Home to the world’s greatest sporting events, musical performances, and a host of other exciting shows, stadiums have been the bread and butter of mass entertainment for thousands of years. While Rome’s Colosseum was extremely advanced for its time, though, it doesn’t hold a candle to the technology being used in modern venues like this. Maybe people ignore it, but you’re surrounded by amazing tools when you find yourself sitting down in a place like this, and we’re going to be showing you just what your local stadium might be packing.
Cameras & Surveillance
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Unfortunately, stadiums and the events held in them have long been used as a way to hurt people. With thousands of people distracted by something going on on the field or stage, it’s all too easy for criminals to do their work unnoticed. This can include petty crimes, like pickpocketing, but the real risks come from those who want to do large-scale physical harm. Modern CCTV cameras can use AI to track threats and monitor large groups of people, and this sort of tool has been making debuts in stadiums across the globe.
Seating & Space
Running a stadium isn’t cheap, with these buildings taking up a lot of space and using huge amounts of power. This means that event organisers need to make sure that they are selling as many tickets as possible, but they also need enough seating to cope with their guests. Retractable seating may seem like a simple thing, but, in reality, it’s taken decades for engineers to refine them enough to fully-maximise the space in places like stadiums. This enables venues to pack people in without making them uncomfortable.
Large-Format Displays
The displays you see at sports games aren’t like the ones you find at home. Usually made from a grid of extremely bright LEDs and an array of high-voltage transformers, these screens lack the definition of a television up close, but are able to be far larger than the digital panels produced by companies like LG. Despite the fact that these are one of the most power-hungry parts of a stadium, event organisers only seem to want more and more of them.
Rules & Regulations
Most stadiums are built with the idea that they will mainly be used for sporting events. In games like soccer, football, and cricket, there tend to be very strict rules in place, with timing playing a crucial role. Modern sensors and cameras are able to record at far higher speeds than ever before. This means that it’s possible to tell exactly who crossed a line, which body part touched a ball, or how fast someone was able to swing a bat. This enables referees to do their job with greater accuracy, while also making sure that teams don’t win games when they don’t deserve to.
It’s amazing to see what is used in modern venues like stadiums. Much of the technology in this list was kicked off and tested in this sort of setting, but has since been moving into more mainstream society. CCTV is a great example of this, and the crowds at stadiums around the world have been the ideal testing ground for them.
