GoVision Email Newsletter - May 2009
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The first weekend of April 2009 marked one of the busiest on record for GoVision, with four major events spanning the entire midsection of the country.
Our LED screens dazzled crowds at the NCAA® Final Four® in Detroit, helped 200,000 rabid NASCAR fans track their favorite drivers at the Samsung 500 at
Texas Motor Speedway, broadcast real-time action and customized graphics for the galleries that packed the Shell Houston Open, and kept tabs on thousands of competitors
during the Texas Relays in Austin.
"It was a crazy weekend," said Brady Haass, GoVision director of sales. "But everything went off without a hitch. It was a weekend to remember ... for all the right reasons."
NCAA Final Four
You didn't have to be inside Ford Field to see GoVision's massive octagonal video wall suspended high above the court during the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
CBS cameras captured the screens repeatedly throughout the broadcast, while spectators enjoyed the best of both worlds: a coveted Final Four ticket and giant LED
screens that made the view from every seat in the stadium better than watching from home.
GoVision, in partnership with the NCAA, configured eight 13.5' x 24' Barco D7 LED screens to create the unique video display. The rigging itself was a monumental undertaking
in keeping with the enormity of the Final Four itself. In total, the eight-screen unit weighed 92,980 pounds.
Outside the arena, GoVision's massive 19' x 33' widescreen unit, known as "GoBigger," offered the crowds up-close views of the major acts performing at
"The Big Dance® Festival" held at the Detroit International Riverfront/General Motors Renaissance Center. GoBigger is the world's first and largest
truly high-definition mobile video screen. A 30-foot ticker board atop the stage was also provided to accommodate "text-to-screen" messaging by the revelers.
"GoVision's screens were an integral part of the spectator experience throughout Final Four weekend," said LJ Wright, Director of NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
"Even in a huge stadium like Ford Field, everyone had a fantastic view of the games. The GoVision team did an outstanding job, beginning with the Herculean task of rigging
the screens over the court and ending with bringing the boards down after the final buzzer."
"Everything at the Final Four is done on a grand scale," said Jeff Wilson, Director of Operations for Jonathan Witz & Associates, which handled logistics for the Big Dance
Festival. "So it's only fitting that we would bring in the world's largest mobile HD screen to entertain the crowds. Everything worked seamlessly from start to finish,
even the 'text-to-screen' ticker, which made my job just a little bit easier."
"We pride ourselves on delivering at some of the biggest events in the world - from presidential inaugurations to NASCAR races to the Final Four," said Chris Curtis, CEO of GoVision. "Our clients trust us to make certain that everything goes off without a hitch, and I'm proud to say we haven't disappointed."
Samsung 500
NASCAR fans couldn't miss the two LED screens stationed in the infield during the recent Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races at Texas Motor Speedway near Fort Worth.
As the seven-year official screen vendor of the track, GoVision has become an invaluable element of the race-day experience for the 200,000-plus spectators who come to
see their favorite drivers.
GoVision built and operated two 18' x 24' LED screens for the four-day series of races, including the Samsung 500 Sprint Cup race won by Jeff Gordon, and the
O'Reilly 300 Nationwide Series event claimed by Kyle Busch.
"A track as massive as the Speedway needs big screens that work as well in daylight as they do at night," said Eddie Gossage, General Manager of Texas Motor Speedway.
"We also can't afford any down-time or technical problems on race day, which is why GoVision has been such a valued partner of ours for so many years. I just don't have
to worry about our video screens. They've got it covered."
In addition to its race coverage, GoVision provided jumbo screens for two fan-focused events held at the Speedway. On Thursday night, two 9' x 16'
"GoBig" units and a
two-camera production crew covered the action at Fandango, an exclusive season ticket-holder party featuring special racing guests and other entertainment activities.
The next night, following qualifying runs, the GoBig LEDs gave Pat Green fans a terrific view of his concert during the Samsung Mobile Rockin' Roundup.
