Mondo | Stadia #49 - Aug/Sep 2026

CARMAX PARK

LEANGEN ARENA

TEAM TALK - CRESTRON

D&B AUDIOTECHNIK INTERVIEW

Richmond Flying Squirrels has installed five Grass Valley LDX 110 cameras at its home stadium.

Full audio upgrade carried out at the Trondheim venue, featuring a wide array of KV2 Audio products.

What Espai Barça reveals about the changing role of technology in the era of the 365-day stadium.

We spoke to Dominika Obwarzanek, Senior Application Engineer, to discuss designing sound in modern stadiums.

ISSUE 49 - AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2026

THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR THE SPORTING VENUE ECOSYSTEM

SCALABLE NETWORKING SIMPLIFIED.

Whether deploying a redundant or primary-only network topology, the MS8.2 Milan network switch is perfectly suited to simplify mobile, installed systems and spatial audio applications.

49 WELCOME

e open ISSUE 49 at Beijing’s National Stadium — the Bird’s Nest — where the Grand Finals of the King Pro League for Honor of the Kings set a Guinness World Record for the largest live esports audience ever assembled, with over 62,000 in attendance. Our cover story explores how MA Lighting’s grandMA3 system tied together a production of extraordinary complexity.

We also spoke with Dominika Obwarzanek, Senior Application Engineer at d&b audiotechnik, whose nine years and dozens of stadium projects give her a cleareyed view of what it actually takes to design sound for venues where a Champions League final, a stadium concert, and a community event all share the same system.

Her preference for the word “optimising” over “compromising” says a great deal about how she approaches the discipline.

Fran Williams, Technical Commercial Director at Diversified, makes the case that AV and IT can no longer operate as separate departments, particularly as European stadiums push towards the 365-day, multi-use model that their US counterparts have long been building towards.

Our Team Talk comes from Brad Hintze, EVP of Marketing & Customer Success at Crestron, who uses Espai Barça as the lens through which to examine whether the industry has truly adapted to the era of the 365-day stadium, or simply acknowledged it. We also carry a column from Stark Tech on the case for moving from individual building systems to a single, unified technology strategy: a shift that touches everything from energy management and security to AV and power visibility.

Elsewhere, we visit CarMax Park, where Grass Valley have delivered a broadcast infrastructure project worth checking out, and Leagen Arena, where KV2 Audio have made their mark on the venue’s sound environment.

We hope you enjoy the issue!

W

Sam Hughes Chief Creative Officer & Editor-in-Chief

L-Acoustics_Sound Forward_MondoStadia_245x318mm.indd 1

16/12/2024 11:44:47

49 INSIDE…

Cover Image: © Honor of Kings Chief Creative Officer & Editor-in-Chief Sam Hughes s.hughes@mondiale.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Matt Johnson m.johnson@mondiale.co.uk

Chief Commercial Officer Jamie Dixon j.dixon@mondiale.co.uk

Sales Executive Ruby Bemowski r.bemowski@mondiale.co.uk

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

Mel Capper m.capper@mondiale.co.uk

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

Credit Control ar@mondiale.co.uk

Group Chairman Damian Walsh

TEAM TALK

EXTRA TIME

006 The 22 to 365 Shift: We’re Living It. But Have We Adapted

062 Tasker | Multipair Cables for Live Production

Enough? | Crestron

064 Sending Audiences Home Safely | Showstop

010 From Individual Systems To One Technology Strategy |

068 Beyond The Box: The Future of Premium in the Modern

Stark Tech

Arena | George Vaughan, The Digital Line 072 From Venue to Ecosystem: Why Europe’s Stadiums Need a

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

INTERVIEW

016 Dominika Obwarzanek | d&b audiotechnik 026 Fran Williams | Diversified

THE FULL PITCH 034 Beijing National Stadium | Beijing, China

Printed By Buxton Press

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IPTV & DIGITAL SIGNAGE 042 ScottsMiracle-Gro Field | Columbus, USA BROADCAST 048 CarMax Park | Richmond, USA AUDIO 054 Leangen Arena | Trondheim, Norway

New Operating Model | Adder Technology

TEAM TALK

THE 22 TO 365 SHIFT: WE’RE LIVING IT. BUT HAVE WE ADAPTED ENOUGH? What Espai Barça reveals about the changing role of technology in the era of the 365-day stadium.

By: Brad Hintze, EVP of Marketing and Customer Success, Crestron

he Shift Has Already Happened

At Crestron, we’re fortunate to be part of

requires us to rethink what it is we’re actually

It’s official – the 365-day stadium

one of the most ambitious examples of this

selling.

model has moved from an

transformation anywhere in the world.

For years, the AV industry sold technology.

emerging trend to the standard

As the Official Smart Hospitality Technology

Then we sold products. Then solutions. Then

business strategy.

Systems partner of Espai Barça, we’re helping

ecosystems. Then experiences.

Recent industry research describes the 365-

create the technology foundation that will

The next step may be even more powerful.

day stadium as a “commercial necessity,”

support the evolution of Spotify Camp Nou

Perhaps we need to stop thinking about

while more than 300 stadium construction

from a match-day venue for fans of FC

ourselves as suppliers of products and

and renovation projects began globally in 2025

Barcelona, into a year-round destination

experiences and start thinking of ourselves as

alone . The message is clear: venue operators

anyone can appreciate.

manufacturers of experiences. We manufacture

are being asked to create value far beyond

This project fills me with optimism about

the experiences; organizations sell them as

match day.

where our industry is headed.

products.

Even as I’ve read recent issues of MONDO

For years, AV professionals have worked

| STADIA, contributors have examined the

to justify technology investments through

AV Manufactures Experiences. Venues Sell

rise of the 365-day hospitality model, the

operational efficiency, reliability, or user

Products.

evolution of venue districts, and the shift from

experience improvements. Those benefits still

One of my favorite moments at Spotify Camp

physical infrastructure to digital platforms that

matter. But increasingly, technology is being

Nou had nothing to do with technology.

shape every aspect of the guest journey.

evaluated differently.

I was walking through the venue with a

One observation stood out to me:

It’s moving from operational expense to

member of the club’s leadership team,

“The modern stadium is no longer just defined

business enabler. From cost center to revenue

discussing some of the premium hospitality

by the 90 minutes of play at its centre but by

generator. From infrastructure to platform.

spaces being developed as part of the broader

how it performs when there is no event at all.”

In fact, one of the recurring themes in both

Espai Barça project.

That idea perfectly captures what’s happening

MONDO | STADIA’s recent venue coverage

One space stood out in my mind: the Pitch

across the industry.

and the latest stadium economics research is

Club.

The 22-match-day stadium is becoming a

that technology is no longer viewed solely as

It’s located right beside the pitch itself.

365-day business.

infrastructure. It’s increasingly being viewed

One moment you’re enjoying a drink or

The question is whether the AV industry has

as a commercial asset that helps operators

conversation inside the club. The next, you’re

fully adapted alongside it.

create value, generate revenue, and support

stepping onto the edge of one of the most

entirely new business models.

legendary football environments in the world.

That’s a profound shift. But I also think it

That alone is an unforgettable experience.

T

The Shift in Action at Spotify Camp Nou

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But then we walked over to a long glass wall.

Features:

audio

From the Pitch Club side, guests can see

•Pitch-side VIP match viewing with private bar

•Microphone for speeches and toasts

through the glass, into a tunnel where FC

and bathrooms

•Bluetooth connectivity for streaming personal

Barcelona players make their way toward the

•Live match broadcasting across multiple

playlists

pitch before kickoff. From the tunnel side, all

displays

•Native video calling for remote loved ones

the players see is their own reflection.

•Live music connectivity for room audio

•Simple user controls

Being that close to the athletes is a powerful

system

In every case, the physical space is simply the

moment for any fan.

•Player tunnel viewing

delivery mechanism. The actual product was

As we stood there discussing the concept,

the experience.

another detail emerged.

Product 2: The Pitch Club Corporate Event

And with several spaces around the stadium

There was similar one-way glass on the

(Non-match Day)

outfitted with the same core technology

opposite side of the tunnel. But instead of

Features:

framework, FC Barcelona is able to offer

guests watching from inside the Pitch Club,

•Pitch-side event space with private bar and

several of these products on the same day, at

these fans can watch the team while standing

bathrooms

the same time, across the stadium.

in the parking lot.

•Content sharing across displays and speakers

That’s the 365 unlock.

I was told they were exploring opportunities

•Wireless presentation

to create and sell this unique parking lot

•Microphone for presentations

The CIO Has Become a Product Manager

experience as well.

•Microsoft Teams connectivity for hybrid

Those conversations during my tour also

This idea of experience monetization became

meetings including speaker tracking camera

changed how I think about today’s venue

even more clear to me. The club wasn’t just

for far-side views of the room

technology buyer.

showing me rooms. They were showing me

•Simple user controls

Historically, CIOs were asked to keep systems

products ideas. And we were helping them

running. Today, many of them are helping

create these product packages.

Product 3: The Pitch Club Wedding Venue

drive business growth. They’re evaluating

And thanks to the flexibility and scalability of

(Non-match Day)

new revenue opportunities. They’re looking at

our systems, we were able to help them utilize

Features:

utilization rates. They’re assessing operational

the same space to create multiple products.

•Pitch-side wedding/reception venue with

efficiency. They’re accountable for ROI.

As an example, let’s look at a potential menu

private bar and bathrooms

Increasingly, they aren’t asking:

of products using The Pitch Club:

•Photo/slideshow sharing across venue

“What technology goes into this room?”

displays

They’re asking:

•Designated DJ connectivity for full venue

“What experiences can this venue create?”

Product 1: The Match-Day Pitch Club

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TEAM TALK

That’s an important distinction. Because

•Revenue enablement

truly brought that vision to life for me.

technology decisions are no longer being

•Hospitality

For technology providers, integrators,

evaluated solely through the lens of features

•Operational flexibility

consultants, and manufacturers, the takeaway

and functionality. They’re being evaluated

•Space utilization

is simple:

through the lens of outcomes and revenue.

