As I celebrate 25 years in the industry this year, I’ve done a bit of reflecting on how far the sports stadium sector has come in embracing and implementing technology and its related content, from a single, hand painted 20ft-by-2ft perimeter plywood board, that took almost a day to produce, to the latest LED signage, virtual overlay, IPTV and full broadcast platforms within the stadia that create a full digital canvas that can be changed instantly, “on the fly".
Looking back at football matches from the 70’s with the pitch surrounded by “perimeter boards” sold by clubs to such brands as Midland Bank, Schreiber Furniture, Mornflake Oats and Bush Colour TV, it’s hard to imagine that there were no “jumbotrons.”
