The Many Benefits of Sports Stadium & Event Digital Signage

Being in the audience at any sports venue is an electrifying experience. And a lot of that thrill is enhanced by the presence of sports digital signage. Hear me out here...

With so much going on, it can be easy to miss a big moment, whether that's in an arena or an outdoor course. And the digital display has long been an effective medium to ensure everyone catches the action.

Typically, jumbotrons show instant replays of key plays, scoreboards keep fans up to date with the teams’ progress, and even simple perimeter LED boards broadcast sponsor details and add to the venue's ambiance.

So lets look at how you can use digital signage for sporting events and venues.

What is sports digital signage?

Sports digital signage involves using various digital displays and screens to improve engagement, content delivery, and information access during a sporting event. This could be in a made-for-purpose sporting arena, but it could also be in a temporary sports venue such as a fan or spectator zone during a marathon or an event such as the America's Cup sailing regatta. 

Some great examples of sports digital signage you’ll have seen include:

• Scoreboards – These show current scores and also usually stream player stats, instant replays, and crowd messages
• Video walls – These are large-scale screens that can display live game footage for more distant spectators
• Concession stand menu boards – Typically used at the bar or food counters, these can also placed in your merchandise areas
• Wayfinding signage - A mixture of directional signs and location signage helping people to find their way around busy sports events
• Digital posters - Useful for displaying everything from important information such as safety announcements, through to sponsored content

For the modern sports event or sports event management, using digital signage is a must.

What makes digital signage in sports so important is that displays can update fans in real time and share engaging visuals and interactive content that really improve the overall experience.

Different uses of sports digital signage

The effect of digital signage can be felt in virtually every part of sports events, from finding your way to your seats to leaving the arena.

Here are some of the most significant ways digital screens improve the sports experience.

Navigation and wayfinding signage

Sports stadiums can be huge spaces (An average-sized stadium like MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is 2.2 million square feet), and it can be very easy to get lost. Even at a temporary sporting event, the layout can be overwhelming for many visitors, especially when you factor in the many zones for different ticket holders, VIPs and event staff.

Digital wayfinding helps to smooth the spectator and visitor experience, guiding fans to their seats, restrooms, concession areas, or out of the stadium.

A simple example is screens that display a map or directions to different sections of the stadium and helps direct traffic.

Live game coverage

Live streaming and replays are arguably one of the most important uses of screens in a stadium, especially one that welcomes thousands of fans. 

Well placed sports signage screens improve the spectator experience for visitors, especially for events where you might not have a full view of the action. For example with motor racing, triathlons, sailing events or snow sports.

Another benefit of screens is that they can help to alleviate congestion at certain popular viewing areas, especially at temporary sporting events. Screens make it easier to enjoy the ambiance and the action without the crush, significantly enhancing the fan experience.

Advertising and sponsorship

Of course, branding and advertising space have become one of the most visible and recognisable elements of almost every sporting event. Large sports screens make promoting special offers and products from sponsors during the event easy.

And while the athletes attire, or arena banners often bear the names of the high value sponsors, there is also ample opportunity to display advertising throughout the sports venue.

Signage screens can help sports events maximize their sponsors exposure, and even add in potential opportunities for additional promotional messages from smaller advertisers. While some brands might not be able to afford to have their logos displayed in the main arena, they might be happy to promote their product to your audience away from the main action.

With a digital signage network, you easily can segment your content between screens, zones and even schedule for specific times.

Event information, schedules and updates

Make sure everyone knows when the main event is happening - but also any additional events such as preliminaries, undercards or backstage live shows.

As well as displaying schedules, digital signage for sports events can also be used to highlight important information, such as local weather updates, transport information or schedule changes.

Digital signage software such as ScreenCloud makes it simple to add informative widgets or up to the minute local information updates.

Safety and emergency alerts

Emergency alerts and messaging are critical in sports stadiums with many spectators. Here, something as simple as a strategically placed digital sign can:

• Display directions to the nearest exits
• Communicate important safety information
• Provide updates as necessary

Concession sales

Digital screens can also make selling snacks to spectators slightly easier by displaying menus, prices, and ongoing promotions at concession stands. People can glance at the digital menu boards and decide on what they want before it’s their turn. That could mean shorter queues, greater sales volumes during promotions, and an overall better experience at sporting events.

VIP experience

With screens, stadiums can also improve the experience of VIPs in hospitality suites through content like:

• Personalized messages
• Live game feeds
• Premium exclusive content
• Access to different camera angles
• Interactive entertainment like touch-based games and trivia

Ticketing and check-in

Interactive screens can also make the check-in process much more manageable. All anyone needs to do is walk up to the interactive screen, enter their ticket details or scan, and gain access, depending on the system in place.

These screens can also be set up so people can access current ticket prices and buy what they need.

Best screens for sporting event digital signage

There are many different ways to use screens at a sports stadium and different kinds of screens that can be installed. In this section, we’ll go over some of the different types of digital signs stadiums might use.

For more information on choosing digital screens, see our Buyer's Guide to Digital Signage Hardware.

Outdoor LED screens

Outdoor LED screens are big and vivid, so they are perfect for scoreboards, jumbotrons, and similar uses. These screens provide clear, bright, and dynamic displays that can easily be configured to show player scores, stats, important game information, and live match feeds.

