Sporting KC install new LED technology

Article posted by Coliseum, March 5^th, 2024

Image: Sporting Kansas City

Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City have raised the bar for fan experience at Children’s Mercy Park with the installation of new LED screens.

The new stadium technology has been designed, manufactured and installed by Daktronics.

The installation was completed in February and includes a rare aspect to the main display – the upper edge angles to match the stadium’s architecture, with one end of the main display featuring a sideboard to deliver additional content to fans.

These new displays, which include the main video centerpiece, are the highlight of the system that has undergone significant Daktronics updates in recent years.

A new pitch perimeter display was introduced in 2019, followed by an auxiliary videoboard in 2021 and new LED club displays in 2022.

Dan Lolli, Sporting Kansas City Chief Operating Officer, said, “An exceptional guest experience is the leading pillar of our enterprise. Our continued partnership with Daktronics will provide our fans with best-in-class video displays, enhancing the atmosphere for all events in the building. We’re excited to unveil these new elements to our fans in 2024 and continue soccer’s incredible momentum in the U.S. and especially in Kansas City.”

Delegates at the Coliseum Summit US will tour Children’s Mercy Park on the pre-conference day, June 4.

The main video board measures nearly 35 feet high at its highest point on the right side and angles down to 20 feet tall on the left side of the 126-foot-wide display, providing a massive digital canvas to inform and entertain Sporting KC fans and attendees at other special events.

On the right side of the main board, a sideboard matches the height at 35 feet and is approximately 5 feet wide.

Providing a similar viewing experience as the main board, a lower corner board was also installed prior to the season. This board measures approximately 14.5 feet high by 24 feet wide and can show supplemental content to the main display, appealing to audiences on the opposite side of the field so that every fan has a quality view of the content being shown.

These boards feature a 10-millimeter pixel spacing to deliver crisp, clear imagery with wide angle visibility for spectators throughout the stadium, including those sitting on each side of the main board.

Tony Mulder, Daktronics regional sales manager, said, “Continually improving the experience for soccer fans in and around Kansas City, Daktronics is beyond thrilled to announce these latest and most significant additions to Children’s Mercy Park.

“We have been extremely fortunate to bring our technology to such an amazing facility and to continue to partner with Sporting KC on installations that consistently set the standard in soccer-specific stadiums.”

The main board and corner board are capable of variable content zoning, allowing each to show one large image or multiple zones of digital content. This includes live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics, animations and sponsorship messages.

Immersing the fans with digital content, two ribbon boards have been installed along the seating fascia of the stadium, each measuring roughly 5 feet high by 317 feet wide and featuring 10-millimeter pixel spacing.

These provide the opportunity to show additional statistics and graphics while also allowing for sponsor recognition during events.

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