•Premium experiences

The stadium is no longer the product. The

The AV industry needs to recognize that shift

•Business outcomes

experiences are.

so we can be better prepared to the have the

Because those are increasingly the

Our role is to build the technology foundation

right conversations with our buyers.

conversations venue leaders are having.

that makes those experiences possible. And

What This Means for the AV Industry

The technology hasn’t become less important.

when we do that successfully, we’re not

MONDO | STADIA recently described

In many ways it’s become more important.

just deploying technology. We’re helping

modern venues as intelligent platforms that

What’s changed is the role it plays.

manufacture the products that will define the

orchestrate experiences rather than simply

Technology is no longer just supporting the

next generation of venues.

host events.

business. Technology is helping create what

I think that’s exactly right.

the business sells.

The opportunity for the AV industry is to align

008

our language and positioning accordingly.

The Next Shift

We should absolutely continue talking about

The venue industry has already embraced the

innovation. We should continue talking

365-day model.

about the benefits of AV-over-IP and cloud

The industry’s leading stadium operators

management platforms.

understand that value is created not only on

But we should also become more comfortable

event days, but on every day in between.

discussing:

Being so close to the Espai Barça project has

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TEAM TALK

FROM INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS TO ONE TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY I

n today’s increasingly connected built

systems separately. HVAC and controls are handled by

environment, owners and operators have access

one provider, security by another, audiovisual technology

to more sophisticated technology than ever

by another, and separate specifications for lighting and

before. Building controls can optimize energy

electrical infrastructure.

use. Security platforms can protect people and assets.

Each decision can make sense individually. Collectively,

Advanced audiovisual systems can transform the guest

however, this approach can introduce inefficiencies from

experience. Lighting can respond dynamically to occupancy

the start.

and events. Power systems can provide unprecedented

Different systems may use different protocols, produce

visibility into how a facility operates.

data in different formats or require separate interfaces.

Yet the value of these technologies is not determined solely

Operators can find themselves moving between platforms

by what each system can do on its own.

to understand what is happening across a facility. Data

The real measure of performance is how well they work

that could help one system make a better decision remains

together.

trapped in another. When something goes wrong, multiple

For complex facilities like stadiums and entertainment

vendors may need to determine where one system’s

venues, technology is no longer a collection of independent

responsibility ends and another begins.

systems. It is an ecosystem, and organizations that

The result can be a building filled with highly capable

approach it that way can create facilities that are more

technology that still does not operate as intelligently as it

efficient, resilient, secure and easier to operate throughout

could.

their lifecycle.

That is why the conversation needs to shift from selecting individual systems to designing an integrated operational

The Problem With Buying Technology in Silos Traditionally, many stadium owners purchase building

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environment.

The Best Facilities Operate as One Ecosystem

system. The right technology partner can work directly

High-performing facilities recognize that controls, security,

with owners and the design team to develop uses cases to

HVAC, audiovisual, lighting and power are interconnected

integrate the technologies for optimal performance.

parts of the same operational ecosystem.

Consider a large venue preparing for an event. The building

Analytics urns Data into Operational Intelligence

may need to transition from an unoccupied state to hosting

Modern facilities generate enormous amounts of data. The

tens of thousands of people within a relatively short

challenge is making that information useful.

period. HVAC demand anges. Lighting requirements shift.

An HVAC system may identify an unexpected change in

Access control points become active. Digital displays and

temperature. An access control platform may provide

audiovisual systems come online. Electrical loads increase.

occupancy information. Electrical infrastructure may

When technology is integrated effectively, information can

reveal an unusual increase in power consumption. Building

move across the environment in ways that help operators

controls may detect equipment operating outside its normal

see what is happening and respond more intelligently.

parameters.

Instead of managing a collection of technologies, the

Independently, each piece of information has value.

facility team can manage the building as a whole.

Integrated, they can provide much greater context.

A technology partner looks beyond the installation and

That context can help facility teams identify issues earlier,

performance of any single technology. The goal is to

understand why they are occurring and determine where

understand how systems interact, how information should

action is needed. Over time, integrated data analyzed with

move between them and how the overall environment can

analytics can also support better decisions around energy

support the owner’s operational and business objectives.

consumption, maintenance, capital planning and the overall

That requires more than connecting equipment. It requires

performance of the facility.

an understanding of the facility as an interconnected

The objective is not more technology. It is better outcomes

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TEAM TALK

from technology.

The Future Is Integrated As facilities become more connected, the distinction

From Project Delivery to Long-Term Partnership

between individual building systems will matter less.

One of Stark Tech’s key differentiators is its ability to serve

What will matter more is how effectively those systems

as a single-source partner across the technology ecosystem.

contribute to the performance of the entire environment.

That responsibility extends beyond bringing systems

Owners should therefore ask a different question when

together during design and implementation. The greater

evaluating technology.

opportunity is helping owners continue to improve how

Not simply: What is the best HVAC, security, controls, A/V,

their facilities perform after those systems are operational.

lighting or power system? Rather: How will all of these

Stark Tech brings that lifecycle approach to the

systems work together to make this facility perform better?

relationship, helping customers turn building and system

That shift is where the next generation of intelligent

data into actionable insight and identify opportunities to

facilities will be built. The future of building technology

improve performance over time through analytics.

will not be defined by how many sophisticated systems a

Instead of installing technology, completing a project and

facility contains. It will be defined by how intelligently they

walking away, the objective is to remain engaged with the

work together. For more information, visit starktech.com

customer, understanding how the facility is performing, identifying emerging needs and helping the technology environment evolve alongside the organization.

That continuity matters because the most successful technology strategy is not static. Buildings change, technology changes and expectations change. Owners need a partner capable of changing with them.

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49 INTERVIEW

“Not a single stadium is copy and paste... All of them are difficult, and all of them are a real pleasure to work with once you understand what the room is going to do to the sound.”

“The AV and IT infrastructure behind a venue needs to be part of the conversation before a shovel so much as hits the ground.”

Dominika Obwarzanek Senior Application Engineer d&b audiotechnik

Fran Williams Technical Commercial Director Diversified

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INTERVIEW

DOMINIKA OBWARZANEK MONDO | STADIA spoke to Dominika Obwarzanek, Senior Application Engineer at d&b audiotechnik, to discuss the realities of designing sound for the modern stadium. Nine years and dozens of stadium projects on from her first, Puskás Aréna, Obwarzanek explores what it takes to build a single system that can serve a Champions League final, a stadium concert, and other events without compromise, and why she’d rather call the process “optimising” than compromising at all. From early manufacturer involvement in construction projects to retrofitting for community and fan expectation, she outlines the precision, and the pressure, behind acoustics in venues where there’s only one chance to get it right.

Can you tell us about your background, and how you

easier to focus — that’s just the reality of a smaller

came to be at d&b audiotechnik?

pipeline. Now, the volume is at its peak. That’s an

I’m originally from Poland, and I hold a Master of

intense jump, but it’s also a great sign — it shows

Science in Technical Acoustics. Aeronautics was

momentum, and it shows trust in the brand as the

actually the other path I considered, but the choice

ones to bring the solution and the approach. What

became easier once I looked at it honestly. I spent

makes it more complex is that I’m working across

most of my life in ballet school, and that teaches you

very different streams at once. There’s enablement

early on that nothing lasts forever — at some point

and engagement with consultancies, which has one

you have to make a decision and commit to it. My

dynamic. Working with integrators is different again.

decision was to stay connected to sound, specifically

Then there’s getting early access to a project through

the opera house environment. I tried moving to front

construction companies and architects, which needs

of house, but I wasn’t particularly good at it, so my

a different narrative entirely, because the purpose

academic choices took me a different direction instead.

of that conversation is different. And then there are

My first job in audio was with Konsbud Audio as a

the end users — the technical staff who’ll actually

Project Engineer. I then had a stint with the Adamson

run these venues day to day. Those projects all sit at

distributor and got a broader perspective on the

different phases, too. This week, for example, I’ve got

industry, before joining d&b, where I’ve now been

projects with a four- to five-year horizon, and a few

for nine years. Funnily enough, I’d hoped to work on

others that are moving fast to support an integrator’s

opera projects worldwide. That never happened. My

submission over the coming weeks, and one that’s

very first project at d&b was Puskás Aréna in Hungary

approaching commissioning and final alignment —

— a huge one to start with, and it came with serious

which is a completely different scope of coordination

FIFA compliance requirements and advanced acoustic

compared to early design work. So, at any given time

investigations attached. Nine years ago, that kind of

it’s a mix of pre-design, design and embodiment,

project was still challenging ground for us. When I

formal tender and post-sale coordination heading

joined, d&b had great references, and we were paving

towards commissioning. I don’t often go on site for

the way towards these large-scale jobs. Benefiting

commissioning these days. I’m a mum — my son is

from my colleagues’ and mentors’ knowledge and

three — and I’ve deliberately chosen to protect that

experience, that project set the direction and quality

time at home for now. That will change soon; he’s

standard for the new ones to come, and I’ve stayed

getting older — he’s already starting to prefer his

in stadiums ever since, with the occasional detour

dad’s company! — so there’s room for me to accelerate

into smaller performing arts work. My current title

a bit on the career side again. But for Puskás Aréna,

is Senior Application Engineer, but I started out as a

and for FC Köln’s stadium — RheinEnergieSTADION

junior system designer and trainer, supporting sales

— in 2021, I was on site, and that was an incredibly

projects and running workshops on site. Today the role

valuable experience. Being there for commissioning

covers a lot of ground: I look after expert workflows

and tuning closes the loop: you see what actually

of software like EASE and Vectorworks, which relate to

happens after the design work, and it sharpens how

the electroacoustic data for our loudspeakers, and our

you anticipate problems on future projects. But I don’t

architectural and geometrical data repository. But the

see them as problems, really — just things to solve.

core of what I do is sales and project support for sports venues, including a lot of work with consultancy firms.

Stadiums host far more than just sport now — concerts and various events. How do you design a

What does a typical week look like for you at the

system that doesn’t compromise when the use case

moment?

changes?

