AV Magazine Stadiums Supplement

ABOUT MIDWICH Established in 1979, Midwich Group is a specialist audio visual (‘AV’) distributor to the trade market, with RSHUDWLRQV DFURVV WKH 8. DQG ,UHODQG &RQWLQHQWDO (XURSH DQG $VLD 3DFLÀF 7KH *URXS·V VWURQJ WHDP ZKLFK RSHUDWHV RXW RI RIÀFHV LV GHGLFDWHG WR FRQWLQXDOO\ HQKDQFLQJ LWV WHFKQLFDO H[SHUWLVH EXLOGLQJ H[WHQVLYH SURGXFW NQRZOHGJH DQG GHOLYHULQJ VWURQJ FXVWRPHU VHUYLFH Tel: +44 (0) 1379 649200 Email: info@midwich.com www.midwich.com 4 | AV STADIUMS SPECIAL | MAY 2019 S port is a highly competitive EXVLQHVV DQG QRW MXVW RQ WKH ÀHOG of play. Sports clubs and venues large and small face intense business pressures and stiff competition from a myriad other leisure activities on which fans could spend their time and money. They are therefore hungry for anything that will encourage fans into the stadium on match days, and keep them there – and spending – for as long as possible. Leaving aside the thrill and atmosphere of actually being there, it could be argued that sporting events can now be best viewed from the comfort of our own homes, with expert production giving a close-up view of every step of the action. For live matches to compete, it is therefore becoming essential that fans do not miss out on the closer coverage that television viewing offers. To achieve this, live streaming on large display canvases in stadiums is essential, for which multiple cameras, displays and distribution systems are required. On a wider level, to encourage the audience to keep returning, an immersive experience must be created, and to achieve this AV is also key. Signage, IPTV, professional audio, live streaming and interactivity all play a part in this. AV has already become essential for major sporting venues. While smaller and Giving youa sporting chance /LYH VWUHDPLQJ RQ ODUJH GLVSOD\ FDQYDVHV LQ VWDGLXPV LV HVVHQWLDO WR FRPSHWHZLWK QHZPHGLD medium sized stadiums may be more dubious about how much they can achieve, in fact they, too, can derive VLJQLÀFDQW EHQHÀW IURP $9 ,W FDQ QRW RQO\ improve their visitors’ experience, but also generate revenue through advertising. We think the e-sports movement is a particularly promising market, and we expect to see more of these stadiums very soon. This will be a huge growth opportunity for the AV industry, because in H VSRUWV $9 IRUPV WKH DFWXDO ÀHOG RI SOD\ SOCIAL MEDIA INTEGRATION Another trend is further integration of social media and interactive features for IDQV $UWLÀFLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH LV DOVR OLNHO\ WR play a role in the advertising platforms in stadiums, to achieve the best RoI for the stadium and its sponsors. The two stand-out areas of AV technology in stadiums are LED displays and IPTV systems. Narrow pixel pitch LED offers the clear, close view that fans need when the action moves to the other end of the pitch. The resolutions we can now achieve on such large canvases mean that visitors get a great viewing experience regardless of their allocated seat. IPTV systems offer live match streams, advertising and revenue generation, digital menu boards (including EPoS and venue management software integration), fan communications and corporate box TV. Midwich partners with brands that have a wealth of experience in the sporting venue market, such as Tripleplay, our leading vendor in the IPTV space. Tripleplay has listened to stadiums’ requirements, created immersive AVMAGAZINE STADIUMS SPECIAL -HQQ\ +LFNV head of WHFKQRORJ\ Midwich In association with