, point-source loudspeaker systems. Described as the next standard in stadium sound, MONDO | STADIA was invited to the exclusive UK demo of the new audio technology at Wigan Athletic’s DW Stadium. Each MTS standard model is equipped with four 15-inch subwoofers and dual coaxial mid/high frequency compression drivers. The system is capable of generating more than 151 dB peak SPL with exact directivity for very-long-throw applications. MTS represents a truly holistic approach to loudspeaker design. Loudspeaker geometry, complementary amplifier matching, and digital processing are computer-optimised to ensure precisely distributed SPL that remains balanced and controlled throughout the entire coverage area - even at full output. Four slot-loaded, high efficiency low-frequency drivers are symmetrically coupled to the same full-range waveguide as the compression drivers to create a true point-source with substantial bass response,

056

WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

eliminating the need for additional subwoofers in many applications. Bob Rieder, Senior Global Product Manager, Professional Systems at Electro-Voice, said: “We’ve got a lot of expertise in delivering audio systems in stadiums - it goes way back to the very origins of the company. So, the MTS series is really the long-awaited successor to a discontinued model we had called the MH series. We really wanted an update in terms of that technology, which we set out to do around 10 years ago, but we went down a couple of cul-de-sacs and came up with a good product, but not something that was to our high standards. “Then, three years ago, we looked at new approaches and just turned everything upside down. We spoke to consultants, installers and all those who work within the audio environment for stadia – we just wanted to know what they really needed. We took all of that information in, turned it into specs and said ‘those are our targets’.” The result of that work three years ago is the MTS series, which includes 16 unique models. These are based on two standard

EXTRA TIME

three-way configurations (MTS-4153) with 60° x 40° or 40° x 30° coverage, and two cardioid configurations (MTS-6154) that provide the same coverage patterns with enhanced lowfrequency directional control. Cardioid models are equipped with two additional subwoofers. The 60° x 40° models can deliver extremely high SPLs: 151 dB peak (music) and 154 dB peak (speech) down to 55 Hz at -10 dB; the 40 x 30 models are capable of 152 dB peak (music) and 155 dB peak (speech) down to 50 Hz at -10 dB. Each version is available with black or white finish, and each is available in a partially weatherised (PW) version

for sheltered use or in a fully weatherised (FW) version for full exposure to the elements. All MTS loudspeakers have an IP55 rating, indicating that they are highly impervious to dust and water ingress. The MTS series leverages EV’s engineering resources as part of the Bosch Group. The loudspeakers were designed using exclusive High-Performance Computing (HPC) clusters, running proprietary modeling software designed by EV engineers. The engineering team iterated hundreds of FEA simulations to achieve ideal system performance. This work led to new EV technologies, including WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

057

EXTRA TIME

the dual lossless Hydra waveform converter that that drives a large constant directivity waveguide with a coherent arc source, ensuring pattern control to below 350 Hz. The launch of MTS brings an evolution of EV’s pioneering manifold loudspeaker technology and MH horn technology to advanced levels of audio performance. Manifold technology describes a method for acoustically combining the output of multiple transducers. EV pioneered this approach decades ago for high-frequency compression drivers and has refined the technology for both the coaxial compression drivers and the lowfrequency drivers in these loudspeakers. MTS is engineered for use with amplification and processing from Dynacord as part of a SONICUE-driven hardware/software ecosystem, for cost-effective and energy-efficient system design with unique performance optimisation and system protection features. Proprietary loudspeaker settings and limiter functions ensure exceptional performance with long-term reliability at extremely high output levels. A complete package of design files is provided for advanced acoustical and mechanical system simulation in venues. Electro-Voice PREVIEW Loudspeaker Software is the fastest and most accurate way to create acoustic designs with MTS, including those that augment the full-range MTS models with the recommended X12i-128 dual-18-inch subwoofer. 058