It’s honestly getting harder to predict, though we

There’s another word for compromise: optimise. That’s

certainly have the agility to adapt. A few years ago,

the one I prefer, and it’s genuinely the d&b philosophy

when there was a handful of projects a year, it was

— I don’t want this to sound too philosophical,

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INTERVIEW

because at the end of the day it’s engineering, but that is

scratch. The quality of data d&b provides — electroacoustic

the approach. You optimise the system for its purpose, and

data, polar/balloon data and so on — means you can be fairly

you optimise against whatever compliance criteria are in

confident about system performance going in. But what

play. Alongside that comes educating the end customer, or

people often underestimate is that a stadium is a large-

whoever’s setting those criteria, so everyone understands

volume space, and that brings its own physical, acoustical

what’s achievable with technical integrity intact. We look at

challenges and phenomena. You could call it a split between

compliance against globally recognised standards — FIFA’s

system and room in shaping the listening experience, but in

specification, for example, is very precise, and precision is

my view, the room does more of the work than the system

something we enjoy working with. Sometimes it takes more

does. You could say a large-volume room is a large amplifier

effort to land on the one system configuration that satisfies

with embedded processing — but you don’t exactly know the

every requirement, because we only get one chance to deploy

processing algorithm until you experience it. Understanding

it. So, we have to run through every scenario using different

that, and designing the system to address it, is the

methods to cover all aspects. One is our ArrayCalc, which

application engineer’s real job.

gives us a strong starting point for the stages that follow.

018

From there it might move into EASE, occasionally other

Are there particular projects that were more difficult than

software, and ultimately into the real-world deployment

others in getting that balance right?

itself. The application engineer’s job is to cycle through

I’ll use this as a chance to share a quote from early in my

all of that repeatedly across the process — watching the

career. Someone once said to me, “Oh, stadia — that’s

dependencies, watching how different parameters interact

boring, isn’t it, just copy and paste every time.” It has never

and respond to different settings, and working out which

once been like that. Not a single stadium is copy and paste.

combination serves which purpose best. Where there’s a

Every case is individual, and you have to approach each one

sweet spot, we look at what we can settle on. One advantage

on its own terms. All of them are difficult, and all of them

with d&b is that a lot of that adjustment sits one click away

are a real pleasure to work with once you understand what

— Array Processing, configuration switches, all available

the room is going to do to the sound — from there, you can

and easily accessible within the workflow. Once we land on

work with it. The first project was definitely the hardest.

a sensible deployment in space — the X, Y, Z positioning

Puskás Aréna is my career highlight, I think. It ran on our

and source orientation that works for the project’s needs,

V-Series — a previous generation in the d&b portfolio, let’s

the customer’s needs, and fits our own technical standards

say “pre-broadband cardioid technology” but very capable —

— that’s the point we’ve arrived at after multiple rounds

combined with Array Processing, which made the whole thing

of testing and simulation, rarely a starting point. It’s never

feel iconic to me at the time. Hearing that system for the first

a case of setting the splay angles and seeing what happens

time in an empty room, in a building with that raw, brutalist

— it’s back and forth until, ideally, you can conclude with a

style of architecture, was something else. It was a new build,

result that performs well across every method and parameter

but they preserved the historical character of how the venue

you’ve tested against. On site, you’re not starting from

was originally constructed. Reaching compliance SPL for the

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From matchday to global touring productions and everything in between, we help you create unforgettable experiences with incredible sound for every listener. Accurately planned. Efficient.

Reliable. Intelligible messaging one moment. Euphoric celebration the next. We understand the role sound plays.

INTERVIEW

first time — a genuinely loud signal test in an empty room,

sense, because your options are naturally more limited. New-

with all that concrete reinforcing every reflection — was an

build construction projects are different — there’s a higher

iconic moment for me. Getting that green tick for compliance

expectation from architects and construction companies that

is one of the best feelings in the world. The only thing that

we’ll follow their strategy. At some point you can either say,

beats it is when the FIFA consultant comes on site and signs

“This is what’s achievable, and that’s what we’re working

off with the same green tick. And that same venue went

with,” or you can open up the conversation: let’s explore a

on to host Euro 2020 matches, as well as this year’s UEFA

different system selection or configuration that might serve

Champions League final, with The Killers performing the

the purpose and meet your expectations more fully. With

kick-off show. The feedback was excellent, and there are

d&b, that’s easy because we have a broad portfolio to draw

reports confirming the venue is ready to serve multiple event

from. This is actually something I try to convince people of

types. That kind of satisfaction beats almost everything else.

constantly — don’t compare loudspeaker to loudspeaker, or

Especially when you share both the effort and the sense of

even series to series. Compare solution to solution. A variety

achievement with great specialists and friends — to this

of speakers arranged differently can hit compliance but with

project I was proud to contribute alongside Stefan Goertz

a different flavour. And if you get access to the full range of

(VP Global EAS) and Lukasz Tobola (Sales Manager) — not

stakeholders early — you can show them what the system

forgetting our partner, Interton Group.

will do in their venue — that’s a true win-win. Otherwise, selling a system is “just” a win for us. It must be a double

What’s the difference in how you work with architects on

win.

a new-build project versus a retrofit — and where does

020

bringing d&b in earlier actually change the outcome?

What’s changed in how construction and design briefs for

Great question. With audio systems, it’s easy to think we’re

stadiums are approached in recent years?

limited to purely audio expertise. But once you look beyond

I think the construction landscape right now is incredibly

that, there’s a lot more to consider. Take the project in

exciting. With the pipeline of tournaments ahead, FIFA/

Lisbon — Benfica’s Estádio da Luz. Audio criteria mattered

UEFA tournaments and other events, construction activity

a great deal there, but so did sightlines, and the system’s

around the world is beyond anyone’s expectations. And

position was essentially dictated by load allowances and

what’s interesting about these venues isn’t just the visual

similar constraints. Where d&b won was that our array is

side — it’s the functional side too. What’s actually inside,

extremely powerful and efficient at delivering sound pressure

and why. There’s a project in mind that illustrates this well,

level, but at the same time it’s also slim and low-profile —

though I won’t name it specifically — the design brief was

so you get the quality without the size. And various non-

so comprehensive and, most importantly, so intentional,

audio aspects are also what matters to the people making

in a way we simply didn’t see only a few years ago. I think

the buy or no-buy decision. That project was also a retrofit,

that’s because venue owners and operators now genuinely

and it’s a personal highlight of mine — I was pregnant

understand what “multi-purpose” needs to mean in practice.

while designing it. I joke that it’s my second baby, and that

It’s become a bit of a cliché as a phrase, but the intent

I worked especially efficiently because I had two brains on

behind it now has real depth and specificity. And when the

the job. Back to your question, though — the architectural

brief is that clear, it’s actually easier for vendors like us to

side can be very pragmatic, like load, or more subjective,

put forward the right solution — because ultimately, all of

like appearance and how the system blends into the space.

it comes down to bringing people into the building and its

Retrofit projects are actually more straightforward in that

surroundings.

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INTERVIEW

facing the same criticism. Sound should be talked about, but When you’re working with an existing stadium, how do

not like that.

you factor in that venue’s relationship with its community?

When you’re proposing changes to the sound system, how

Once a stadium is built, you don’t get a second chance to

do you account for what the stadium means to the wider

redo the acoustics. Does that level of consequence change

area?

how you approach the planning phase, or the accuracy

The first step is assessing how much of a role d&b should

required in it?

actually play in that evaluation — it’s important to stay

There’s a very good and precise FIFA guideline on how to

modest about our position in the project and understand who

approach room-acoustic related parameters like speech

your real client is. In some cases, that means handing the

intelligibility, and that’s the first thing we work to. As a

steering wheel to the integrator or the operator; in others,

loudspeaker manufacturer, though, we don’t have much

we might have a chance of becoming the leading voice on it.

influence over acoustic treatment or the spatial arrangement

Then you look at market and regional specifics. Stadiums in

of the building itself. But with experience, we’ve learned how

Germany, for example, tend to be very traditionally driven

to work within that. I can’t recall an occasion where we were

— you go to the match with your dad or your granddad,

able to directly influence that side of things, but I am starting

and maybe a third generation, too. The sound system aspect

to see architects factoring it in more proactively at the design

needs to be comfortable for all of them so they can stay and

stage. I think that’s because the industry as a whole has

enjoy the game. The sound also probably shouldn’t dominate

become more vocal about the issue and understands its origin

the experience or become the thing people talk about

better — which is a promising and good trend.

afterward — especially not in a negative way. “We went to

022

this event and the sound was terrible” is exactly what you

In terms of pressure-testing a plan before it becomes

don’t want to hear. The perception should be transparent,

irreversible — how do you know when you’re ready? Once

serve its purpose, and enhance the experience enough that

you’ve tested something out for a stadium, what’s the

people want to come back the following Saturday, and the

process that gets you to “we’re done”?

Saturday after that. In other parts of the world, the opposite

The design process starts with assessing the level of precision

can be true — the system needs to be prominent, built for

the project’s stage needs. Our proprietary software, ArrayCalc

exaggerated entertainment, for what happens at half-time

— like most manufacturers’ equivalent tools — works in the

or around the match itself. And that “around the match”

direct sound domain. Direct sound is something you never

could mean anything — a different kind of event entirely, a

actually encounter in real life unless you’re in an anechoic

community event, a school sports day. But even if different

chamber or similar environment. Once you factor in that

scenarios are considered, you only get to deploy one system.

it’s an enclosed space, even distribution becomes a different

So, our role is making sure the operator can support every

challenge. Direct SPL preparation is an integral part of the

scenario of content they have in mind — whether that’s

system design, and ArrayCalc lets us prepare the system as

building community feeling regionally, or serving fans flying

well as possible for the methods that follow. One of those is

in from the other side of the world for something like a FIFA

assessing in EASE, AFMG’s software, where we can model

tournament.

