The Pittsburgh Penguins said they doubled the number of advertisers at Consol Energy Center last season to about 100, compared with the final year of Mellon Arena in 2009-10, and tripled concourse advertising and sponsorship revenue at the new arena. The increases were attributed in significant part to the installation of a Cisco StadiumVision digital sign and video system.
 |
Consol Energy Center opened in 2010 with a StadiumVision digital sign and video system.
Photo by: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
|
The figures, disclosed by the team and Cisco in a new case study, offer a rare public glimpse on the business effects of a technology addition such as StadiumVision. Given StadiumVision’s relative infancy — the technology was introduced in 2008 — there has not been a precise way to make budget forecasts against the system.
“I’m not sure any one of the first handful of teams with this technology knew exactly what to expect in terms of revenue impacts,” said David Peart, senior vice president of sales and service for the Penguins and Consol Energy Center. “But beyond just the revenue, we’ve certainly been very pleased with the flexibility and impact of how we’re presenting and selling our inventory.”
The installation at Consol includes 781 high-definition video screens and 44 digital menu boards.
Cisco called the Penguins one of its “leading edge” examples of StadiumVision among its roughly 30 installations to date, high praise considering the portfolio also includes Cowboys Stadium and Yankee Stadium, among others.
