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Click the image above to learn about what Daktronics is doing in Levi's Stadium!
 Dear Faithful Readers,
We’ve finally decided, after a summer of hard work, to give Ron a break and let him get back to his day job! That being said, I will slide in as the Editor of “Selling It…” to introduce this week’s (and future) articles.
These days, the construction of each new stadium brings technological advances previously unseen… and even unheard of! This is especially true through the building of Levi’s Stadium, home to the San Francisco 49ers. Located at the heart of Silicon Valley, it’s no surprise the 49ers are installing some of the hottest video and audio capabilities to keep their high-tech fans engaged throughout the season.
Read on to see how their partnership with Daktronics is helping them reach their full potential.
Enjoy the feature,
Erin
[email protected]
P.S. - Want more revenue generating ideas? Follow @NatlSportsForum on Twitter to get more helpful insights on #sportsbiz, #sponsorship and more!
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The 49ers: Making Technology a Priority
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OBJECTIVES
In the spirit of diversity, this article on the San Francisco 49ers is not on the drama of a new stadium and location change, rather it is on the good stuff that you don’t know the details about…yet. We have seen a few new stadiums built over the past few seasons and are expecting a few more: the Barclays Center, Levi’s Stadium and the Vikings Stadium to name a few. In light of these developing stadiums, it has become essential to differentiate yourself from other teams and buildings with innovative technology that’s going to make you stand apart. The Barclays Center has strong internet and mobile capabilities, the Vikings with an all glass retractable roof, and now the 49ers with ground breaking in-stadium technology.
The 49ers have pulled out all the stops with Levi’s Stadium, leaving no technology behind. The changes we are going to see “will literally take us out of the dark ages and put us in the preverbal penthouse,” according to Robert Alberino, Executive Producer at the 49ers. So let's get into it!
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
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Technology:
Some of the technological advances going into Levi’s stadium are unheard of, literally. Things like video speaker mesh and 13HD are some of the most innovative inventions for in-stadium experience on the planet. We can start with the highest quality picture possible; 13HD. Video output is measured in Nits, where traditional video boards put out 3,500 Nits of brightness and quality. The 13HD boards the 49ers are installing put out well over double that, almost 9,000 Nits! That is a screen that will have a quality picture from hundreds of yards away, reaching across the stadium is only half its potential.
An even more innovative piece of technology going in is something no other professional team has; video speaker mesh. That is, the speakers will not be covered by traditional cloth or plastic mesh that you mostly see, usually with a sponsor’s logo on it. No, these speakers will be covered with a matrix of meter long and inches wide mini video screens, each with an inch gap in between. These screens cover the speakers, providing more video space for the 49ers, yet let directed sound through the gaps. So from 100 feet away, it will look like one giant screen even though its hundreds of mini screens put together! This is a first-of-its-kind for professional sports teams, and arguably one of the most innovative advances for video and sound capabilities ever.
The stadium will also be completely internet capable, with a wireless connection accessible everywhere. The 49ers are designing an app right now to launch with the stadium, where the fans can tweet and post through their mobile device both at the stadium or at home. There are only a few stadiums with such accessibility for the fans, but it is quickly becoming a necessity and the 49ers understand the needs and are providing the solutions.
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Implementation:
Now lets talk about how the 49ers are going to capitalize on these investments and bring the game to the fans. “One of my goals is to use the boards in their boldest form: interstitials, opens, intros, videos, wall to wall, top to top, using them in all their glory,” said Alberino. The whole point of these video boards is to give the fans the feel of being part of the game, and by going “Full Bleed” -using every single pixel possible for the biggest possible image- the fans will be immersed in the action.
The boards are also integrated into the fan experience by their mobile app where fans can impact what content is put on the boards, music they play, tweets they post, etc. There’s an interactive model that the video boards are a big part of and a larger discussion going on about networking capabilities. “We are working on building the most robust and consistently powerful network connection in that building so each person has an enhanced and expanded mobile experience unlike any other stadium,” according to Jamie Brandt, Vice President of Ticketing and Suites for the 49ers. Mobile will be the platform and the boards and speakers will be the provider, all connected through the app for the fans.
Click above to visit Levi's stadium home page!
PARTNERSHIP
All the hardware going into the stadium lies heavily on the shoulders of Daktronics. The video screens, video speaker mesh and ribbon boards are all built and provided by Daktronics. As an innovative company that has an impeccable track record of colleges, professional teams, entertainment venues and commercial companies, it was an easy decision for the 49ers. “Daktronics has been absolutely rock solid for us, I was thrilled to hear that we would be working with them when I came over to the 49ers” said Alberino. “If we were not with Daktronics, I would very strongly suggest that we switch over to them.”
Behind the Daktronics boards and speakers is a state-of-the-art control room hosted by Sony, who is providing 2,500 TVs for the stadium. Sony will also be the presenting sponsor on the new "49ers Museum" where the fans can interact with 49ers history first-hand. This Daktronics/Sony partnership is how the 49ers are proving their commitment to excellence and thier dedication to the fans.
RESULTS
Seeing as how the stadium is not finished, we cannot see any turn in ROI yet. But it’s not like they aren’t expecting one... a BIG one. When the 49ers move to the new stadium, they will continue the streak of selling out each home game as they have since the 1981 season. A critical part of the team delivering on the value proposition for fans is ensuring the right technology solutions are in place. “We want to create a game day experience like no other in all of professional sports… to make it so unique and impactful, regardless of team performance on the field, so we can keep the value proposition slanted in our favor” said Brandt. The fan experience is what drives ROI, so it is at the forefront of everyone’s mind at the 49ers office. Expect sellout crowds for years to come and a team with a fanatic fan base behind them at Levi’s Stadium.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Part of the larger discussion here is how to integrate the people not at the game into the experience. How to get their video feeds and tweets up on the boards straight from the bars and homes in San Francisco where those not at the game are watching it. Jamie and his team are working on ways to bring the game to life at those bars and create a lively and inclusive atmosphere for the fans. By capitalizing on the video board capabilities and their mobile app they can bring the game directly to their fans and provide that value proposition.
CONTACT
For more Information, contact:
Jamie Brandt, Vice President of Ticketing and Suites, San Francisco 49ers
Robert Alberino, Executive Producer, San Francisco 49ers
WIll Ellerbruch, Regional Sales Manager, Daktronics
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