room acoustics and run ray tracing. That’s where we learn

A regular fan doesn’t know about the intricacies of a sound

about the real challenges in the space, and we go back into

system — but they sure notice the moment something

ArrayCalc and use our own technology to tweak the design

isn’t right. We perceive sound logarithmically, so there’s a

— Array Processing strategy, adjusting speaker positioning,

wide range in the middle that goes unnoticed — but once it

orientation, whatever’s needed to achieve the necessary

crosses into unacceptable, people notice immediately. There

improvements. Then we repeat that cycle, sometimes many,

are situations most people in the industry will recognise — a

many times, until what we get out is a spot-on distribution

venue where, every single time there’s a concert, the headline

of the required parameters and their values. We check how

the next day is “the sound was terrible,” whoever the artist

far we are from the compliance level — most often not far

was that weekend. That’s not what you want, because it not

at all, or even hitting it directly. Then we look more closely

only affects ticket sales, but maybe even how content gets

at that distribution, identify any problem zones, and work

brought into the region at all. And if you’re the only venue

out whether there’s something we can still do about them

that can realistically host events like that within a wide

or whether they’re simply inevitable. Either way, we make

radius, you don’t have the luxury of choice — you just keep

a mental note: these are the areas to focus on once we’re

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INTERVIEW

on site, to get as close to a perfect result as possible. All of

term, we’ll see, but the pipeline tied directly to FIFA and

that with the understanding that both ArrayCalc and EASE

UEFA tournaments is very strong. Venues in the Middle East,

modelling are simplified representations. It’s a bit like a 2D

for instance, will host events like the 2034 FIFA World Cup

sketch on paper versus the real room you can walk into and

while also reflecting local character. I think it will be a fairly

sit in. When compliance is proven in simulation — some

distinctive approach for a FIFA event, and we’ll see more of

people call it prediction, but I don’t like that word, because

that in other parts of the world. One trend I can see is fans

it’s calculation, it’s data, mathematics and physics, not a

wanting a consistent experience wherever they travel. If you

crystal ball — that’s when you know the design phase has

follow your favourite football club to a match somewhere

done its job. You bring your own experience and intuition

else in the world, there’s an appetite for that experience to

into it too, but everything has to be backed by data. Then you

feel familiar, set against the strong regionalisation we also

go on site, make sure the integration company is following

see in Europe or the Americas. I think we’ll end up with a

the design instructions, and you listen to the system. At that

mixture of both directions, and that will be really exciting

point, you have to slightly reset your expectations, because

to watch play out. For audio specifically, what that means

you’re likely listening in an empty room of extremely large

is that versatility remains the number one requirement —

volume, which is a very unnatural listening environment. You

really, I’d say it’s the only fundamental requirement that

make tuning choices on site, and they might not be exactly

has it all. That’s not new, though. Rotated arrays working as

the choices you made during design — but the design phase

ring delays for concerts, for example — that’s been a classic

will have prepared you well for what you’re doing in that

solution for a long time, not exactly a new development.

moment. It’s not that design and on-site tuning are two

But we will be seeking new ways and unexplored paths to

separate things; they’re the same process with two different

push boundaries and make venues benefit from unexpected

specifics. One happens on a screen, the other happens in your

solutions. We can watch the trends and stay responsive

ear. What matters most for a designer or engineer is realising

to them, but we also have to hold onto the fact that we’re

that the challenges on site vary, and you have to be extremely

a loudspeaker manufacturer. Let’s see how our portfolio

agile and sensitive to the acoustic phenomena that occur

evolves moving forward and how we’ll adapt that to the

in a large-volume space. And just as importantly, you have

macro trends shaping the industry. That dependency makes

to be agile to the client’s expectations — that’s equally a

it exciting for me as an engineer, who’s looking after applied

requirement. Globally recognised specifications, or any other

technologies.

formal tender specification, are important, yes. But the client has to be able to run their business in their own venue, with the sound system supporting that, or even enabling it. That’s really what it all comes down to for us as a manufacturer.

Where do you think stadium audio is heading over the next five years, and what’s d&b’s role in getting there?

Macroeconomics globally in the stadium business have been interesting lately, and that plays into this. What I can see as a trend from the past few years, and what I’d extrapolate forward, is that the volume of construction projects for sports venues is rising enormously. That’s not just about people wanting to invest in construction — there are genuine community needs, and other broader needs, that drive people to gather in these spaces. How that evolves long-

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INTERVIEW

FRAN WILLIAMS Stadiums built purely for ninety minutes of action are a thing of the past. Fans now arrive expecting a connected, hospitality-led experience that extends far beyond their seat, and venues that can’t deliver reliable Wi-Fi, fast-moving queues and engaging content throughout the concourse risk falling short of that expectation. As European stadiums look to compete with the scale and ambition of their US counterparts, and new developments in cities like Birmingham and Oxford push towards 365-day, multi-use destinations, the pressure on technical infrastructure has never been greater.

To understand how operators are meeting that challenge, MONDO | STADIA spoke with Fran Williams, Technical Commercial Director at Diversified, about why AV and IT can no longer sit in separate departments, what it takes to design a venue for flexibility from the ground up, and how AI is starting to prove its worth behind the scenes rather than on the pitch.

The AV inside stadia and venues seems to just be

Fan expectation is one of the biggest challenges for

getting continually more advanced. What’s changed

venue operators because the baseline keeps moving.

for stadiums over the last few years that demands

People are paying significant amounts for tickets,

such huge AV outfits?

travel, food and drink, and naturally they expect to see

The expectations around the stadium experience have

value in return. It’s no longer enough for the action

changed dramatically. Ten years ago, the focus was

on the pitch to be great if the rest of the experience

largely on getting fans through the gates, watching

involves long queues, poor connectivity or friction

the game and getting them home. Today, the game

at every turn then the experience isn’t meeting

is just one part of a much bigger experience and

expectations.

fans increasingly expect venues to deliver something

What’s interesting is how quickly yesterday’s ‘nice

memorable from the moment they arrive to the

to have’ becomes today’s necessity. Wi-Fi is a

moment they leave.

perfect example. Reliable connectivity was once an

We’ve seen the US continually push the boundaries

added benefit; now it’s the starting point for almost

of what that can look like, and the World Cup has

everything that follows, from mobile ticketing

put many of those stadiums and experiences firmly

and ordering to digital content and interactive fan

in the global spotlight. Fans from the UK and Europe

experiences. The same expectation applies to faster

visiting these venues can see the difference first-hand.

queues, better hospitality and more personalised

That creates both an opportunity and a challenge for

experiences throughout the venue.

European stadiums. There’s pressure to invest and

That means operators have to think beyond the

keep pace at a time when many venues are also facing

stadium bowl. The venue is a hospitality destination,

significant financial constraints. Better experiences

media platform and digital environment all at once,

can also create new opportunities to generate revenue,

often hosting sport, concerts and other events

increase dwell time and give people more reasons to

throughout the year. The challenge is connecting

come back.

those experiences so the investment translates into

AV can be central to making that happen because the

something tangible for the fan. If people are being

experience can’t stop when somebody leaves their seat.

asked to spend more, they need to feel what they’re

Fans are moving around the venue, buying food and

getting in return is tangible.

drinks, meeting friends and exploring different spaces, but they still want to feel connected to the action.

If all these challenges need to be addressed, then

Displays, audio, content and interactive experiences

what’s going to happen to the stadium ecosystem?

can extend that connection across the entire stadium.

Is the design and building of new stadiums going to

The next step in Europe is understanding what’s

change?

possible and treating technology not simply as a cost,

You can already see a fundamental change in how new

but as part of creating an experience fans genuinely

stadiums are being conceived. In the UK and Europe,

value.

many traditional grounds were built within residential

This kind of demand must be a huge lift for venue

areas because fans were local and walked from their

operators. What challenges does this fan expectation

front door to watch their team. That history is part

pose for venues?

of what makes them special, but it can also restrict

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027

how much those venues can expand and what they can offer

the wider fan experience all need to work as part of the same

beyond matchday.

ecosystem. You can invest in brilliant individual technologies,

That’s why we’re seeing a different vision emerge around

but if they don’t communicate with each other, you’re

new developments. Projects in Birmingham and Oxford, for

limiting both the experience you can create and the return on

example, point towards stadiums becoming anchors for much

that investment.

wider sports and entertainment districts. Instead of designing

It requires a more holistic approach from the outset. In

a building that comes alive on matchday, the opportunity

Europe, we’re still relatively early in that journey and there’s

is to create a destination that can operate 365 days a year,

an opportunity to change the way we think about technology

incorporating concert venues, secondary spaces for grassroots

inside venues, moving from individual systems and projects

sport, hospitality, retail and leisure alongside the main

towards connected infrastructure that supports the entire

stadium.

operation.

That change in attitude opens up completely different

AI could accelerate that significantly, with venues under

commercial possibilities. More space and a broader mix of

financial pressure, its biggest opportunity may be behind

experiences can create new revenue streams while allowing

the scenes, helping operators bring systems, data and

operators to use their infrastructure more efficiently

workflows together. The power of making better use of the

throughout the year. We need to create destinations people

technology they already have shouldn’t be underestimated.

have a reason to visit whether there’s a game on or not.

When systems start working together, operators can improve efficiency, understand their audiences better and create more

028

How does technology bring all of this together?

consistent experiences. That’s also where the real ROI starts

Technology is the thread connecting all of this, but it can’t be

to become visible; not from any single piece of technology,

considered in silos. AV, IT, events, ticketing, hospitality and

but from what the whole ecosystem can achieve together.

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M

Y

CM

MY

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CMY

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From Venue to Destination Our award-winning team provides solutions for the most complex, large-scale, and immersive installations.

AV & Experiential Design

Broadcast Control Rooms

Digital Signage & IPTV

Large Venue Sound

onediversified.com

So, imagine we’re planning on building a new stadium; at

need an infrastructure designed from day one for flexibility,

what point do we need to consider the AV outfit and the

scalability and connectivity.

IT infrastructure that creates all these fan engagement

That means thinking about how content can be managed

opportunities?

across the entire venue, how IP-based workflows can

The impact technology can have on revenue generation,

make operations faster and more flexible, and how data

operational flexibility and long-term commercial growth

and analytics can help operators understand audiences and

is massive. So the AV and IT infrastructure behind a venue

personalise the fan experience and sponsorship opportunities.

needs to be part of the conversation before a shovel so much

Crucially, all of those capabilities need to work together, with

as hits the ground. It shouldn’t be something designed

room to accommodate technologies and experiences that may

around a stadium once the bigger decisions have already been

not even exist yet.

made.

It sounds like a lot… but so are the opportunities.

