This month we feature a 4-part series highlighting how NBA venues are incorporating technology into their designs. In part two, we delve into the Hoosier State’s premier arena named Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Dating back to Gene Hackman’s role as Coach Norman Dale in Hoosiers, Indiana has been synonymously recognized as a basketball state. But a lot of technological change has transpired since then, particularly the venue to play this game. It’s no longer an antiquated barnyard gymnasium.
Formerly known as the Conseco Fieldhouse, Bankers Life Fieldhouse is the home of the Indiana Pacers. It presents an ideal balance between architectural aesthetics and viewing pleasure. This building was inspired to resemble the state’s historic legacy amongst high school and collegiate basketball gyms. Consequently, the seating arrangement as an octagon-shaped bowl was designed to create an equal vantage point like attending those old venues. Fans are treated to a blend of nostalgic remembrance of their local history and a close visual experience.
Additionally, this season the Pacers have unveiled a new scoreboard comprised of twin 1080 HD Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Vision video screens that run 50 feet long by 21 feet high. This video display is nearly five times larger than its predecessor and weighs 45,000 pounds. Two LED screens that measure 23 feet by 10 feet are featured across baseline balcony, which offers fans with replays, statistics, and other pertinent information.
To supplement this enhanced video system, they’ve also added a new sound system that consists of six JBL speakers, all with 10 high power 3-way modules with 15 inch woofers. This type of audio only ensures a complete surround system experience to fans that matches the visual displays.
And to top the overall game experience, 330 HD flat screens that range from 32 to 70 inches have been placed throughout the concourses. Thus, these all-encompassing screens leave fans without an excuse to not follow the action.
What unifies this technology together, though, is the operating system called ANC Sports VisionSOFT. This 64-bit tool for arena signage fully incorporates the video and audio devices to work in concert. The Pacers are the first team in the league to install this structure. It has previously been utilized at the 2010 All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium. The aim is to boost corporate partnerships and ticket sales.
Despite all these new amenities, it’s dismaying the Pacers did finish penultimate in average attendance with 14,168 last season. And this resulted after a 42-24 regular season record. This technology may just be a ploy under the real business and fandom barriers that persist.
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