Sports Stadiums
State Farm Stadium
Context
The Team
Integrator
For State Farm Stadium, It’s All About the Fan Experience
Completed in 2006, State Farm Stadium didn’t just set the standard for state-of-the-art multi-purpose NFL facilities; it placed the bar in the stratosphere. The stadium, a study in innovation, technology, and engineering, is home to the NFL Arizona Cardinals, who have a long-standing commitment to providing an experience that puts fans on the edge of their seats. This world-class venue incorporates the first retractable natural grass playing surface in North America and the first completely retractable roof operating at an incline. Along with the Cardinals’ home games, the stadium has hosted two Super Bowls, international soccer matches, concerts, motorsports, trade shows, e-sports games, and corporate events.
The Challenge
The first challenge was to show State Farm Stadium’s executives that L-Acoustics was the best choice for such high stakes. For James Gillespie, Arizona Cardinals’ systems engineer, L-Acoustics was the only choice. However, an executive sign-off was needed so, L-Acoustics and Gillespie hung two K2 arrays inside the stadium and let them “do their thing.” After an enthusiastic executive sign-off, the challenges were to address the music playback, which required better low and high-end reproduction to eliminate the delays, echoes, and distortion—a source of numerous complaints about their current system.
Because a massive truss system was built for the center video cluster for the 2017 NCAA Final Four games, the design had to consider the venue’s structural ratings. Lastly, there was an aggressive deadline.
The Solution
Despite the tight timeline and its sizeable, fixed installation project, L-Acoustics shipped the entire order at once, delivering the full system on-site within four weeks of the official order, providing 122 K2 cabinets. This allowed plenty of time to fly a temporary system for the Copa America Games, then install the permanent loudspeaker system well in advance of the Cardinals’ preseason opener. EVP David Shoemaker led the installation project. Their design approach supplied coverage from the lower bowl’s front row to the top of the stadium’s back row from a single point—without the need for delay speakers.
System pictures
The Result
Gillespie noted that everyone had been overjoyed with the results, and Shoemaker agrees, “The L-Acoustics K2 system has proved to be a significant upgrade to the stadium. The voicing is exceptional; the coverage is smooth and consistent from row to row, array to array, and all with plenty of headroom. All reports back have been over the top, and we are very pleased to be part of the success that this system has provided.”
Project photos
We are committed to providing a world-class stadium atmosphere in every possible way. Because the audio-visual experience is a huge part of that, we understood how significant this initiative and investment was for our team. The sound system upgrade has not only been incredibly well-received by our fans, but also keeps State Farm Stadium at the forefront in a very competitive landscape of sports and entertainment venues.
Michael Bidwill
President, Arizona Cardinals
Tech Brief
- 10 array hangs, with eight arrays comprising of 13 K2 enclosures
- Each array is topped by four K1-SB subwoofers
- Two end-zone hangs of nine K2 enclosures each, for a total of 122 K2
- 32 K1-SB
- 12 ARCS Wide enclosures for fill at the north end of the stadium and end zone
- Eight X8 coaxial speakers are used for fill under the main scoreboard
- Four hangs of four L-Acoustics Kara enclosures each, hung behind four of the main arrays to provide a field fill system
- 81 LA8 amplified controllers
