There is a newer technology trend that is taking hold in the world of sports venues: the era of the digital network. We are in a society of immediate and instant information and gratification and there is probably no field that requires this more than sports. Stadiums around the world are scrambling to partner their existing technologies with digital networks so that we can see, hear and experience our favorite teams and events in real time.
Continue reading “Sports Digital Networks: Going beyond the scoreboard”
The era of the electronic scoreboard has surpassed just the need for scores, lights and sponsors, we are in a real time, up to the minute information age and this means scoreboards have to accommodate what the people want. A more recent requirement has been to have live webcasting abilities for scoreboards. The webcast concept has introduced some rather innovative companies that can and accomplish the needs of webcast from venues of all sizes and locations.
There doesn’t seem to be the controversy these days over stadium advertising. For most of us, it is not only to be expected but is now part of the game or show experience. Over the last year, there has been a study in the United Kingdom comparing the attendance levels of the games. The results has been surprising and of great advantage for fans, teams and sponsors.
For most people, they take fiber optics for granted. In today’s electronic video world, fiber optics have become the norm. While it was slow to take off, it has become the mainstay for all video. This is paramount in the sports stadiums where every dollar invested has to have a high ROI (return on investment). Fan expectations are at their highest level, with electronic scoreboards at front and center of the show or game experience. The advent of video into the arena has made fiber optics a must have for quality, clarity, resolution and, in the long run, fun.
Preparing for the 2010 FIFA Cup in South Africa was a monumental undertaking. While we viewed the elaborate stadiums and the phenomenal electronic scoreboards, we didn’t have a clue at the incredible amount of work that went into these gala events.
The demand for high tech in today’s sports venues is becoming a main focus for stadium managers. Attendance and following these days is based on what you can offer in the way of visual, audio, virtual and marketing. In the past, these were configured as individual tools, married together with a staff and a lot of preplanning. However, with the new generations of software that work with the video scoreboards, a stadium can have the high tech offerings with real-time live changes; all controlled by a single staff member.