# Sports venues are now being specced like IT projects

By MarketScale Newsroom · Published 2026-09-07 · Sports & Entertainment on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/sports-entertainment/70m-sports-complexes-are-being-specced-like-it-projects

> Facilities teams are planning for connectivity, drones and LED lighting while projects like a proposed $70M Louisiana complex show pipelines getting bigger

## Key points

- If a venue plan includes livestreaming and recruitment video workflows, network capacity becomes an owner requirement, not a nice-to-have, according to Coach & Athletic Director.
- Drone flyovers are moving from novelty to routine inspection tool, changing how turf and court maintenance is scheduled and documented, Coach & Athletic Director reported.
- Public project pricing is becoming a benchmark for expectation-setting, Athletic Business reported a proposed $70 million sports complex tied to a $60 million bond proposal.

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?](https://coachad.com/articles/whats-trending-in-athletic-facilities/) (Coach & Athletic Director)
- [Facilities](https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities) (Athletic Business)
- [Daily Digs: Parish Gets Preview of $70M Sports Complex, Cherokee Nation Cuts Ribbon on Athletics Facilities, and More!](https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities/article/15833977/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!](https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities/article/15834130/daily-digs-iowa-state-breaks-ground-on-cytown-hs-cuts-ribbon-on-new-stadium-and-more) (Athletic Business)

Tags: athletic facilities, sports complexes, facility management, capital projects, network infrastructure, livestreaming, access control, drones, LED lighting, maintenance, procurement, higher education facilities

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