"We had just 30 minutes from the end of qualifying to get the screens up and running, with full production," said Curtis. "It was the kind of quick turnaround challenge
we specialize in, and helps set us apart from many of our less-nimble competitors."
Shell Houston Open
Roughly 300 miles south of the Speedway, GoVision was an integral part of a more gentile, yet no less ambitious, event at Redstone Golf Club in Houston. For the
third consecutive year, our giant screen graced the 18th hole green at the Shell Houston Open.
This time, the custom-build hi-def screen measured 15' x 40', thanks to our new Daktronics PST 12-HD LED tiles. The state-of-the-art resolution offered the galleries
ideal views of the action from around the course, along with real-time statistical data, leader boards and other graphical content generated on-site by GoVision technicians.
"Once again, the team from GoVision delivered a flawless video presentation," said Steve Timms, tournament director. "The screen was as brilliant as it was huge,
and the customized graphics added tremendous value for our spectators." |
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Texas Relays
As if all that weren't enough, yet another "GoBig" unit captured the action during the 82nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin over the busy weekend.
The mobile screen proved integral to the on-site experience during the massive track and field meet that draws roughly 50,000 high school, college and professional athletes.
"With so many competitors participating in so many events spread throughout the complex, there's no way our spectators could possibly keep up without GoVision's screen,"
said Mike Miller of Earl Miller Productions. "GoBig was perfect for our needs, and added tremendously to the crowd's enjoyment."
* NCAA, Final Four and Big Dance are trademarks owned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
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What's a massive, 11-day, city-wide event spread
across multiple venues to do when it's determined to give every sponsor maximum exposure
and every attendee the best possible view of the action?
Sounds like a job for "GoTron," the 9' x 12' mobile LED video unit designed by GoVision LP
(www.jumbo.tv) to offer unparalleled flexibility and accessibility for major events like Fiesta
San Antonio, which was projected to attract up to 3.5 million attendees from April 16-26.
The GoTron unit visited two sites each day of the festival, including all of the biggest events,
such as the Opening Ceremonies, Fiesta Oyster Bake, Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA),
Fiesta Flambeau Parade and the Battle of Flower Parade.
In addition to capturing up-close views of the main attractions, GoTron integrated sponsor
ads and other exciting production elements. Among other highlights, GoVision's production
crew operated two live cameras during
"Fiesta, Fiesta at the Alamo" - the festival's
Opening Ceremonies - which, for the first time, was conducted at night.
"The organizers of Fiesta San Antonio really thought outside the box when it came to
deploying mobile video at their event," said Chris Curtis, president of Keller, Texas-based
GoVision. "They offered their sponsors creative promotional platforms, such as live
remotes from company locations that can be replayed later at other venues, and incorporated
various interactive elements into the video broadcast. Other festivals could learn a great deal
from Fiesta San Antonio's example." |
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"We're excited about all the ways we integrated GoTron into this year's Fiesta," said
Nancy Hunt, sponsorship director for the 2009 event. "GoVision said 'yes' to every one of
our crazy ideas, which has enabled us to deliver added value to our sponsors and attendees
alike."
Fiesta San Antonio is one of America's truly great festivals. It began as a way to honor the
memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. That commemoration still
takes place. But over the past century and more, Fiesta has grown into a celebration of San
Antonio's rich and diverse cultures. 2009 marks Fiesta's 118th anniversary.
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No one questions the positive impact massive LED screens can have on the fan experience at sporting events. Many sports marketing professionals have witnessed the
excitement first-hand, and wouldn't dream of staging their events without one.
But only recently have creative minds turned these fan favorites into lucrative new profit centers by engaging sponsors in innovative promotional opportunities that
otherwise wouldn't exist.
As we gear up for the busy fall sports season, we've compiled just a few of these "Best Practices" to help you make the most of your GoVision rental.
Of course, our team is always ready to work with you to customize your game-day experience and create your own mobile video success story.
Step 1: "Holy cow! Where can I get me one of those?"
