What do stadium and arena managers need to know about public address systems?
Facility public address (PA) systems are many times out of sight and out of mind until guest complaints start rolling in. I checked in with Jack Wrightson, principal at WJHW, to get a professional’s view of the issues and opportunities facing facility operators today.
PA systems were originally designed to provide only voice announcements but now have a significant role in game and event presentation through music, crowd prompts, sponsor messages and digital media.
As facilities spend more money on sophisticated high-resolution video technology, the ability of audio systems to keep pace and perform at an equal level has never been more important.
There are two kinds of PA systems used in arenas and stadiums today: Central cluster and distributed. A central cluster is the grouping of speakers in a single location, for example, a stadium end zone. A distributed system locates speakers throughout the facility in a coordinated manner that minimizes the effects of delay and attempts to provide uniform sound in all spaces. This kind of system has the advantage of being easier to synchronize with digital media and is less affected by wind in stadiums.
Despite current thinking, a distributed system is not always the best solution and if not designed correctly, can actually be worse. Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, was originally designed with a distributed system. Due to the geometry of the stadium, a change was made to a central cluster to provide a better fan experience. Wrightson noted that, “a good central cluster is better than a bad distributed system.”
There are also cost implications, which often show up in collegiate stadium projects. A distributed system for a collegiate football stadium will run in the $3- to $4-million range whereas a central cluster may be only 35-40 percent of that cost.
Maintenance and system operators have a great deal to do with the consistent performance of audio systems. In my experience, PA systems do not get the same consistent preventative maintenance as the other major facility systems (HVAC). A great many facility managers presume everything is working correctly until customer complaints begin.
Bottom Line: I recommend a pre-season “health check” to verify that all audio components are working properly, including walking the entire bowl and all public spaces. Every three (3) years, conduct a system “tune up,” including all settings and making appropriate adjustments that address system age and use.
Russ Simons is...
managing partner, Venue Solutions Group, and has been in this industry for more than three decades, working in arenas, stadiums, design, construction, safety and security. Send questions about any aspect of venue operation to askruss@venuestoday.com or mail questions to Venues Today, P.O. Box 2540, Huntington Beach, CA 92647.