Brookings, South Dakota-based Daktronics is the company behind the video displays that will entertain and inform the approximately 75,000 fans showing up at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
The company, in partnership with Sony Electronics, delivered the video displays and technology for the stadium, which opened in 2014 as the new home for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.
The north and south end zones have LED video displays featuring 13HD pixel layouts. The north end zone display is approximately 48’ high by 200’ wide, and the south end zone display measures 48’ high by 142’ wide. Live video and instant replays can be shown in high-definition, and each display can be sectioned into multiple smaller sized windows to show stats, scoring information, advertisements or a variety of other graphics and animation elements.
Sony Electronics installed a full HD video replay room at the stadium that include professional cameras and switchers that drive content to the displays.
Around the seating fascia, Daktronics installed a ribbon display featuring 13HD pixel layout that measures 3 ?’ high by 1,650’ wide.
For audio, the company employs what it says is its latest technological innovation: digital audio mesh. The product consists of free-form LED elements mounted over the stadium’s speaker system, measuring 48’ high by 58’ wide, in a way that allows sound to pass through uninhibited. The mesh also allows additional video capabilities that wouldn’t be available otherwise.
Outside the stadium, two 10-millimeter SMD LED ribbon displays welcome fans to the stadium and two large displays were installed in 2015 that face outward from the venue but can also be seen as fans walk around the concourse areas, keeping them in on the action while they’re in line for concessions.
Daktronics says it will have nine technicians on site for the entire game. These field engineers and control experts have already begun planning and staging for the game. That includes placing spare parts at each display for increased game-day response time, pre-event system checks and running a fully simulated game on the primary and back-up systems to ensure everything is ready for the main event.
Of the 11 total playoff games this season, Daktronics has had LED displays at all the hosting venues, including being the company behind the main end zone displays at 10 of the 11 game sites.