Built in 2007 at a cost of more than $60 million, the 15,000-capacity Sør Arena is the home of IK Start football club. The Torsviga, Norway-based facility is also used for concerts, corporate events and other sports.
During the initial planning stages, the management decided that it was important for the facility to have a digital signage system to provide entertainment, communication and facility navigation. The secondary purpose of the system was to operate during the off-season when the facilities would be used by corporations to hold training courses, conferences and other commercial activities.
High demands
The digital signage system needed to function in real time and be flexible enough to handle the different types of content, including a live Ipbased television feed. The arena encodes and internally broadcasts an MPG2 multicast video stream that needed to be incorporated into the content displayed on the screen.
Sor Arena was fitted with more than 130 LCDs and interactive kiosks throughout the facility. Two 28sqm wideaspect LED monitors were also installed in the stadium itself.
It was decided that a software platform was needed that would streamline the management of the LED boards in the stadium with the LCD panels and kiosks throughout the rest of the facility in one cohesive system.
Systems integrator and Omnivex Certified Partner Hatteland Vision AS of Norway was contacted to provide such a system.
“They offered us a great amount of flexibility with regard to tailoring solutions for the different kinds of customers both now and for the future,” said Arne Ranneberg-Nilsen, marketing manager at Sor Arena.
Hatteland opted for Omnivex’s Display 3 software. Sor’s digital signage system has two main operational modes – business or game mode. Each of these can accommodate the 13 MPG2 multicast streams. Other related content is dynamically incorporated, such as sponsor branding and advertisements.
Numerous interactive kiosks, located at the stadium’s entrances and corridors, are also part of the digital signage network managed by Omnivex software. These are used to help guests locate different areas within the facility. When the kiosks are not in use, they display sponsor advertising.
Although the content is primarily driven from the control room, there are two handheld PCs running Omnivex software, which give the operator the ability to change content and update the match status. Two large graphical LED boards are also part of the same digital signage network. These are located on the top tier, at opposite ends of the stadium, making them visible from anywhere within the stadium.
The digital signage has received much praise. “The response has been tremendous. The fans think it’s great, as we have become something more than a football club,” stated Ranneberg-Nilsen.