Their size depends on the venue, but bigger ones are usually better because they are more visible and ensure that everyone at the stadium can follow the game.

Video walls

Video walls are large-scale displays made up of either one large screen, or multiple smaller displays tiled together. They are ideal for showing live game footage, advertisements, and interactive fan content (such as social media content) at a sporting event.

Typically, video walls are LED screens and are used for their wow factor in foyers or public spaces.

There are many great locations for video walls in sports venues, including:

• Entrance and exit locations
• Concourses
• Near concession stands
• In viewing areas and fan zones

Read more: How To Set Up a Digital Signage Video Wall with ScreenCloud

Digital poster screens

Many industries such as retail and entertainment have embraced the digital poster - which is usually a TV screen in portrait mode streaming a loop of promotional messages and advertising. This might be to promote upcoming events, display product ads, upsell services such as VIP experiences or remind viewers to sign up for the fan club or newsletter.

Digital menu boards

Menu boards are very helpful for a variety of businesses, whether it's movie theater signage or retail signage. Their purpose is very simple—to display real-time pricing, promotional offers, and other helpful information. Of course, this makes it easier for people to get information and buy what they need while reducing wait times and improving the overall service experience.

Menu boards are most useful at concession stands throughout the sports venue.

Read more: How to Create a Digital Menu Board

Perimeter LED boards

Perimeter LED boards are common in large venues like football stadiums and concert venues. They display continuous rolling advertisements and sponsorships and, of course, maintain a perimeter around the field of play. These stadium signs work because they are highly visible to fans in the stadium and people watching from home.

Interactive kiosks

Interactive kiosks can offer a unique experience from other screens on this list because they help spectators serve themselves. For example, a kiosk at the venue entrance can make it much easier for guests with tickets to get checked in and for people without to buy tickets and move on to the game.

Kiosks can also be placed around the venue where they can help fans access information, venue maps, and other simple services.

The beauty of interactive kiosks is that they combine convenience and functionality. They can even be customized in the digital signage CRM to incorporate a wider range of services, such as merchandise purchases, food and beverage orders, and unique content.

Hospitality suite screens

Hospitality suite screens could be simple TV screens connected to digital signage software, or interactive touch screens with engagement capabilities.

Some VIP sections might even have both kinds of screens, with simple TVs displaying live game feeds and exclusive content and smaller touch screens offering other interactive features.

Three outstanding examples of digital signage at sports events

We've seen the traditional applications of digital signage screens in sports venues. But we also know that technology is rapidly evolving, and we keep finding new ways to delight and engage audiences. For example, stadium ads in the 1970s and 1980s used to be on static custom signs and billboards strategically placed in the outfield walls. Now, we have perimeter LEDs that can feature dynamic advertising messages. These have rapidly become the familiar signage channels of today.

Here are some amazing examples of digital signage in sports venues that we’ve seen in recent times:

1. Revolutionary spectator viewing with Samsung Infinity Screen at SoFi stadium

Image source: Samsung

SoFi stadium in Inglewood, California is home to the Los Angeles Rams, and the Samsung Infinity Screen. The display is a double sided 4K HDR ovular shaped video board suspended over the field. It's the first of its kind with 200+ individual speakers, 70,000 square feet of display, and over 80 million pixels. 

During matches, the screen is an immersive Jumbotron, with a video wall and advertising display rolled into one, allowing almost any content required to be displayed. As far as sporting events go, the Samsung Infinity screen definitely elevates the experience at SoFi Stadium.

2. Next-level visitor experience with LG at Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium

Recurring attendance is one key way that businesses stay profitable, and this holds true for small retail stores and 80,000-person stadiums like the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium. That’s why the stadium recently upgraded its display network with 1,000+ LG displays.

These allow the stadium to really level up the spectator experience with live game feeds, team stats, menu boards, and, of course, better-placed advertising space.

The screens range from 55 to 86 inches and include a 5 X 5 upper concourse bar that uses 25 different displays!

3. ScreenCloud sponsoring America’s Cup

The America's Cup is the oldest international competition in any sport, and few sailing competitions are more challenging and thrilling. Naturally, thousands of fans follow the race both at the event location and around the world.

ScreenCloud is the official sponsor of the 37th America's Cup in partnership with One Thirty West. We are displaying live event coverage in fan zones, team areas, spectator areas, and other places where fans might gather.

Our sponsorship also means that other digital signage requirements like wayfinding, local information and advertising are covered, giving fans the ultimate in-person experience.

Get started with the best digital signage for sports venues and events

Whether it's live streaming the action, directional signs and displays, promotional messages or even social media walls and feeds, digital signage is a powerful and versatile tool for sports arenas and events.

ScreenCloud are the digital signage partners of some of the best known sporting clubs and events in the world, including the America's Cup as well as English Premier League and NFL teams.

Our digital signage solution is designed for ease of use and scalability. Manage as many screens as necessary with remote operation, easy scheduling, and instant content roll out, whether to single screens or every display in your digital signage network.

ScreenCloud also offers enterprise grade security, professional support and almost limitless customization options for your digital screens.

Sign up for a free trial to see why ScreenCloud is trusted by over 10,000 organizations worldwide. Orbook a demo here.