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While line array solutions have become more common in stadium installations over the past few years, they are not always the ideal solution. For example, broadband vertical control and high output can only be achieved with a greater overall array height. These longer arrays require correspondingly more amplifier channels and can interfere with sightlines. MTS reliably provides precise coverage control in both the horizontal and the vertical aspects, without sacrificing sound quality or SPL. Typically, an MTS installation will involve fewer cable runs, lower installed weight, less complex rigging, and fewer amplifier channels for equivalent performance. This positions MTS as a go-to solution, providing the highest possible value to the customer. With every detail geared towards addressing the most demanding requirements of consultants, integrators and installers specialising in large performance venues - ranging from school football fields and regional arenas to the largest international stadiums - MTS brings to bear its stunning acoustic performance with superior control, coverage and clarity, setting the next standard in stadium sound. MTS design files are available now for project planning, with shipping beginning in Q4 2021. products.electrovoice.com/na/en/mts

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VENUE TECH DIRECTORY A closer look at some of the latest, state-of-the-art technology for sporting venues.

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Fully embedded control solution. Date & time triggers. HTTP [Open API]. RJ45 or five pin DMX. Eight Universes. Enlighten [MEMO Core Engine Software].

QUANTUM7 DIGICO www.digico.biz • • • • •

IS SERIES WEATHERIZED ADAMSON www.adamsonsystems.com •

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Compact line array, point source loudspeakers and subwoofers designed for use on cruise ships, in stadia and other outdoor permanent installations that face extreme weather conditions. The IS Weatherized includes the same audio performance as the trusted IS Series, but features structural steel elements that are made of a high yield strength stainless alloy that offers 100% corrosion resistance. These new models also include an interior and exterior coating with a distinctive smooth finish that provides a water resistant seal and allows for easy cleaning and removal of dirt, grime, salt water or sand. Cabinets are rated to IP55 while connectors are rated to IP68.

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The Quantum7 is a complete audio solution. Flexibility: application specific software – live, theatre and broadcast. Channel and buss count: able to handle the largest stadium productions. Networked audio: supports all industry standard protocols including Optocore, MADI and Dante. Redundancy: built in redundancy as standard.

VENUE TECH DIRECTORY

CREWCOM PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES www.plianttechnologies.com/products/crewcom.html •

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Professional wireless intercom system that features wideband 7K audio and advanced RF to insure exceptional range and expandability while providing dependable, consistent connectivity. Durable (IP67-rated) small, comfortable, and easy-to-use two- and four- Volume Radio Packs available. Flexible RF platform that supports license-free 900MHz and 2.4GHz frequency bands, with no frequency coordination needed. CrewWare - intuitive and easy-to-use system set-up, control and monitoring included. Highly configurable with customisable conferences, user profiles and assignable wireless ISO.

CV368 MARSHALL www.marshall-usa.com/cameras/ • • • • •

One/1.8-inch Global Shutter sensor captures fast motion without motion anomalies. Flexible CS/C lens mount allows for ultra-wide stadium shots to telephoto lenses focussed on specific action. 3.2 Megapixels with 25% larger pixel size handles fluctuating light sources extremely well (sun/clouds/indoor). Tri-Level Sync (Genlock) for faster, more accurate camera switching with seamless transitions. Low Light sensitivity (0.05 Lux) with ability to capture into the IR wavelengths.

YOUR PARTNER FOR STAGE & STUDIO LIFTING EQUIPMENT

CHAINMASTER GmbH •

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• WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

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EVENT DIARY 2021/22

Sport Production & Technology Summit 2021 28th October, London svgeurope.org

ESSMA Summit 2021 8th - 9th November, Turin essma.eu

International Sports Convention 23rd - 24th March, London internationalsportsconvention.com

InfoComm 2021 23rd - 29th October, Orlando infocommshow.org

IBC 2021 3rd - 6th December, Amsterdam show.ibc.org

NAB Show 23rd - 27th April, Las Vegas nabshow.com

FSB 26th - 28th October, Costa Rica https://www.fsb-cologne.com/

UK Events Summit 15th December, Manchester majoreventsinternational.com

Prolight + Sound 26th - 29th April, Frankfurt pls.messefrankfurt.com

Congreso de Fútbol de las Americas 27th - 29th October, Cologne congresofutbolamericas.com