I think operators increasingly recognise that. The shift we’ve talked about means the days of isolated departments and disconnected systems are disappearing. If you’re designing a stadium to operate 365 days a year, create new revenue streams and continually evolve the fan experience, you

030

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49 THE FULL PITCH

034 Beijing National Stadium | Beijing, China

THE FULL PITCH

HONOR OF KINGS @ BEIJING NATIONAL STADIUM Beijing, China Images: © Honor of Kings

034

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035

THE FULL PITCH

T

036

he Honor of the Kings Grand Finale at Beijing’s

Lighting distributor, ACE, tying everything together with the

Bird’s Nest Stadium included a spectacular

grandMA3 lighting control system, proving the grandMA3’s

opening ceremony featuring 10 giant LED screens

unrivalled suitability for major stadiums events and systems

and over 5,000 luminaires, with integration of

integration.

the whole via the solid networked control of MA Lighting’s

The production included a central stage with an LED floor

industry-leading grandMA3 system.

spanning over 3,500sq.m. Above, 10 huge, dynamic, double-

A Stadium-Scale Spectacular

sided LED screens could move to switch between gameplay,

China - Esports’ popularity continues to accelerate

performance and ceremonial formats, while around the

worldwide, with the Asia-Pacific region as its undisputed

stadium were over 5,000 lighting fixtures, including more

powerhouse. No single event demonstrates its impact more

than 1,800 moving head luminaires, plus LED strips, lasers

than the Grand Finals of the King Pro League (KPL) for Honor

and foggers. grandMA3’s centralized show control integrated

of the Kings, the world’s most-played multiplayer online

with media servers and timecode to drive the synchronized

battle arena (MOBA) game, developed by TiMi Studio Group.

lighting, screens and effects across the stadium-scale canvas.

This was an event of incredible scale, a vibrant mix of live

A Record-Breaking Event

performance, choreography, lightshow, screen content

ACE is well used to dealing with big entertainment events,

and Augmented Reality (AR). Lighting design, supply and

but still, this was special. In fact, with over 62,000 attendees,

stadium-wide integration of all these elements was carried

the event set a Guinness World Record for the largest ever

out by leading entertainment technology specialist and MA

live esports audience.

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For this show, three experienced lighting design directors –

enrich our visuals capability. Having used grandMA2 for

Zheng Zhaoliang, Bei Wen and Liu Yanyang – were supported

many years, and with some of ACE’s shows already using

by a team of programmers and assistants. And, to ensure

grandMA3, this was an excellent opportunity for us to use it

reliable control over the production’s 180 000 parameters,

on a large-scale event – and we felt confident in mastering it

they used a grandMA3 system of six full-size consoles, with

after preliminary training.”

parameter expansion from six grandMA3 processing units XL

Also, grandMA3 would both enable reliable control of the

and 32 grandMA3 processing units M.

high parameter count and help to streamline the team’s

Lead designer Zheng Zhaoliang has been a user of MA

pre-programming work – a major plus with limited on-site

Lighting systems since 2010, starting on grandMA, before

programming time. “It helped us to avoid dividing effect

moving to grandMA2 in 2011. This show was his very first

programming among multiple designers and to present

use of grandMA3. Of the transition, he says: “I wasn’t

lighting visuals more efficiently and centrally within one

entirely familiar with the system, and that did affect my

system,” says Zheng Zhaoliang.

programming speed, but the access to new programming

At the same time, there was encouragement from peers and

features compensated for that initial unfamiliarity.”

mentors. He explains, “Early in my career, I worked as an

Enabled by grandMA3

assistant for many lighting designers, such as the renowned

“Lighting design is an innovation-driven profession,” says

Li Yangyang. Since 2024, they have been using grandMA3 for

Zheng Zhaoliang, explaining the choice of grandMA3, “and

Zhang Jie’s tour concerts. During preparation, he advised me

we need to use new control equipment to maximise and

that with such a large number of fixtures in a massive venue,

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037

THE FULL PITCH

it was essential to use a stable console capable of handling so

group, and control any part of a fixture matrix, which

many parameters.”

greatly improves pixel-mapping efficiency. Also, the

Saving Time & Labour

Generator function enriches effects for pixel fixtures through

The design was created in WYSIWYG, then imported into

algorithms, enhancing both variety and controllability.”

grandMA3 and visualization software via the MVR (My Virtual

As an example, this event saw the installation of 1028 pixel

Rig) file format. Zheng Zhaoliang says, “Support for MVR

strobe bars to create a controllable ring of light throughout

gives seamless data import, significantly reducing labour and

the stands, with unprecedented pixel effects created via the

allowing more focus on artistic creation.”

grandMA3.

Also useful was the grandMA3 viz-key allowing connection

Ambition Realised

to visualization software without additional hardware.

Overall, grandMA3 provided the tools the team needed to

“This enables programming and rehearsal in a virtual

successfully integrate all the elements of this ambitious

environment,” says Zheng Zhaoliang, “without relying on

show – on a stadium scale – into a stunning final result. Says

physical fixtures and stages. It saves significant hardware

Zheng Zhaoliang, “Despite the vast scale and complexity of

preparation time and costs in the early stages of the project.”

the show, our aim was to treat the stadium as an expanded

Other helpful features included the Phaser effect engine’s

version of a theatre – and the grandMA3 facilitated that

new ‘multi-dimensional effects’ concept. “Through the

integration for us.”

intuitive interface, we can finely adjust each characteristic of

He adds, “We received excellent support from the ACE team

an effect, like operating an audio equalizer,” Zheng Zhaoliang

throughout the entire process, from initial

explains. “The Phaser effect engine is more like an intelligent

preparation and pre-programming to on-site rehearsals and

effect factory, breaking down complex effects into intuitive

the live performance itself.”

parameter dimensions. It allows us to create more complex, organic dynamic effects with fewer steps.”

He also cites the Selection Grid and Generator functions.

“The Selection Grid helps with managing multi-instance fixtures – like pixel lights – allowing us to quickly select,

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49 VENUE FOCUS

IPTV & DIGITAL SIGNAGE 042 ScottsMiracle-Gro Field | Columbus, USA

BROADCAST 048 CarMax Park | Richmond, USA

AUDIO 054 Leangen Arena | Trondheim, Norway

IPTV & DIGITAL SIGNAGE

SCOTTSMIRACLE-GRO FIELD Columbus, USA Images: Uniguest

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IPTV & DIGITAL SIGNAGE

A

044

s one of Major League Soccer’s founding

feel like a fortress.” The matchday experience extends

clubs, the Columbus Crew have long embraced

well beyond the action on the pitch. Sports Hub distributes

innovation. Since opening ScottsMiracle-

multiple content feeds across suites, clubs, concourses and

Gro Field in 2021, the club has continued

hospitality areas, combining live broadcast television with

that tradition by creating a venue designed to set a new

the club’s own match presentation, live statistics, player

benchmark for fan experience. Home to more than 20,000

profiles and fan engagement content. Sponsor L-Wraps

supporters, the stadium hosts MLS matches alongside

create additional commercial opportunities while ensuring

international soccer fixtures, concerts, corporate events and

supporters remain connected to the game wherever they are

community activities throughout the year.

in the venue.

To support that vision, the club deployed Uniguest Sports

“The matchday experience is really important for the club.

Hub across more than 550 endpoints throughout the venue,

It connects the city with the fans and the players on the

bringing IPTV, digital signage and centralized content

pitch,” said Ryan Gruebel, Manager of IT Support Services,

management together on a single platform. Today, Sports

at Columbus Crew. “The look that we have throughout our

Hub powers live IPTV, sponsor activation, hospitality

entire content is the same, from the uniforms to social

experiences, EPOS-integrated menu boards and operational

media to what’s on the LED boards and our TVs.” Beyond

communications across the stadium, helping deliver a

MLS matches, ScottsMiracle-Gro Field operates as a year-

connected experience wherever supporters are.

round destination, hosting conferences, private functions,

“When planning the new stadium, our biggest goals were

community events, stadium tours and international sporting

to create an environment that was unmatched in the entire

fixtures. Sports Hub’s Event Trigger functionality allows the

league in terms of fan experience, but also home-field

operations team to instantly deploy personalized welcome

advantage,” said Erik Shear, Senior Manager of Scoreboard

messages, customer branding and tailored content across

Operations at Columbus Crew. “We wanted to create an

selected displays before automatically returning every

atmosphere, both audibly and visually, that made our home

screen to its standard matchday configuration. Individual

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IPTV & DIGITAL SIGNAGE

clubs, suites and hospitality spaces can also be configured

engagement while supporting commercial growth.

independently, enabling bespoke experiences without

“The fan experience is night and day compared to the

disrupting the wider IPTV infrastructure.

old stadium,” said Gruebel. “We can do so much more

“Every event space and every experience varies slightly, and

with the Uniguest platform than we could before. Our Net

the Uniguest platform allows us to dictate what goes into that

Promoter Score is one of the top ones in MLS and that’s been

space and how the televisions are divided up,” added Shear.

consistent since we’ve opened the stadium. Fans love coming

Sports Hub also simplifies day-to-day operations behind the

here.”

scenes. EPOS integration enables concession menu boards

As ScottsMiracle-Gro Field continues to evolve as one of

to update instantly with pricing changes, promotions and

Major League Soccer’s premier venues, Sports Hub provides

product availability, while automated endpoint reporting

a scalable platform that grows alongside it, supporting

highlights displays requiring attention before supporters

matchdays, hospitality and year-round events while

arrive. Virtual Remote QR codes and integrated mapping

helping the Columbus Crew continue to raise the bar for fan

functionality further help improve both the guest experience

engagement.

and operational efficiency by making displays easier to manage across the stadium.

Since moving from Historic Crew Stadium, the club has significantly enhanced both the supporter experience and its operational capabilities. With one of the highest Net Promoter Scores in MLS and continued demand for premium hospitality, ScottsMiracle-Gro Field demonstrates how a connected digital media platform can strengthen fan

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CONGRATULATIONS TO EUROPE’S FIRST DARKSKY APPROVED OUTDOOR SPORTS FACILITY Kall-Sötenich Sports Facility is located near the Eifel Dark Sky Park in western Germany.

Musco’s Total Light Control—TLC for LED™ technology minimises sky glow and light spill while meeting the needs of players and fans, helping the municipality to balance community recreation with ambitious regional sustainability goals.

Backed by a 10-year parts and labour warranty.

SC AN HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS DARK SKY PROJECT

w w w. musco. co m ©2026 Musco Sports Lighting, LLC · ADINT26-12

245x318_ADINT26-12_MondoStadia Aug-Sept 2026.indd 1

7/22/26 3:07 PM

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CARMAX PARK Richmond, USA Images: Grass Valley

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ince their debut season in 2010, the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, have built a reputation as one of

Minor League Baseball’s most recognizable brands.

The organisation has now installed five Grass Valley LDX 110 cameras at CarMax Park, a move that has noticeably improved the quality and consistency of its game broadcasts and livestreams while giving fans a more dynamic, engaging viewing experience.

