www.stadiaworld.com SPORTS VENUES 2023/24 | 75 TECHNOLOGY anticipated: The multifunctional glass sports floor, which is also an LED display and can show the markings of all pre-configured sports at the touch of a button, is virtually predestined for such an environment (but has also proven its usefulness in quite normal multi-purpose halls). In the conventional venues of the sport, meanwhile, a lot has happened again in the past year, even if only selectively in projects that set entirely new standards, such as some architectural solutions with integrated 360° displays in previous years. US Sport continues to use every opportunity to further expand display space – in the large end zone displays, but also outside the buildings and at all strategically important points indoors. As a result, more and more content is being distributed to more and more viewing locations and flexibly fed according to current demand. This performance of technologies under the heading of digital signage is now also becoming more and more widespread in the smaller European stadiums and halls. Often, upgrades are carried out here in several steps until monitors and display areas are available in two to three-digit numbers. At the same time, the topics of networks, connectivity and digitalisation are advancing across the board. Ten years ago, people were just starting to think about the benefits of public WiFi in venues; today, not only is this a matter of course, but full 5G mobile network coverage is also a given. Depending on the orientation of the respective house, such investments can still possibly be regarded as optional and postponed. Clear guidelines from sports associations, on the other hand, are binding. UEFA’s regulations, for example, are providing a development boost for German football stadiums. A good part of the venues have to invest to meet the requirements of UEFA Elite Level A. This is not only about sheer brightness, but also about meeting the growing number of fixed and moving camera positions in the stands and on the sidelines. Colour reproduction is also an issue. The reproduction of sponsor logos, but also that of the pitch green, is becoming more and more consistent. This very pitch green is almost impossible to keep intact in some places. Despite practices and technologies that today enable the highest standards even on natural grass, such as in the British Premier League, it is apparently not always and everywhere possible to achieve satisfactory results. On the other hand, artificial turf has more friends among operators than among grass sports professionals. Will more stadiums implement innovative solutions with interchangeable pitches in the future? This is one of many exciting questions that will continue to occupy us. The dome’s surface enables gigantic projections. Picture: Sphere Entertainment ADVERTISEMENT We recycle plastic to make the football world of tomorrow more sustainable. At Polytan, we use upcycled materials to create the highest-quality synthetic sports surfaces in terms of safety and playability. We are passionate about providing ideal playing conditions for athletes in every sport – and doing so in the most sustainable manner possible. www.polytan.com/sustainability ONE DAY, I WILL BE A FOOTBALL TURF. WE MAKE PLASTIC BETTER.
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