By Todd Fariss

As the owner of a convention center or other event venue, vying for the next big booking is a highly competitive undertaking. While a number of factors go into why a customer chooses a particular venue for their event, in this day and age, cellular connectivity is certainly high on that list. Still, more often than not, it seems event spaces are fraught with connectivity issues that plague owners and frustrate attendees.

Case in point: the city of Seattle had to ask attendees of the Seahawks 2014 home opener at CenturyLink field to limit their use of social media for fear that they would overload the available signals and create a potential hazard in case of an emergency. And the San Diego Convention Center this year completed a major cellular structure improvement project just in time for Comic-Con.

Of course, it isn’t just comic and sports fanatics that are demanding better cellular coverage at events. Indeed, attendees to business conferences and conventions are sucking up more cellular signal than ever before as they find Instagrammable and Tweetable moments at every business event. Not only do these attendees expect to be able to use their devices to work, check email, and make calls home to their spouses and children, they want to stay constantly connected. After all, social networking takes place at just about every event these days (yes, even the American Society of Plumbing Engineers Convention and Expo).

Improving your signal — and your space

Poor cell signals in these spaces can be largely blamed on the materials used to construct them, including tons upon tons of concrete and steel. Couple that with the large amount of people using the networks and you have a recipe for disaster.

So, as an event space owner, how can you fix subpar, or downright awful cellular coverage within your facility to make your space more appealing to those who will potentially book it for their events?

In the case of the San Diego Convention Center, its project entailed installing hundreds of miniature antennas throughout the 200,000-plus-square-foot center to connect to the networks of different cellular carriers, including AT&T and T-Mobile. This option, known as a distributed antenna system, is expensive (between $2-$4 per square foot) and therefore not a feasible option for most expo space owners. They are also time-consuming to install.

A Better, More Affordable Option

Luckily, a far less-expensive option is available and it’s just as effective. Passive distributed antenna systems, or passive DAS systems, allow event space owners to boost cellular signals within their spaces without complex fiber optics and antenna systems. Passive DAS works by effectively “boosting” the cellular signal in these spaces up to 32x. Passive DAS captures an existing cellular signal with an antenna, amplifies the signal, and redistributes it. These boosters can be configured to cover areas up to 100,000 square feet or more.

And it does so at a fraction of the cost of traditional active DAS systems. In comparison to active DAS, passive DAS cell phone signal booster systems can be easily added to your event space and up and running within a matter of weeks. The average cost is less than half of active DAS, at between 30 and 70 cents per square foot. Passive DAS cell phone signal booster systems are also carrier agnostic. That means superior coverage for event attendees no matter which major network or regional carrier they use.

To remain competitive in the events industry, strong cellular coverage is no longer optional. Implementing cell signal boosting solutions is an easy and cost-effective way to improve the quality of your space. By doing so, you’ll improve the attendee experience and remain competitive as the go-to events venue in your market.

Todd Fariss is director of WilsonPro Product Line at Wilson Electronics. Visit www.wilsonelectronics.com.

When U.S. Bank Stadium welcomes the pinnacle game of football this Sunday, more than 31,000 square feet of LED displays manufactured and installed by Daktronics will create the ultimate game-day experience for fans. Daktronics employees will provide services and support during the game as the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles fight for the championship in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

U.S. Bank Stadium is the only professional football venue to feature LED displays manufactured in the same state as Daktronics location in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, handled the entire production for these displays. A total of 23 displays featuring 13HD pixel layouts were installed prior to the stadium opening in 2016. Positioned close to the fans and the field, the main end zone displays create one of the most intimate experiences in the league.

“This year marks 14 straight football championship games with our equipment being used at the host venue, a mark that we’re extremely proud of as it shows our commitment to the sports industry and enhancing their biggest moments,” said Jay Parker, Daktronics vice president of live events. “This year is a little bit special as the game is close to home, essentially in our own backyard. We’re looking forward to equipment being on display at the game and showcasing our company as a trusted source for sports’ largest events.”

Unique displays outside the stadium welcome fans to the venue. The legacy ship out front features a sail-shaped display curving from top to bottom and the prow display on the side of the stadium is trapezoid-shaped creating interest and catching eyes.

Ensuring everything is operational for the game, Daktronics services group will be on site before the game to run pre-event checks. Services personnel will be watching the system closely during the game to maintain peak equipment performance. The team will also be supporting events prior to the game and until the fans have left the stadium after the game.

“Providing support for live sporting events is what we do; it’s in our DNA,” said Daktronics Vice President of Services Sarah Rose. “We’ve been working with U.S. Bank Stadium for over a year to plan for this week’s events leading up to the main event on Sunday. We will have teams in place verifying everything is operating as expected leading up to the game as well as at the game itself to support and offer peace-of-mind for our customer.”

AEG Presents, the live music division of global entertainment company AEG, announced the opening of their first office in France. The creation of an AEG Presents office in the country builds on their already impressive track record in the UK and marks a key expansion into one of Europe’s most important and vibrant markets for live music. Operating out of Paris, the team will be led by leading promoting executive Arnaud Meersseman, who will report directly to the CEOs of AEG Presents London, Steve Homer and Toby Leighton-Pope.