The new production setup centres on five LDX 110 camera systems, one of which operates in a wireless configuration, providing the image quality, operational flexibility and broadcast-grade performance required for comprehensive live coverage across the venue. The

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upgrades emphasise the organisation’s ongoing commitment

everything happening around the stadium with the same

to improving its live game coverage while also expanding

picture and colour quality we see on fixed cameras. Operators

CarMax Park’s capacity to host live sports and event

can move freely around the 360-degree concourse to

productions.

spend time with fans, react to big moments, and capture

Complementing the new camera systems is Grass Valley’s

entertainment that occurs on and off the field, all with the

Creative Grading technology, which lets operators preserve

consistent high-quality production standard. These shots are

a consistent, distinctive visual style throughout every game.

critical in telling the story of the fan experience at CarMax

Its intuitive graphical interface allows for quick adjustments

Park,” said David C. Ruckman, Vice President of Creative

without pulling operators’ attention away from the live

Services and Branding for the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

action, so they can stay locked in on the key moments.

Thanks to this upgrade, the Flying Squirrels now belong

Whether it’s a fast-paced play or an emotional reaction

to a select group of Minor League Baseball teams running

from the crowd or players, Creative Grading keeps image

broadcast infrastructure more commonly found in larger

quality optimised while protecting the production’s creative

sports markets. The enhanced on-screen presentation has

direction, resulting in a more immersive broadcast that draws

bolstered the club’s capacity to provide a visually consistent,

fans closer to the game.

engaging experience across streaming, broadcast and in-

“The LDX 110 gives us much more freedom to cover

venue coverage.

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“Fans expect a high-quality viewing experience regardless of market size,” said Greg Doggett, Vice President Sports, North America at Grass Valley. “The Richmond Flying Squirrels are demonstrating how regional sports organizations can adopt the same calibre of technology used across top-tier live sports to deliver stronger coverage, more engaging broadcasts and greater long-term operational value.”

The project mirrors a wider trend across regional sports, as teams continue to invest in modern broadcast infrastructure to elevate live content and deepen audience engagement across both streaming and in-venue experiences.

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The room shaping the future of stadiums, arenas and sporting venues For the first time, the global sporting venue ecosystem is being brought together under one roof. stadia expo is the new home ground for the people designing, delivering and commercialising the next generation of stadiums, arenas and sporting destinations.

From infrastructure and technology to fan experience, hospitality and operations, this is where the industry comes to explore what’s next.

25-26 November 2026 • Business Design Centre, London www.stadiaexpo.com

Here are some of MONDO | STADIA Media’s event partners

AUDIO

LEANGEN ARENA Trondheim, Norway Images: Endre Forbord

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ndoor ice hockey arena, Leangen Ishall (Arena) opened in 1977 and is home to Nidaros, one of Norway’s Elite Hockey League teams. The 3,000-capacity venue

hosts competition matches, training sessions, and public skating events throughout the year, making it one of the region’s major destinations for winter sports. A recent renovation of the ice arena called for an audio upgrade, one that could deliver precise, intelligible sound across the venue. A new KV2 Audio system was selected to meet the challenge.

Following a highly competitive public procurement process, AV integration specialist Avonlyd AS was awarded the responsibility of designing and commissioning an audio upgrade that would fulfil the requirements of the venue. Founded in 2007, Avonlyd has spent nearly two decades building a reputation as one of Norway’s specialist engineering-led integrators, combining system integration with distribution and technical support. “The arena demanded a sound system

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capable of delivering exceptional speech intelligibility for

time arriving at a solution that did exactly that.”

announcements, high-quality music playback, and consistent

Built from large concrete walls, exposed steelwork, and

coverage across audience seating areas,” says Edgar Andraa

expansive reflective surfaces of glass and ice, Leangen

Lien, Partner, Founder and Sales Director at Avonlyd. “Due

Arena’s previous sound system struggled to overcome the

to the inherently reverberant nature of an ice hockey arena,

long reverberation lines. “The key to excellent engineering

there were several acoustic challenges that we needed to

begins with understanding the room,” continues Lien. “If

overcome.”

you understand the acoustics, you can design the system

The performance requirements were set by consulting

correctly, well in advance of even entering the venue.”

engineers COWI, whose tender specified two demanding —

Avonlyd had been in contact with KV2 Audio from the early

and potentially conflicting — targets: high sound pressure

stages of this project, during which a core solution was

level and a high Speech Transmission Index. “Meeting both

developed by the two companies well in advance of the

in a highly reverberant arena was never simply a question

installation. Lien worked closely with Leo Tanzil, KV2’s

of extreme output capability,” says Lien. “It depended on

Technical Support Director and Product Specialist for APAC,

maintaining precise directivity and a consistent frequency

throughout the design process, refining the EASE models and

response across all seating areas. We spent a great deal of

optimising the loudspeaker design. “Leo and I share the same

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engineering mindset,” says Lien. “We both enjoy working

in Barcelona. The consultants placed significant emphasis

in EASE and SketchUp, discussing drawings and solving

on simulation data, documentation and design methodology,

problems long before anyone arrives on site. Having accurate

and the meeting gave Avonlyd the opportunity to present its

acoustic data alongside professionally prepared SketchUp

EASE models, SketchUp drawings and the technical reasoning

models made the whole optimisation process efficient and

behind every major design decision.

genuinely enjoyable.”

“Meeting the consultants face to face at ISE was extremely

“Loudspeaker positioning, amplifier racks, cable routing,

valuable,” says Lien. “It allowed us to walk through

and mounting details were all digitally modelled to verify

the project together, explain our design philosophy and

coverage, delay values, and predicted intelligibility,” Lien

demonstrate how every engineering decision had been

explains. “KV2 Audio’s comprehensive SketchUp library

validated. Those discussions helped build confidence — not

proved invaluable as it allowed every loudspeaker to be

only in our approach, but in KV2 Audio as the right solution

precisely integrated into the digital venue, giving us detailed

for the venue.”

data for coverage and intelligibility.”

An eight-piece subwoofer array system from KV2’s VHD

Fredrik Haugdal and Øyvind Antonsen of COWI met with

Series and twenty-six ESD Series full-range loudspeakers

Avonlyd and KV2 Audio at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE)

were chosen to deliver power and clarity across the arena.

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AUDIO

“The original plan was to suspend the subwoofer cluster in

audiences hear all announcements and enjoy pristine

the centre of the ice rink for low-frequency reinforcement,

music playback during matches, intervals, and public

but a media cube was already suspended in this position

events. “Working with KV2 helped ensure that logistics and

to display scores and live match content to the audience,”

commissioning progressed efficiently, and delivered a robust,

he says. The digital EASE model had already allowed them

future-ready system that can be expanded and optimised for

to determine the optimum loudspeaker placement, leading

years to come,” Lien explains.

to the installation of a completely new steel suspension

“One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was

structure around the media cube from which eight VHD4.18

working with people who share the same engineering

subwoofers were deployed in an oval geometry that reflected

mindset,” concludes Lien. “KV2’s Leo Tanzil, Sascha Khelifa

the layout of the arena.

and Dominik Krampera were always available throughout the

Twenty-six ESD12 2-way, passive loudspeakers were flown

design and integration process, and this close collaboration

around the perimeter of the ice rink, with four positioned

ensured that every aspect of the system was carefully refined,

along each short side and nine along each long side. “The

from the earliest EASE model through to final optimisation.”

arena’s geometry proved to be a natural advantage for the sound design,” reveals Lien. “Every loudspeaker position

Project credits: Consulting engineers — COWI (Fredrik

was relatively close to the audience seating area, allowing

Haugdal, Øyvind Antonsen). System design, engineering and

the system to deliver high output with excellent tonal

integration — Avonlyd AS.

consistency so that direct sound remained dominant over the highly reflective acoustics. The arena’s short throw

KV2 Audio system used:

distance allowed us to keep audiences inside the direct field

26 × ESD12

of every loudspeaker, which meant we could fully exploit

8 × VHD4.18

KV2’s controlled directivity to achieve excellent intelligibility

8 × ESP2000D

without needing excessive sound pressure.”

2 × VHD3200D

Since the installation, Leangen Arena has seen significant audio improvement during ice hockey matches and public skating events. KV2’s VHD and ESD Series deliver smooth, even full-range coverage across the seating areas, ensuring

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Lighting that brings your stadium to life Elevate every moment with high-performance sports luminaires and connected systems, engineered for flexible, multi-purpose venues.

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Learn more about our sports lighting solutions www.signify.com/global/applications/sports

49 EXTRA TIME

EXTRA TIME 062 Tasker | Multipair Cables for Live Production 064 Sending Audiences Home Safely | Showstop 068 Beyond The Box: The Future of Premium in the Modern Arena | George Vaughan, The Digital Line 072 From Venue to Ecosystem: Why Europe’s Stadiums Need a New Operating Model | Adder Technology

EXTRA TIME

TASKER TASKER Multipair Cables for Live Production: Reliability, Flexibility, and the Value of Italian Manufacturing

I

n the fast-paced world of live production, where reliability

and larger 0.22 mm2 conductors. This is the new Tasker TSK702 series.

and speed are critical, multipair cables remain an essential

These designs combine improved electrical performance with enhanced

backbone for audio and lighting distribution. Whether in

mechanical robustness, while maintaining excellent flexibility thanks to

touring environments, fixed installations, or temporary

soft PVC outer jackets. Such solutions are particularly suited for pre-

stage setups, professional service companies rely on multipair solutions

made systems and touring applications, where repeated handling and

to ensure clean signal transmission, efficient deployment, and long-

coiling demand superior durability.

term durability.

Further up the range, high-performance digital multipair cables, the

Multipair cables are designed to carry multiple balanced signals within

Tasker C802 series, incorporate red copper spiral shielding on each pair,

a single jacket. This significantly reduces setup time and cable clutter

ensuring outstanding signal integrity without the need for an overall

on stage, making them indispensable for front-of-house connections,

shield. These cables are ideal for complex stage environments where

stage boxes, and control systems. Today’s market requires a wide range

multiple digital signals must coexist without interference.

of solutions, from analogue audio distribution to digital protocols such

For fixed installations, compliance with fire safety standards becomes a

as AES/EBU and DMX, each with specific construction and performance

critical requirement. The Tasker TSK902 series is CPR-rated, Cca class,

requirements.

and specifically engineered for permanent installation in public venues.

