Four years ago, SportsBusiness Journal asked architects and even a futurist to predict what sports facilities may look like and offer fans in 2020. Some of these ideas have already started to turn up in new projects. Here are some examples:
Prediction: Large projection screens inside and outside venues; ubiquitous and interactive wireless access to video, audio and data.
For our earlier project, HOK offered this
look at what a major sports facility could
look like in 2020.
Prudential Center in Newark opened in October with a big video board on one outside wall to promote New Jersey Devils sponsors and coming events. The Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets and Giants are building stadiums containing video screens outside their venues to fulfill sponsorships and give fans without tickets to the game a taste of the NFL experience.
Inside the stadium, the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners upgraded their ballparks for wireless users to get video replays and statistics on their digital devices.
In Texas, the Cowboys have an extra-special amenity for companies and individuals paying $200,000 for event-level suites along the sidelines in their future home. “The plan is to wire our coach with an internal feed by attaching a [tiny] camera to his hat with the signal sent back to the [field-level] club and suites,” said Cowboys executive Stephen Jones. “It would be an exclusive view.”
Prediction: Increased use of renewable construction materials, on-site recycling and deployment of technologies to conserve water and energy, and generate self-replenishing systems.
A plan in Pittsburgh called for a subterranean hockey rink for the Penguins, but that idea for putting a “green” roof over the underground arena to use as parkland never materialized. The Penguins decided to go the conventional route to develop their arena, but the team is seeking ways to “future-proof” their building and keep it ahead of the curve in technology and to be more environmentally friendly.
| Turnkey Sports Poll |
The following are results of the Turnkey Sports Poll taken in April and May. The surveys covered more than 800 senior-level sports industry executives spanning professional and college sports. |
 At what point in time after the opening of a new facility is the honeymoon over, i.e., the facility alone is no longer enough of an attraction to sell tickets? |
3 years | 38.64% |
2 years | 24.43% |
A well-designed facility will always help ticket sales | 13.07% |
1 year | 10.23% |
5 years | 6.25% |
4 years | 5.11% |
6-10 years | 1.14% |
No response/Not sure | 1.14% |
Which element of a sports facility affecting the fan experience will see the most innovation in design during the next 5 years? |
Audio/visual systems | 50.24% |
Premium spaces | 28.91% |
Seating configuration | 9.48% |
Facility exterior | 5.69% |
Other | 3.32% |
No response/not sure | 2.37% |
Source: Turnkey Sports & Entertainment in conjunction with SportsBusiness Journal. Turnkey Intelligence specializes in research, measurement and lead generation for brands and properties. Visit www.turnkeyse.com. |
In Washington, D.C., however, grass is growing on something other than the baseball diamond. Nationals Park, the first major league stadium to be certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED), contains a 6,300-square-foot patch growing on top of a concessions building. The roof collects reusable rainwater and minimizes heat gain, which in turn saves on energy costs.
In Minneapolis, HOK and the Twins plan to compile LEED points by integrating existing modes of mass transit into the design for the team’s new ballpark. The club is working with local government to extend two rail lines to end at new stations being built next to the stadium. A nearby bike trail will be extended through the ballpark site.
For older venues, “green” is in and many facilities are looking at ways to reduce their environmental footprint. The San Francisco Giants added 590 solar panels to AT&T Park in 2007 to reduce energy costs, and Boston’s Fenway Park recently installed solar panels to be used for heating water.
Prediction: Facilities will be a more fully integrated urban neighbor, accommodating nonsport activities like meetings and exhibitions, galleries and museums, as well as such year-round uses as retail, offices and housing.
As far back as 2002, when Reliant Stadium in Houston and Ford Field in Detroit opened, NFL facilities have been built with the flexibility to accommodate a range of events. University of Phoenix Stadium is the latest model, thanks to its rollout field that opened a multitude of creative event uses, including an exercise boot camp and a remote-controlled airplane expo.
The 100,000 square feet of multiuse space on the event level behind the north end zone at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will be flexible enough to be used for pregame catering for the Colts’ sponsors, alumni parties during the NCAA Final Four, and conventions.