ISE 1st - 4th February, Barcelona iseurope.org

RENKUS-HEINZ Delivering a Superior Fan Experience Graham Hendry, Vice President of Strategic Development, Renkus-Heinz www.renkus-heinz.com

ttending stadium events is an all senses, immersive experience from high school football games to professional sports events or concerts where the sports stadium is being used as a performance venue, the sound is a vital component of the experience. Unfortunately, audio tends to get overlooked and undervalued compared to the architectural design, lighting, and video systems. Yet audio quality and intelligibility have a considerable impact on an audience’s enjoyment - probably more than we can imagine. There have been a number of studies over the years showing that the quality of audio has a psychological, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral effect on people. Sound can alter our state of mind and has the power to influence our thoughts, feelings, and behavior, the least of which may be that harsh/unintelligible audio reduces our enjoyment of and engagement with a performance, presentation or event. And this is certainly true in a stadium or other very large venues. To enhance audience enjoyment and engagement, many stadiums and arenas have upped the ante in recent years to give spectators a truly amazing experience. Today’s evolutionary immersive spatial audio and control systems allow show designers and operators to create memorable soundscapes that were not possible just a few years ago. To a systems designer or contractor, the benefits of deploying premium-quality audio components are clear. The challenge is in communicating the benefits to the client who is paying for the system. Why should they invest in better technology? In a high-capacity stadium, the perfect scenario is getting into that perfect seat from an audio and visual perspective, and this is not always possible. You might be in an upper deck with the players no more than specks on the field of play. Most likely, you keep track of events by

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watching what you can on the field along with announcements over the PA system. If you can’t hear the announcer clearly, the only resource is the video screens. If you had wanted to watch the game exclusively on a screen, you’d be better off at home on your comfortable sofa watching the game on your 4K TV with ultra-HD streaming with your state-of-the-art multi-channel surround system. Now more than ever, amazing audio is expected of almost any venue. Intelligibility is Key Many sound professionals hone their listening skills in small, acoustically-friendly rooms with relatively low noise floors - this does not prepare them for projects in larger spaces. If you make the wrong equipment choices in large, challenging spaces, the audience won’t understand the words. And all the equalisers and DSP in the world won’t fix it. Do not confuse intelligibility with simply being loud. With many factors affecting intelligibility, it can’t be fixed by simply turning it up. That said, with a background noise level between 35 and 100 dB, the threshold for high intelligibility is usually a signal-to-noise ratio of 12 dB. 12 dB means that the signal should be roughly four times louder than the background noise. A mix of taming acoustics and good design is vital to a successful outcome in a large stadium. Loss of coverage and impact will reduce the stadium’s atmosphere, which will lead to a loss of spectators and profits. To keep those people coming back to the stadium, stadiums need to put in the effort to improve sound and ensure that audiences and fans cannot just see, but also hear everything going on. With the utilisation of today’s advanced modeling software, speech intelligibility can be specified in advance, designed for, and objectively measured with good accuracy, but the solution requires expert designers. One of the best things you can do to ensure the quality of your sound system is