GoVision offers a wide range of LED sizes to dazzle crowds of any size - from the 9' x 12'
"GoTron" unit to our 9'x 16'
HD "GoBig" screens to the largest high-definition mobile
LED screen in the
country, "GoBigger" - a 19'x 33'
colossus that gives a whole new meaning to jumbo video. Choose the one that best fits your needs - or maybe multiple units are needed - then put the game on and watch
the crowds flock to the screen.
Now that you've got their attention ...
Best Practice No. 1: Turn commercial breaks into sponsor visibility.
America's largest brands spend fortunes to advertise during televised sporting events; but you aren't required to broadcast their ads. Turn that valuable time into
commercial inventory on your GoVision screen, priced according to the size and demographics of your captive audience.
Sponsors will appreciate that nobody in the crowd has a
remote control to change the channel or forward through their commercials. For even more lasting - and valuable - exposure, sell sponsor signage that frames the screen.
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Best Practice No. 2: "Location, Location, Location!"
If there's one thing we know, it's that people are drawn to TV screens in places where they least expect them. Try placing a GoVision LED in your largest booster's
parking lot or along your "vendor row" and watch the crowds grow exponentially. Larger crowds translate into higher sponsor fees.
Best Practice No. 3: "Double the pleasure ... double the revenue."
Why limit yourself to a single location and revenue opportunity when you can double or even triple the fan fest experience? GoVision's quick set-up time allows you to
offer a pre-game experience in one location with a post-game experience in another. Use your screen to draw crowds to a popular pre-game hang-out, then filter fans from the
stadium to another sponsor location for a post-game coach's show or radio station remote. Extend the length of your event, keep the crowds involved and give your sponsors
more bang for their buck.
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Best Practice No. 4: "Go off the reservation."
For a small fraction of the daily rental fee, GoVision can arrive a day earlier - or stay a day later - to give your sponsors additional promotional opportunities.
For example, offer GoVision to a sponsor for their Friday night bash prior to your Saturday game-day rental. The screen serves the dual purpose of promoting your sponsor
while building excitement for the main event. And you've just created another revenue stream!
Best Practice No. 5: "Make technology your friend."
Audience interaction is one of the most effective ways to enhance the game-day experience for sponsors and fans alike. GoVision offers state-of-the-art technology
that brings fans into the game, from text-to-screen messages scrolling below the live feed to real-time online voting (driven to your web site) for MVP or "Play of the Game"
honors. We can even operate remote cameras that give fans unexpected screen time, and broadcast sponsor promotions and giveaways on the big screen.
These are just a few of the ways savvy sports and event marketers are harnessing the power of GoVision to add value to their game-day experiences.
Let us help create your own best practices. Call us today and let's brainstorm together!
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What is the worst job you have ever had?
In high school, a buddy and I worked in a freezer manually filling ice bags, tying and stacking them. It would be the middle of summer and we would be
layered up like we were in Green Bay!
What do you like to do when you are not managing GoVision's shows?
Coaching one of my kids teams. This year I did 4th grade football, basketball and 10U select baseball along with 1st grade girls basketball and softball.
We have a practice or game almost every day of the week and I love it!
What has been your favorite show to be a part for GoVision?
This year's Final Four in Detroit. A lot of things coming together and a lot of people pulling in the same direction to get a massive project done.
I was very proud to be a part of it. It was BIG project in both magnitude and exposure and it was very gratifying that it went so well.
What would be your dream vacation?
I would love to go back to Australia and take the family. Specifically Perth out on the west coast. Beautiful city and unbelievable beaches.
What is the best city to visit for a show and why?
Chicago is a blast. It's one of those cities you wish you had more time to hang out in.
What is your favorite place to eat in that city?
I really enjoyed Giordano's at Lake and Michigan Ave. The deep dish was unreal!
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133 Sports Parkway, Suite A
Keller, TX 76248
Phone: 817.431.3077
Email Address: info@jumbo.tv
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