The transition from print to LED within winter sports
Creative and interactive possibilities
LED offers far more possibilities than print advertising. Advertising is an important source of income for organizers of sporting events. With print, such as banners, the organizer can only sell the advertising space once. With LED, the organizer can give space to several sponsors to advertise in a certain place. Additionally, sponsors can communicate their message in a much more engaging and interactive way.
Ski start houses with LED
Joel (Project Manager at Faber): “Four years ago, we began using LED banners at the start of ski races. Three years ago, we took on the challenge of equipping the legendary start house in Kitzbuhel with LED technology, which we have now done for three consecutive years. Following this success, we were approached to provide LED technology for the starting houses at every World Cup location.
This is no small task, as each location presents its own unique challenges. Joel explains, “We started with Kranjska Gora in Slovenia and focused on creating a design that could be easily set up, dismantled, and moved to any location.”
The design of LED start house: modular and flexible
Many factors must be taken into account when designing an LED start house. The most important are subsurface, environment and height. LED screens are typically placed at great heights and can be exposed to high winds, which makes stability a key concern. Additionally, they may be situated on surfaces with snow or ice, which can vary in condition depending on weather.
Joel: “In the set, we have incorporated layher spindles, making each contact patch with the snow adjustable. Pistenbully’s create a platform on which we can build the start house. They can make the platform straight, but that is always in quotes, and 100% straight is not feasible. That is why these layher spindles are extremely important.”
After a successful pilot in Kranjska Gora, the customer was enthusiastic. However, the design is still a work in progress. “We aim to make the entire frame of the start house foldable and transportable in a truck. That is not yet possible. We are constantly evaluating the design, looking for ways to improve speed and save time.”
The future of LED in sports
According to Joel, the transition from print to LED is becoming increasingly common in sports. “It has been common in football for a long time, but not yet in other sports. Start and finish areas in events such as marathons or mountain bike races could also be fitted with LED, as well as the boarding areas for skating. Safety factors play a significant role in this, but we are working hard to address them.
While the development is ongoing, LED technology is an innovation that is enhancing more and more sports. Whether it is winter sports or other sports, LED offers sponsors new and interactive ways to convey their message.
