AVT Question: Please share insight into setting up an esports program within higher education at any level, including the technologies that make a difference and the elements that create an immersive experience for athletes and spectators alike.
Thought Leader: Keri Manasa, Regional Director, Solutions and Consultants Team at Legrand | AV
Universities looking to construct esports arenas need to work on a business case that includes multi-use capabilities. A stellar example of an esports arena doing all the right things is The Fortress at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. They retrofitted an existing structure and built in flexibility to tackle anything from one-to-one or team-to-team competitions as well as graduation ceremonies and everything in between.
Universities looking to construct esports arenas need to work on a business case that includes multi-use capabilities." —Keri Manasa, Regional Director, Solutions and Consultants Team at Legrand | AV
They made room for that flexibility by adding T-trusses throughout the space to mount digital signage and speakers at virtually any weight capacity. This allows them to adjust the configurations to best suit the viewing experience for that particular match.
One way they were able to target their budget dollars was to forego adding 4K or 8K capabilities. Most of the audience is watching the streams through tablets or smartphones, which are not 4K or 8K ready. For the price jump to accomplish 4K, they did not see the expected benefit. By eliminating this cost, they answered the needs of their current audience and took those budget dollars to invest in power and all the fiber connections they needed. A trench was dug into the floor to provide ample room to run power and cable.
As a side note, their rack room had limited space behind the racks, so they installed a garage door in that hallway for maintenance access and ventilation during gameplay. This sort of forethought showcases the type of out-of-the-box thinking that an esports project can require.
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