to bring in a qualified consultant and contractor to help with the design and commission process. Video Synchronicity is another element that plays into a more realistic experience. Spectators may be able to hear the sounds from the loudspeakers, but when those sounds accompany a video, many may experience the two as being out of sync. A distributed sound system would be a preferable option in this instance as no matter where someone is seated, they will have a loudspeaker closer to them than a single point source or ‘end-zone arrangement where those seated further away will experience severe delay relative to the video. Be a Good Neighbour There are many challenges facing a sound designer in a stadium, not the least of which is keeping the sound inside the space and not contributing to noise pollution, especially in built up areas. Local authorities have noise tolerances that need to be met. From an architectural perspective, it’s about identifying if and how sound waves are being reflected, as well as about where the sound waves are reflected. In a stadium with reflective surfaces, if you don’t arrange those materials properly, they can reflect the sound waves in the wrong direction — away from the audience and onto the neighbours, for example. Acoustics need to be assessed in stadia design at the same time the architecture is considered. The two disciplines go very much hand in hand. The Audience Cheers, Virtually Fast forward to the current situation and the pandemic. Hopefully, it won’t last much longer, but we should be prepared for similar scenarios. Faced with empty seats, some venues have learned to adapt and repatriate their sound system for unexpected eventualities - the more flexible the sound system, the better.

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Sports stadiums and venues have spent huge amounts of money on state-of-the-art sound systems with the loudspeakers focussed squarely on the audience area to give them immersive and intelligible sound on game day. What we didn’t consider very readily was the scenario where those fans became plastic cutouts. Through the lockdowns, stadium operators are focussing the sound system onto the field of play to give the athletes a sense of engagement, albeit from artificial crowd noise. Even more elaborate and immersive techniques are employed to zone the sound system, allowing mixers to approximate volume and varying reactions from home and away crowds. Much of the above techniques have been left to the individual teams and venues rather than mandated from governing bodies. Still, one could argue those investing in their own players’ experiences will have an advantage. Enclosed stadiums present an even more significant challenge for artificial crowd noise. In many instances, the venue’s acoustics are purposely designed to amplify loud cheering fans. When broadcasting games for TV, the more 066

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realistic the crowd noise is in the stadium, the more realistic it will sound in the broadcast. A Total, Flexible Experience As crowds return to full capacity, the scalability and flexibility of the sound system will be an advantage for a well-designed stadium. On occasion, venues may only require using part of the sound system; for instance, the lower bowl only when the crowd is not at capacity. Adaptive, digital beam steering technology is a sound solution that allows zoning and coverage of various areas without physically moving loudspeakers, maintaining an even SPL distribution and extremely consistent intelligibility. Beam steering technology provides not only the required coverage, intelligibility, and overall sound control (like a good neighbour) but also the flexibility to use stadiums for events that expand well beyond their intended purpose - putting the sound only where it is needed. From the stadium concession areas to the VIP platforms, to the general arena, and all its many shapes and sizes, every space needs to be looked

at from the audio experience point of view. The main entertainment may reside inside the arena, but spectators spend a lot of time in line for refreshments, in restaurants and bars, souvenir shops, and moving between these spaces; and that fan - that customer - is expecting a seamless, quality audio experience. The good news is that new stadiums have emerged with hospitality ‘well baked’ into the design. Thinking beyond a bowl with a playing surface in the middle, many stadium owners, designers, and their food service partners have rallied around the total fan experience. Today’s overall stadium experience is all about consistency that’s focussed on delivering excellent musicality and intelligibility across the entire entertainment facility - because nobody should miss out on the action. www.renkus-heinz.com

SMALL

FORM FACTOR

BIG

IMPACT

MEDIORNET FUSION 3 & 6 • Standalone IP Converter & Multiviewer • Miniature SFP frame for UHD / HD / SD • Installable close to signal sources or destinations • For full IP or IP-SDI hybrid solutions

SDI

IP Gateway App J2K/JXS

MULTIVIEWER 16 x 1

JPEG-2000 / JPEG-XS En- / Decoder Apps

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

16x1 / 9x1 / 4x1 MultiViewer Apps

FUSION 6

CONNECTIVITY HDMI ETHERNET FIBER SDI

FUSION 3

IP VIDEO

SOFTWARE-DEFINED

DISTRIBUTED

SCALABLE

FLEXIBLE

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+ 44 (0)20 7608 7900 info@wilkinsoneyre.com wilkinsoneyre.com

The new Compton & Edrich Stands by WilkinsonEyre for the MCC have transformed the spectator experience at Lords

image by Hufton+Crow