A key distinction in analogue multipair designs lies in shielding.

These designs typically feature solid conductors with larger cross-

For example, cables built with individually shielded pairs using red

sections, aluminium foil shielding on each pair, and an overall tinned

copper spiral shielding provide excellent protection against crosstalk

copper braid. Combined with LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) outer

and electromagnetic interference. These constructions are available

jackets, they provide enhanced fire performance, low smoke emission,

in configurations ranging from 2 to 52 channels, with a conductor

and suitability for both indoor and outdoor use.

cross-section of 0.22 mm2 offering a strong balance between flexibility

Behind these technical solutions lies a growing appreciation for

and signal integrity. Within this category, two approaches stand out:

manufacturing quality and origin. Made in Italy production continues to

the Tasker C402 series, without an overall shield, which maximizes

be recognized worldwide for its attention to detail, material selection,

flexibility and ease of handling for mobile applications, and the Tasker

and consistency. For professional users, this translates into cables that

C302 series, with an additional overall braided copper shield, designed

not only meet technical specifications but also withstand the rigors of

for enhanced noise immunity in more demanding environments.

real-world use.

As the industry increasingly adopts digital protocols, multipair designs

In an industry where failure is not an option, choosing the right

have evolved to meet higher performance standards. Entry-level

multipair cable is more than a technical decision—it is a strategic

digital multipair cables, like the Tasker TSK802 series, featuring 0.14

investment. From flexible analogue solutions to advanced digital and

mm2 conductors and aluminium foil shielding on each pair, provide

CPR-compliant designs, modern multipair families are engineered to

a lightweight and cost-effective solution for DMX and AES/EBU

meet the evolving demands of live production while maintaining the

applications, supporting up to 24 channels. However, more advanced

highest standards of performance and reliability.

solutions are now gaining attention.

One of the latest developments in this field is the introduction of multipair cables featuring individually shielded pairs with copper foil

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SENDING AUDIENCES HOME SAFELY The Showstop Procedure training course launched in 2025 is the only proven, globally accredited emergency intervention measure, covering the important function of Showstop in the event of a lifethreatening incident at an event. MONDO | STADIA spoke to co-founder Steve Allen about the journey he and Dr Mark Hamilton are on with the Pink Bows Foundation to establish a standardised global Showstop Procedure.

he Highfield internationally accredited course came about after co-founders Steve Allen and Dr Mark Hamilton were approached by the Dubiski family. They had both been expert witnesses on the Astroworld, Travis Scott concert, where on Nov 5th 2021, 23-yearold Madison Dubiski’s life was cut tragically short, along with nine other young people in a crowd crush that saw hundred injured. Steve Allen explains: “Michele, Brian (parents) and Ty (brother) approached us, determined that no other families should have to go through pain they have endured. It is heartbreaking, but deeply motivating and an honour for us to be spearheading the campaign to establish Showstop® Procedure as a global standard, in memory of Madison.”

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Over ten million sports fans go through the turnstiles to watch sporting events every year, with broadcast audiences taking that number into the billions.

Concerts and other entertainment genres have become an increasingly prevalent part of a stadium’s usage, adding millions more to the live experience within stadia. If a catastrophic incident occurs it will be under the eyes of all of those fans.

Allen continues: “Stadium operators have a significant duty of care to protect everyone in their venues. History has shown us that undesirable occurrences can and do happen.

What is important is how an organisation deals with such an occurrence and in the event something goes wrong, can they withstand the legal forensic scrutiny that will follow, The moral, legal, and financial

INTERVIEW

obligation to have competent personnel in safety critical roles is indisputable without it, it will be harder to defend..

“Initially there was a degree of scepticism around what we were doing, but as an increasing number of leading venues and event professionals have taken the course and incorporated it into their safety protocols. They’ve experienced the huge benefits and all reported significant improvements in their incident response time. The significance and effectiveness of Showstop® Procedure training has been recognised by multiple safety and crowd management organisations – and we’ve won awards already!”

Professor Keith Still is one of the worlds most prolific expert witnesses in cases involving events, is one of the Pink Bows’ initiatives many supporters, who has

stated that it would now be ‘Indefensible to not have a competent Showstop Manager’.

“Collaboration across the sector is fundamental for the greater good,” Allen continues. “We are working with a range of organisations, from independent providers to global corporations to help introduce this simple but effective procedure into their emergency response architecture.

“It’s a one-day course, with an examination, for experienced event safety, crowd management professionals, law enforcement and venue & stadia operators. (An online Introduction to Showstop Procedure course, is available in nine languages.) Our conversations with the stadia sector began around the increasing number of concerts being hosted and how the communications chain with promotors, touring WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

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INTERVIEW

parties etc are undertaken. Dr Steve Frosdick spoke on our behalf at the last European Stadium Safety Managers Association annual summit, and we will be returning to Nice, France in November, where we are offering ESSMA members the opportunity to take the APL (Accredited Prior Learning) Showstop procedure course, which is reduced to four hours, for those who have successfully completed the online course” Stuart Doyle, Wembley Stadium Safety Officer, is an ESSMA member who was ahead of the curve. He attended the course hosted at Wembley Stadium in December 2025, along with other members of his team and related stakeholders, ahead of Wembley’s record-breaking 34 concert summer in 2026. He stated: “We welcome this great initiative. Incorporating Showstop Procedure into Wembley’s safety protocols reflects our ongoing commitment to the highest standards of crowd safety and event management.”

The Pink Bows Foundation is also the official charity partner for the Union Jack Classic, bringing American College Football to Wembley Stadium for the first time, on September 19th, 2026. Building on his role spanning both Pink Bows and Showstop® Procedure, 066

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it is unsurprising to know that Steve Allen has been integral in the planning between UJC and Wembley Stadium to ensure that the Showstop® Procedure is integrated across all elements of this multi-faceted event. Allen states: “This Showstop® Procedure applies to any event.

We’ve seen Showstop Managers at festivals, stadium concerts, and World Title Boxing events over recent months and we’re proud to be part of the UJC American College Football game. No matter what genre of entertainment, the venues responsibility to be prepared with competent professionals and an effective emergency response procedure in place to keep audiences safe is indisputable.” www.showstopprocedure.com

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BEYOND THE BOX: THE FUTURE OF PREMIUM IN THE MODERN ARENA George Vaughan, The Digital Line or decades, premium hospitality in sports and entertainment venues was relatively easy to define. There were standard seats and there were boxes. One was for the fan. The other, more often than not, was for the corporate guest.

Today, that distinction is becoming much less clear.

Across new-build and redeveloped venues, premium is no longer confined to a ring of private suites overlooking the bowl. It is spreading through the building in different forms and at different price points: shared clubs, loges, courtside experiences, members’ lounges, all-inclusive seating, private spaces connected to seats within the crowd, priority access and experiential upgrades.

The result means that premium is becoming less about where somebody sits and more about how somebody experiences the venue.

And there is a strong commercial rationale behind that change.

At the University of Kansas, the $450 million transformation of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium introduced 23 new premium seating products. Ahead of the 2025 football season, premium seating sales generated $187 million in capital commitments, around $60 million above initial projections.

The really interesting point is more about the 23 products than the significant revenue figure because it demonstrates how far the industry has evolved from the simple hierarchy of general seat, club seat and private suite.

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Operators are increasingly building a premium ladder At one end might be a relatively modest upgrade giving a customer access to a lounge or inclusive food and beverage. At the other are highly personalised, ultra-premium products offering private hospitality, concierge service and some of the best positions in the building. Between them sits an increasingly sophisticated range of products designed for different group sizes, occasions and levels of willingness to pay.

A good example of this can be seen at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

As part of an $800 million USTA investment in the US Open and Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, the stadium is being extensively reimagined. Its courtside bowl is expanding from 3,000 to 5,000 seats, while new club and restaurant areas and two dedicated luxury-suite levels are being introduced.

In other words, premium inventory is not an afterthought being added to new venues. It is increasingly fundamental to their economics.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean we have to build more traditional boxes.

Privacy without losing the crowd One of the more interesting developments is the attempt to solve a longstanding hospitality contradiction. Premium customers want comfort and exclusivity, but they have still come to watch a live event. Remove them too far from the atmosphere and a venue risks improving the hospitality while diminishing the

COLUMN

reason they came.

To illustrate this very point, PWC recently conducted some fascinating research among 1,000 high-income US sports fans. Sixty per cent said they would spend more than $250 to attend a special event such as a playoff game, while 20% would spend more than $1,000. Yet price alone does not define premium. In fact, 65% identified poor sightlines as the most detrimental factor that could spoil their experience. And when premium hospitality included experiences such as player meet-and-greets or autograph opportunities, nearly a quarter said they would spend more than $500.

This provides compelling evidence that the currency of premium is not simply luxury. It is also proximity, access and experience.

Intuit Dome provides an architectural expression of that idea. Its Backstage Bungalows combine prime seats on the main level with a private suite behind the bowl, while its Courtside Cabanas pair courtside seats with a subterranean private hospitality space. In both cases, guests can move between a private environment and seats that keep them close to the action.

It is a subtle but important change.

The premium room is no longer necessarily where the customer watches the game.

It becomes one component in a wider premium journey.

From transaction to membership There may, however, be an even bigger shift coming — and the clues are visible well beyond the stadium industry.

Over the last two decades, consumers have grown accustomed to subscription models in almost every area of life. Software has increasingly shifted toward subscription and service models, while console gaming has followed suit with libraries of its own. Music collections have become Spotify subscriptions, while DVDs have given way to Netflix and similar streaming platforms.. Mobile phones are bundled into monthly contracts. Cars can be leased or subscribed to and a menu of technology extras activated through additional charges. Gyms, delivery services and countless consumer products operate through recurring membership.

The underlying behaviour is now familiar: rather than purchasing one thing each time we need it, we pay for continuing access to a service, ecosystem or set of privileges.

Why should premium hospitality be immune from the same behavioural change?

Co-op Live in Manchester already offers an interesting indication of where this could lead. Its annual premium membership provides year-round access to private suites and lounges, alongside priority ticket access to more than 120 shows with guaranteed premium seats. The package also includes personalised hospitality and dining experiences, invitations to member-only events and support from a dedicated relationship manager. The demand is certainly there. Co-op Live currently operates a waiting list for premium membership.

