Sound can be a tricky issue at sporting events, and AV professionals must face the challenges of the apparent dichotomy of concert events versus sports venues. On this Pro AV Podcast, two AV veterans from Diversified, Justo Gutierrez and Pete O’Neil, share their perspectives on the special tasks involved in bringing quality sound to sports venues.
Gutierrez, Director of AV and Sound for Diversified’s Sports and Live Events department, explains that concert systems focus on sound first, which is slightly different than the standard goal for sporting events, which relies on sound and visuals equally. In fact, sound traditionally can get lost in the shuffle, and part of Diversified’s task is to re-focus on the “A” in AV for sports venues. O’Neil, Director of Engineering for Diversified’s Western Region, brings up two key considerations for sporting venue sound: crowd noise and event sound will usually conflict with one another, and a sporting event is a 360-degree space as opposed to the two-way space of a concert space.
An interesting aspect of the audio task is the lack of conscious awareness of fans of the importance of audio. The team at Diversified tackles the challenges of hearing the referee, the announcer, and still honoring the importance of crowd noise so crucial to the teams’ performance and the attendees’ overall positive experience. They look at all these issues and take it up a notch. On the podcast, we discuss how the AV team recognizes the importance of all the noises and works to strike the perfect balance, for clarity and maximum impact. The future of that balance may lie in AI technology.
“The DSP system is so complicated and is like an early primitive AI. It’s definitely going to be the future,” O’Neil said.
Ultimately, confronting the competing technologies of each venue and integrating each piece well is the goal at Diversified and what they see as the future cornerstone of AV in live sporting venues.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication. A new episode of the Pro AV Show drops every Thursday.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
Influencer marketing is rapidly changing, and many hotels are still figuring out how to tap into its full potential. As travelers demand more authentic and relatable content, the pressure is on for hotels to adapt their marketing strategies. But with skepticism around the true ROI of influencer partnerships, it’s more important than ever for brands…
In an era where the average job tenure in the U.S. hovers under four years and industries are evolving faster than academic curricula can keep up, the need for a new approach to workforce development has never been more urgent. Companies like Amazon and McDonald’s are responding by investing in “education as a benefit”…
In a world where workplace disengagement is on the rise, with global employee engagement falling to just 21% in 2024, leaders and teams are increasingly seeking meaning, connection, and growth in their work. Amid this shift, professionals are asking deeper questions about purpose and fulfillment, both individually and collectively. That’s exactly where Paul Plamondon’s…
Not every path into analytics starts with code and spreadsheets. For some, it begins with curiosity, adaptability, mentorship, and a willingness to learn something entirely new. That’s the case for Mayank Malviya, whose journey from a humanities education in India to a career in U.S.-based market research reveals how initiative and mentorship can accelerate…
In an era where digital communication happens at the speed of light, it’s easy to overlook the enduring charm and ingenuity of amateur radio. Yet, events like the Ham Radio fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, remind us that radio isn’t just a relic—it’s a thriving, inventive community built on experimentation and exploration. One striking example is…
Healthcare systems are under immense pressure to enhance patient experiences, improve outcomes, streamline operations, and address significant staffing shortages. The strain on the workforce is undeniable — the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that hospital employment dropped by nearly 100,000 between February 2020 and September 2021. In fact, nearly one-third of healthcare professionals considered leaving…
