The UK’s leading sports stadia LED supplier adi.tv have been commissioned to deliver two large-scale digital platforms for Southampton Football Club, as they look to transform the look and feel of St Mary’s Stadium for the 2023/24 season.
After a consultative process, The Saints have chosen to bring in stadia transformation specialists ADI to replace the existing 33.5 square metre screens in the Chapel and Northam stands and upgrade them with two superwide 72 square metre displays that feature ADI’s new proprietary MTX technology.
Due to the complex nature of the project, ADI will be deploying a highly skilled and experienced team of engineers to remove the existing structure, integrate the hardware and supply structural support to the top of the stands, with the aim being for both screens to be fully operational for the start of the new campaign.
The decision to upgrade to a 10mm 32:9 display and move away from the traditional 16:9 format will provide additional content zones for in-game club communications, brand activations and live match feeds – all of which can be displayed simultaneously. The digital facelift is set to boost fan engagement, as well as the commercial offering, as club partners and matchday sponsors are given a more dynamic and versatile platform to advertise their brand.
ADI have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Southampton FC, having fit the digiBOARD perimeter system at St. Mary’s in 2018. The latest investment highlights the club’s ambition to further enhance the in-bowl matchday experience for fans and sponsors alike.
Next-generation MTX product
ADI’s innovative MTX product is part of their MT series, which has been built around a next-generation universal tile design that minimises size and weight, maximises reliability and simplifies maintenance. For Southampton, this translates into a lower installation cost, greater operating efficiency and reduced ongoing maintenance fees throughout the lifetime of the technology, which is frequently up to ten years. Additionally, damaged panels can be easily swapped out and sent to ADI’s UK service bench for repair and re-use, offering a more sustainable solution.
Although limitations on access, infrastructure and a tight deadline makes this installation a challenge, the lightweight MTX tile is what makes the project possible, as it removes the requirement for extensive structural work prior to installation.
The project will create history for ADI, as this will be the first occasion that MTX has been installed into a large-capacity sports venue since it was manufactured.
“We’re delighted to have been brought in to deliver this transformative project, which involves two complex installations at both ends of the stadium. Our expertise in fitting large-scale LED displays in all kinds of challenging environments makes us the ideal partner. The screen upgrade is a significant step forward for the Club as they look to move into a new era, and the new superwide format will provide a high-impact canvas from both a fan engagement and commercial standpoint.”