The proposition is fundamentally different from asking someone whether they would like to add hospitality to a ticket for a particular concert.

Instead it is asking: would you like to belong to this venue?

And that could have profound implications for arenas in particular.

A multipurpose arena possesses something that no individual sports team, artist or promoter can offer: the entire event calendar. The same customer relationship can potentially encompass basketball on Tuesday, a major concert on Friday and a family show on Sunday.

Premium consequently begins to look less like an upgraded ticket and more like a private members’ club.

For the operator, there is an obvious appeal. Membership can introduce more predictable, repeatable revenue and shift attention towards retention and lifetime customer value. In turn, this allows commercial teams to begin thinking like subscription businesses and focus on acquisition, renewal, tiering, upgrades and churn.

For the customer, there is also less friction. Once somebody has made the larger decision to become a premium member, part of that purchasing decision has already been made. Instead of assessing the value of premium afresh at every event, the customer has made a broader commitment to the venue. Premium becomes part of their relationship with the building and sits alongside a suite of WWW.MONDOSTADIA.COM

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lifestyle decisions that they decide to make.

Premium membership therefore combines two apparently contradictory economic principles: the predictability of subscription with the value of scarcity.

Managed correctly, that scarcity may make membership more desirable rather than less.

Learning from outside the stadium This also points towards a broader lesson for venue operators.

The future of hospitality will not necessarily be invented entirely within the sports and entertainment industry because customers do not experience arenas in isolation. They arrive carrying expectations developed elsewhere.

Airlines have taught customers to understand status tiers, lounge access and priority boarding. Hotels have taught them to expect loyalty to be recognised.

Credit cards bundle access and experiences into membership. Amazon has changed expectations around purchasing friction. Private members’ clubs have demonstrated that access itself can be a valuable product.

Customers entering an arena increasingly bring expectations shaped by all of these things.

Premium innovation therefore needs to be viewed through the lens of wider consumer behaviour, not simply by benchmarking the suite product at the venue down the road.

How much premium is too much?

There is, though, an uncomfortable counterpoint to all of this.

As venues become increasingly skilled at identifying customers prepared to pay for differentiated experiences, they must avoid inadvertently turning the entire live event into a luxury product.

Research published by YouGov in July 2026, based on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 US sports fans, found that 67% regarded attending a live professional sporting event as unaffordable to some degree. More strikingly, 86% agreed that live sport in the United States is becoming a luxury experience rather than something for everyday consumers.

That creates one of the defining commercial tensions for the next generation of venues.

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value of sports and entertainment venues still depends heavily on thousands of people occupying ordinary seats, generating atmosphere and forming lifelong relationships with teams, artists and events.

Premium cannot succeed in a vacuum. A courtside club overlooking thousands of empty or inaccessible seats would represent a fairly hollow victory.

The challenge, therefore, is not simply to build more premium. It is to “premiumise” intelligently.

That may mean allowing an ordinary ticket holder to purchase lounge access for one special occasion. It could mean temporary experiential upgrades, shared hospitality rather than private suites, or membership tiers offering convenience and priority without requiring ultra-premium spending.

The most successful venues will ultimately be those that create numerous entry points onto the premium ladder while protecting a compelling experience for everybody else.

Beyond the box Despite all of this, any suggestion that the private suite is disappearing would be wholly inaccurate.

PwC notes that suites are overwhelmingly purchased by corporations rather than individuals, reflecting their continuing role in client engagement and relationshipbuilding. Among the high-income US sports fans surveyed, 81% said hospitality preferences were important when attending with clients or business partners.

Among 25 to 44-year-olds, that figure rose to 90%.

What is disappearing is the idea that the suite alone defines premium.

The next generation of premium is likely to be more flexible, more experiential, more social and more personalised.

As subscription behaviour becomes embedded across modern life, the relationship between customer and arena has the potential to change from a series of transactions into something continuous.

The question may no longer be simply what is the best seat in the house?

Increasingly, it might be what does being a member of the house get me?

For the modern arena, this could represent the most significant premium opportunity of all.

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FROM VENUE TO ECOSYSTEM: WHY EUROPE’S STADIUMS NEED A NEW OPERATING MODEL Pierre Jalbert, Territory Sales Manager, Western and Southern Europe, Adder Technology Images: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com, MichaelDechev/Shutterstock.com or decades, the success of sports

strategy – it demands a new approach

The question is no longer whether a system

venues has largely been measured

to technology, infrastructure and venue

still works, it’s whether it can support the

by what happens on gameday.

operations. The most successful stadiums of

workflows that venues and teams require over

From attendance statistics to fan

the future may not be those with the newest

the coming years.

satisfaction, the focus has traditionally been

technology, but those with the most connected

For operators relying on KVM systems that

on delivering a memorable event for spectators

infrastructure, systems and partners enabling

have been used for ten years or more, the

and broadcasters alike.

them to deliver value every day of the year.

challenge is becoming increasingly apparent.

However, as operational costs rise and fan

While becoming a year-round operating

Legacy platforms were designed for fixed

expectations continue to evolve, venue

model may feel like a significant leap, the

workflows and localized operations. Today’s

operators are increasingly looking beyond the

foundation for this transformation lies in

venues require infrastructure capable of

action on the pitch to unlock new sources of

the infrastructure that supports the venue.

supporting remote access, distributed

value.

Infrastructure changes can be expensive and

production teams and the integration of

In North America, many sports venues have

many locations operate with legacy systems

multiple operational systems. The longer

long embraced the concept of the stadium

and older KVM technology. Whilst these

teams take to upgrade their infrastructure, the

as an entertainment destination. Fans arrive

systems may continue to perform reliably and

greater the risk that existing systems become

hours before the game begins, remain on-site

meet the current working requirements of

barriers for future growth.

after the end of the action and engage in a

the teams running them, outdated technology

As this trend gathers pace across Europe,

range of hospitality, retail and entertainment

can also become a hinderance in progressing

success will depend on infrastructure that can

offerings throughout the day. This not only

and unifying venues into truly interconnected

evolve alongside operational requirements.

enhances the fan experience but also creates

ecosystems.

Becoming a connected ecosystem is not simply

lucrative commercial opportunities that extend

For many venues, the challenge is not that

about introducing new services or revenue

beyond ticket sales for venue operators.

existing infrastructure has stopped working.

streams – it requires a technology foundation

Across Europe, a different model has

Some KVM deployments have been supporting

capable of supporting ever more complex

historically been adopted. While many

broadcast and operational workflows reliably

workflows.

venues have invested heavily in improving

for more than a decade.

Modern venues rely on a growing number

the gameday experience, a growing number

The issue is that the demands placed

of interconnected systems, from production

of operators are now beginning to explore

on stadium infrastructure have changed

and broadcast operations to security, digital

how stadiums can generate greater value

dramatically. Remote production, distributed

signage, access control and hospitality

throughout the year and reduce their reliance

operational teams, centralized control rooms

services. As these systems become more

on seasonal sporting calendars. Many are faced

and multi-site content management were not

integrated, the underlying infrastructure

with a similar challenge – how can stadiums

primary considerations when many of these

becomes a top priority.

be transformed into connected ecosystems that

stadiums were first planned and deployed.

This interconnected approach extends

support a wider range of activities, audiences

As venues evolve and technical requirements

well beyond the stadium itself. During a

and revenue streams?

change, infrastructure that was once fit for

major tournament, operators may need to

This shift represents more than a commercial

purpose can quickly become a constraint.

coordinate broadcast, transport, security

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and venue management teams across

equipment and personnel required on-site

workflows can work together to support more

multiple sites simultaneously. The stadium

while also enabling specialist teams to work

flexible, efficient and commercially sustainable

experience doesn’t begin at the turnstiles.

from centralized production hubs.

venues. North America’s mature stadium

Public transport, traffic management and

For stadium operators, this creates

ecosystem provides a proven model for how

wayfinding all contribute to the overall fan

opportunities to optimize space, improve

connected infrastructure can unlock year-

experience, making interoperability between

operational efficiency and support a greater

round operational and commercial value.

transport control rooms and venue operations

number of events throughout the year. These

Whether enabling remote production,

increasingly important.

workflows place new demands on network

supporting distributed operational teams or

Transport operators rely on real-time data,

connectivity and underlying infrastructure.

preparing for emerging broadcast standards,

live video feeds and public information

Access to systems, video feeds and production

infrastructure investments made today will

systems to anticipate crowd movements,

resources must remain seamless regardless of

determine how effectively stadiums can adapt

manage disruptions and guide visitors

the location of operators.

to the demands of tomorrow. The question for

safely to their destination. Access to timely,

Broadcast teams are rapidly adopting the latest

venue operators is no longer whether change

reliable information is essential to delivering

technology to help optimize their workflows

is coming, but whether their infrastructure is

a seamless experience, not only inside the

and future-proofing infrastructure also

ready for it.

stadium but across the entire fan journey.

means preparing for the next generation of

Today, Adder Technology supports operations

Adopting next-generation technology doesn’t

production standards.

in many of the world’s leading sporting

have to be complex. Upgrading technology

Vendors are also evolving IP KVM to support

venues, including stadiums selected to

is something that can happen progressively.

emerging production standards. For example,

host major international tournaments. As

Whether it’s swapping out an OB truck or

Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) compatibility in

operators continue their transition towards

considering remote production workflows,

the ADDERLink® INFINITY 4000 series allows

connected ecosystems, scalable IP KVM

investing in infrastructure enables modular,

operators to monitor HLG content directly

infrastructure will remain a critical foundation

incremental upgrades that can have a

from their workstations, reducing the need for

for future growth.

significant impact on connectivity.

dedicated reference monitors while integrating

The transition is already well underway.

seamlessly into existing IP workflows. The

Broadcasters and venue operators are

shift from venue to ecosystem is already well

increasingly exploring remote and distributed

underway. Across Europe, operators are re-

production models, reducing the amount of

evaluating how technology, infrastructure and

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THE FUTURE OF GAME-DAY PRODUCTION

“

WE WANTED TO MAKE OUR STATS AND THE WAY WE PRESENTED A LOT OF OUR CONTENT MORE DYNAMIC. WE SAID WE NEED TO HAVE CAMINO. WE CAN’T DISPLAY STATS AND INFORMATION WITHOUT DOING IT THIS WAY.” Abbey Thistle Director of Event Presentation & Fan Engagement The Kraft Group

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