Transforming fan engagement with the ultimate AV experience at FanDuel’s sportsbook lounge

Located in Chicago, Illinois, the United Center is an iconic arena renowned as the home of the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Blackhawks. Known for its vibrant atmosphere and state-of-the-art facilities, the United Center hosts a multitude of sports and entertainment events, drawing audiences from across the globe. Within this celebrated venue, FanDuel, a leading sports-tech company, created an innovative and immersive sportsbook lounge that would redefine fan engagement and elevate the sports viewing experience.

Context

FanDuel Group is an innovative sports-tech entertainment company with impressive immersive venues across North America dedicated to changing the way fans engage with their favorite sports, teams, and leagues. FanDuel's vision for the United Center's sportsbook lounge was ambitious: to seamlessly blend the excitement of live sports with captivating entertainment through a cutting-edge AV system.

Solutionz, Inc., a trusted AV integrator for FanDuel, was tasked with bringing this vision to life, leveraging the expertise of industry leading manufacturers like Barco. Solutionz set out to create a system that adhered to technical specifications while blending seamlessly with the arena's atmosphere.

Challenge

The plan included significant architectural changes to the venue to accommodate the desired AV solutions. Transforming the venue into a dynamic two-story mezzanine space designed to maximize fan engagement necessitated significant structural modifications, including cutting out a portion of the ceiling and adding a new stairwell. These changes introduced complexities in integrating the AV system.

Jay Pomante, VP of Engineering at Solutionz, Inc., recalled the difficulties encountered: "The main challenge was fitting the LED display precisely within the existing architectural framework. We encountered electrical conduits and other obstacles not initially accounted for in the plans, requiring continuous adjustments and on-site measurements."

Solution

The sportsbook lounge transformed into a dynamic hub of excitement and interaction through strategic planning, meticulous coordination, inventive design and technological innovation. The collaboration with Barco and Draper, Inc. was crucial in delivering an outstanding sports entertainment experience.

The center piece of the sportsbook lounge is a spectacular 29-foot Barco LED video wall, spanning two levels. Enhanced by strategically placed audio speakers, it creates an immersive and captivating atmosphere. Known for its high-resolution displays and vibrant color reproduction, the Barco XT LED solution ensures every fan can enjoy clear and vivid visuals, no matter where they are seated. Supporting the Barco video wall is Draper, Inc.'s Foundation® Mount System. In addition, three powerful Barco E2 processors are deployed for video signal distribution.

Jay Pomante highlights the significance of choosing Barco: "Their commitment to quality and innovative solutions shows in their end-to-end solutions from image processing and switching to direct view LED modules and everything in between."

Results

The transformation of the United Center's sportsbook lounge into a premier destination for sports fans was a resounding success. Sports fanatics can now fully immerse themselves in the thrill of the game, surrounded by cutting-edge technology and exceptional hospitality. The lounge stands as a testament to innovation and collaboration, taking the sports experience to new heights.

Stephen McDonnell, Product Director of Retail Sportsbook at FanDuel, lauded the project's outcome: "The unique feature of our sports bar is the two-story video wall. It's where people come to watch their live games, and it's the showpiece of the realm. Our partnership with Solutionz, Barco, and Draper has truly delivered a world-class experience."