Sports venues are now being specced like IT projects
Athletic facility planning is shifting from “lights and outlets” to connectivity, access control and data capture. Livestreaming, mobile entry and drone flyovers for field upkeep are pushing owners to size up technology needs early. Athletic Business’ project reports, including a proposed $70 million Louisiana complex, show pipelines getting bigger, while Coach & Athletic Director says owners should evaluate technology needs up front.
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Key facts, context, and what it means.
Key takeaways
If a venue plan includes recording, livestreaming or recruitment video uploads, owners need to evaluate and understand technology needs up front, according to Coach & Athletic Director.
Drone flyovers are becoming a routine inspection tool for turf and courts, spotting problems earlier and more consistently as drones get cheaper and easier to operate, Coach & Athletic Director reported.
Public project price tags are becoming informal benchmarks: Athletic Business reported a proposed $70 million Caddo Parish sports complex, with $60 million tied to a bond proposal needing voter approval.
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Athletic Business reported residents were previewed on plans for a proposed $70 million sports complex in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, with $60 million tied to a bond proposal that would require voter approval.
Coach & Athletic Director, in a trends brief authored by American Sports Builders Association’s Mary Helen Sprecher, wrote that electrical planning used to focus on lighting and outlets, then expanded to Wi‑Fi, and now needs to start with how a venue will capture, move and control data.
Capital budgets are absorbing always-on connectivity requirements
Coach & Athletic Director listed recording and livestreaming as use cases that push owners to evaluate and understand technology needs up front.
Coach & Athletic Director noted that players may need to upload highlight videos to platforms used by college coaches.
Mobile entry and reservations are dragging access control into the same stack
Coach & Athletic Director also flagged mobile-app control for reservations, user access or admittance.
Drones are becoming a routine maintenance tool, with real inspection checklists
Coach & Athletic Director described drone flyovers as a way to spot problems earlier and more consistently, and noted that drones have become less expensive and easier to operate.
For natural grass, Coach & Athletic Director said drones can help identify yellow or brown spots, bare areas, and color variation. For synthetic fields, the article noted using flyovers after rain or irrigation to spot standing water, uneven wear and wavy lines that can indicate infill shift or compaction. For outdoor courts, it pointed to discoloration that could signal algae growth and cracks that should be identified and addressed.
Project pipelines are getting bigger, and “price tags” are becoming informal benchmarks
In its “Daily Digs” item on Caddo Parish, Athletic Business reported residents were previewed on plans for a proposed $70 million sports complex, with $60 million tied to a bond proposal that would need approval.
Another Athletic Business “Daily Digs” update said Iowa State University and Goldenrod Companies hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the school’s new CyTown multi-use district.
Athletic Business published sponsored content from Musco Sports Lighting about extending facility usage with modern LED lighting systems.
Where this lands in your next RFP and owner’s rep meetings
- Coach & Athletic Director cited recording and livestreaming, and noted that players may need to upload highlight videos to platforms used by college coaches.
- Coach & Athletic Director also flagged mobile-app control for reservations, user access or admittance.
- Coach & Athletic Director described drone flyovers as a way to spot problems earlier and more consistently, and noted that drones have become less expensive and easier to operate.
- Athletic Business reported residents were previewed on plans for a proposed $70 million sports complex in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, with $60 million tied to a bond proposal that would require voter approval.
Sources
- What’s trending in athletic facilities? ↗ · Coach & Athletic Director
- Facilities ↗ · Athletic Business
- Daily Digs: Parish Gets Preview of $70M Sports Complex, Cherokee Nation Cuts Ribbon on Athletics Facilities, and More! ↗ · Athletic Business
- Daily Digs: Iowa State Breaks Ground on CyTown, HS Cuts Ribbon on New Stadium, and More! ↗ · Athletic Business
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