Meersseman’s career in live music promotion began in 2004 and has seen him work with some of the leading music promoters in France,

staging shows for the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Ray, Major Lazer and A$AP Rocky. In 2016 he became Managing Director of the MIALA/Fimalac group. He begins leading AEG Presents France effective immediately with a remit to develop and grow a promotions business centred on the thriving French music scene, while at the same time actively supporting AEG’s international roster of touring artists.

Since entering the UK market more than a decade ago, AEG Presents have built a strong presence across concert touring, festivals and venues. In 2017 alone, AEG promoted over 800 live events in the UK. Through festivals such as Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time Hyde Park, AEG has brought a new level of world-class talent and outstanding customer experience to this world-renowned central London location. The venue portfolio for AEG Presents includes the iconic Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith (jointly owned with partner, CTS Eventim). Through a multi-million pound refurbishment completed last year, AEG Presents continues to proudly deliver a level of excellence across the live event space in the UK to meet, and often exceed, the needs of today’s music fans.

The creation of AEG Presents France follows AEG’s significant investment in the Accors Hotel Arena in Paris, as well as the recent acquisition of the highly regarded Rock En Seine festival (jointly acquired with French media investment group, LNEI).

Steve Homer and Toby Leighton-Pope, joint CEO’s AEG Presents, said The live music scene in France is incredibly vibrant and one “we very much admire and it’s a real privilege to be able to set up our Paris office. In Arnaud we have a highly experienced leader and look forward to achieving great things together.”

“I’ve worked with Toby and Steve since they became involved in Rock en Seine and I’m very proud and excited to become part of the AEG Presents team with this new venture,” Meersseman said. “I have always considered AEG to be best in class in developing venues and festivals that both meet the needs of today’s consumers and in the development of the Hyde Park festival build something truly befitting of the London Park, I am looking forward to taking this passion for excellence into the French market and I’m confident we can do some excellent work with both international and French artists as the new office gets underway.”

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By Ethan Honaman

There are many variations said by many different people that all convey the same message, that “everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about, be a caring and kind person.” This is a message that our more than 400 strong guest relations staff here at Sports Authority Field at Mile High try and remember while interacting with every guest. From the gentleman who screamed at me for five minutes for something that I had no control over and didn’t fall into the category of customer service to the wonderful lady who wouldn’t miss a game all season and who just went back into cancer remission but lights up like we won the Super Bowl when I stop by to simply say hello, this is the art of guest relations.

Before I had the ability to work for (and I may be a bit a biased) the best organization in sports, you could find me at the friendly confines of the neighborhood Target. A more accurate representation would specifically be in the Produce department. It would be in this mix of vegetables and fruits that I learned more about the set of circumstances that put people into different situations. I witnessed families in a hurry caught up in the hustle of the holiday season and the ever-important vegetable tray that was a must for all family gatherings getting into arguments because they were already running behind. Sometimes, families would be in an all-out war against each other just as they passed through, grabbing a bundle of apples before moving on to another department. Life that day just wasn’t treating them well and they snapped back at me when I asked if I could help them in any way.

There was also the nice man who was on the first day of his diet, motivated to change his life for the better and looking for advice on health food and grateful for any knowledge I might have. Yet all three examples to the normal observer would suggest they were all simply shopping at Target because they were out of produce and needed more for whatever reason. Comprehending the differences of frustration at myself for the situation at hand or a lingering issue in the background helped me progress into a future role for the Broncos.

Fast forward to Section 520-521, formerly known as Thunder, Colorado, in our upper sections at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. It was a two-year stint that I held as a part-time usher taking care of some of the greatest fans in the world. From the casual greetings, remembering names and faces, to simply talking sports that I learned one of the biggest takeaways and to which I enjoy the aspect of Guest Relations so much.

When patrons walk through our gates and see the field for the first time or returning for the big Sunday Night Football matchup, all problems are forgotten. People come to our venue to escape life’s little issues for four hours at a time and, hopefully, enjoy a Broncos’ victory. Having the perspective as an usher introduced me to these stories and have kept me in touch season after season. I still remember an elderly couple that drove multiple hours through all wintery conditions in the mountains to make each game just because it was a tradition together as a couple. I have my handful of regulars that I try and make it up to see each season. I regret to say that it doesn’t happen as much anymore, but when I do see those smiling faces, it’s like no time has passed and we catch up. There is a catalyst; all those problems eventually do come back. It is at this point when interacting with fans that you must decipher when other key contributing factors that you don’t know about take hold. Knowing these fans individually taught me this important trait.

The purpose of a Guest Relations staff is to take care of the fans at each game. We are that smiling face, that person to answer questions and direct fans where they need to go. We report information, good or bad, for the betterment of everyone attending the event. We reiterate as much as possible to take care of the fans. We encourage fostering relationships and creating memories. We enable our staff to make the best experience possible.

As you walk into our office, we broadcast our intentions. However, we are not perfect. Nobody is perfect. Nevertheless, having the ability to connect to the fans and dealing with guests with the understanding that life may be effecting their activities will only better everyone’s interactions and make Mile High Memories. What do you do in your facility to make each experience unique for your guests? How do you convey the message that the issue may not truly be the issue at hand and how do you handle it? For our staff, if you can alter a guest’s experience in a positive way and make it enough to have a great time regardless of the outcome on the field, you have mastered the Art of Guest Relations. Just always remember, “everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about, be a caring and kind person.”

Ethan Honaman is Guest Relations Assistant Manager at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado.