Our 2013 NFL Tech Series provides a quick hit of tech insight on all 32 NFL teams up until kickoff of Week 1 of the regular season. Each feature includes the latest tech advances implemented by the organization in the effort to advance the team’s success… in a wide variety of venues.
Stadium experience, fan engagement, mobile technologies, player performance and health, statistical data gathering and analysis… any and all aspects of the organization’s procedures in the effort to find success in the NFL is on the table. We’re uncovering those efforts, investigating those innovations and pondering the benefit they might provide, for the team, players and fans alike… today and looking forward.
Today’s focus is on the Denver Broncos as they kickoff the 2013 season tonight against the Baltimore Ravens. The Broncos this season have installed a state-of-the-art new giant scoreboard as well as upgraded the sound quality at Mile High Stadium.
Want to make a bunch of football fans angry? Try putting up a six-story banner depicting the quarterback who knocked their team out of
the playoff last year on the side of the stadium. It doesn’t go over well.
But Broncos fans will probably get over their angst when they see the $32 million in upgrades at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Wait, which Sports Authority Field? Oh, the one at Mile High? Ok, great, thanks for clarifying.
Let’s go over all the improvements, shall we?
High Definition Overhaul
First and foremost, fans will be treated to a bevy of new high definition monitors. The most noticeable of which are the three completely new scoreboards installed on the south end of the field. The primary board is a LED display that measuring 220 feet long by 40 feet tall, making it the third largest in the NFL this year. The other two new boards are set at angles off each side of the primary board and will constantly display game statistics and updates from around the league.
But wait a minute here. What if your seats are on the south side of the stadium? You won’t be able to see the new scoreboard! Don’t the Broncos care about your happiness? Oh, of course they do. In fact, the scoreboards on the northeast and northwest corners of the stadium were also replaced with new 63-by-30 foot HD displays. Not exactly the 220 foot mega board but still plenty of square footage that should allow for easy viewing from any part of the stadium.
To complete the high def trifecta, the Broncos installed a 1,500 foot long LED ribbon display that encompasses the lower bowl ring and two additional 50 foot ribbon displays at the 50 yard line on each side of the field. The main ribbon primarily displays graphics while the smaller ribbons list stats and updates from around the league.
To power all these new HD displays, Sony renovated the stadium control room and outfitted it with new equipment. The new technology allows the control staff of 35 people to run all the new boards and gives the stadium broadcast team the ability to handle up to four times as many camera angles for instant replays.
The interior of the stadium was also revamped with over 1,000 flat screen TVs to replace old static signage and the 20-inch monitors that were mounted around the concourse. The new 55-inch screens display live statistics, fantasy football updates, and weather and travel information. They are also connected to the stadium’s backend network powered by a Cisco Stadium Vision IPTV system, which allows fans to see the game in high definition even while they are away from their seats. No more missing Payton Manning’s 17 audibles at the line while you’re buying a hot dog!
Speaking of food, high definition screens now also adorn the concession stands and show available products with digital menus. According to Russ Trainor, Vice President of Information Technology for the Broncos, the screens are powered by Denver-based company PING HD. These digital menu boards allow each screen to be controlled from a centralized server and can integrate the Stadium’s IPTV system to allow broadcasts to be displayed along with concession information. According to PING HD, their system will also allow for mobile integration. Couple all that with a new lighting system in the main concourse that creates 40% brighter corridors and suddenly paying for overpriced beer is a visually-stunning experience!
Upgraded Sound
Last season you might have found yourself at a Broncos game thinking, “man, this Ellie Goulding song they’re playing is really getting me pumped! I just wish the sound quality was better!” Obviously a serious problem. In fact, the team acknowledges that it routinely fielded calls with complaints about inconsistent audio quality in the stadium. The complaints were mainly about difficulty hearing the PA announcer or referee but that’s probably because most fans are not ready to confess their love of Ellie Goulding.
In any event, the Broncos set out to solve this problem by installing new sound system equipment. They replaced the speakers from the stadium bowl with brand new, updated models. The old speakers from the stadium bowl were moved to the concourse to provide audio to the outskirts of the venue. This should provide better quality sound in the stadium bowl and audio in more areas of the stadium than ever before.
Connectivity
Last year only Verizon and Sprint had cellular DAS systems installed at Sports Authority Field. In other words, if you had a phone or other device hooked up with AT&T, it was reduced to nothing more than a crappy camera during the game. But that’s all changed now that AT&T is currently installing their DAS System which will be operating at about 1/3 of its capacity for this evening’s game. Trainor is hopeful to have this AT&T DAS System fully installed by mid-November.
The other three large carriers also upgraded their systems to hold their edge with Broncos fans. Verizon went the extra mile by assisting the Broncos in expanding the Stadium’s HD WiFi system. Trainor says that the Stadium hopes to involve other large carriers in the future but currently Verizon is the only carrier participating in the HD WiFi system. He goes on to explain “Verizon (working with AT&T and the technology vendors) is also expanding their DAS System over the next few months as well yielding an even better Verizon Cellular experience in the near future. We are hopeful that the Verizon enhancements will be done by Mid-November as well.”
So to recap, if you had Verizon last year you probably had a decent connection. Great news, this year you’re getting WiFi! If you had AT&T last year you probably went dark at that Stadium. Good news, this year you will be connected! But still no WiFi because, you know, it’s only 2013. They’re getting to it.
So go get them this year Broncos fans! Enjoy football season in your lovely upgraded stadium. It won’t be long before you have to suffer through another season of the Nuggets basketball. Then Rockies baseball. So… Broncos!