McCAULEY SOUND INC & RAM AUDIO: 2018 WORLD CUP ROUND-UP Luzhniki | Samara | Saransk | Rostov | Kaliningrad, Russia
Images: The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Local Organizing Committee, McCauley Sound Inc, RAM Audio
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enowned for not scoring large quantities of
purely a football stadium came into play with this redesign.
goals in a single match, France went against
It was a couple of years into the planning process before
the norm in the 2018 World Cup final, scoring
a tender document was issued, it had been drawn up
four goals to beat opposition side Croatia, to
by on behalf of the principals, The Big Sport Arena
be crowned victors of a 4-2 win, and take the title for the
Luzhniki, with the technological requirements detailed
first time since 1998.
by Moscow integration specialists, S-Pro Systems,
Having made the bid for the 2018 World Cup in 2009,
together with the German company, Broadcast Solution.
Russia was announced as the host country the following
The team responsible for the audio design comprised
year and immediately set to work on building the 12 venues
Andrey Matveev (S-Pro), Evgeniy Stepanenko (Broadcast
that would host the tournament. Two stadiums that met
Solution), Pavel Pyshkin (S-Pro) and Ivan Khizhnyak
the FIFA regulations were already built, two received
(S-Pro). S-Pro’s project managers were Sergey Manserov
significant upgrades and eight were built from scratch,
and Grigory Yurov. Audio distributor, Russian Sound
although two of those eight had broken ground ahead of
Systems (RSS), led by Vladimir Samuskevich was brought
the 2010 announcement.
in to supply the PA, and as McCauley Sound Inc was
It goes without saying that to deliver a world-class
selected as the solution, Executive Director, Sam Ocean
performance to a global audience, state-of-the-art audio
worked closely with RSS and the rest of the team.
solutions were needed throughout the stadiums.
McCauley Sound, along with RSS, installed a new ILA412
MONDO | STADIA takes a closer look at five of the
long throw line array system, which is both weather
competition venues.
resistant and provides seamless coverage and concert
LUZHNIKI STADIUM
048
level sound to all of the seating areas. A staggering 216 McCauley Sound Inc ILA412 line array systems were
Hosting the opening and final match of the 2018 World
needed for this project. The ILA412 was engineered to
Cup, Luzhniki Stadium is one of the most iconic venues in
meet the strict FIFA intelligibility requirements, providing
the line-up. Already the largest stadium in Russia - able to
significant headroom above the crowd noise, even with the
hold 81,000 supporters - and home to the national football
largest of audiences.
team, renovations began back in 2013, and whereas
Sam commented: “Our system was recognised to be best
previously the stadium had been used for football matches,
among the bids by an independent audio consulting firm.
athletics and other sporting events, the decision to make it
While designing the system for the stadium, McCauley
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Above: Luzhniki Stadium where the World Cup final took place.
