Clark Wire & Cable Provides Heavy Lifting in Renovation of Dodgers Stadium

The U.S. just isn’t America without America’s game and Dodger Stadium, the third oldest stadium in the MLB, has always been a part of that tradition. But, in 2020, Dodger Stadium needed some upgrades to bring the fans into the stadium from their seats at home safe from the pandemic.

Built in 1962, Dodger Stadium has been a center of community, beloved landmark, and beacon of pride for more than 50 years. But, while that is something to be proud of, the fact remains that fifty years is a very long time in terms of technology. The pandemic increased the need for technology unlike anything the country has seen in more than a century, and the MLB wasn’t about to sit on the bench.

COVID-19 has caused no end of disruptions for every industry. Everything from raw materials to the sports venues have seen a vicious combination of delays, price increases, and lowered quality of product. So, when the L.A. Dodger Stadium needed a $100 million dollar renovation including a major rehaul of the telecommunications, it presented a project that could have been riddled with serious connectivity problems during an already dangerous time.

Making things clearer for the fans
The renovation was planned to revolutionize and modernize the stadium without sacrificing the classic architecture or atmosphere of the beloved landmark. Which ratcheted up the challenge, since there was a need for more technology and infrastructure across the majority of the stadium

To get the Stadium ready for the 2020 season, three major upgrades created a broadcasting infrastructure that Dodger Stadium and the MLB could be proud of:

  • In-House Production: the in-house production suite was designed to allow stadium production to move into the 21st century. With the upgrade, the production suite is a self-sufficient facility which could accommodate a full-fledged A/V production if needed.
  • Truck Bay: To support Dodger Stadium’s audio video mobile truck infrastructure, Clark provided a comprehensive modular fiber chassis system (MPAS) which included SMPTE fiber camera connectors for HD signals and triax connectors and cable for legacy connections. The project also includes custom A/V panels for easy integration.
  • Outfield Camera Locations: Clark Wire and Cable provided almost 46 miles of cable including fiber-optic, Category 6, and audio video signal cable.

Not everything was done for the folks at home
Dodger Stadium’s Renovation wasn’t just to make things more enjoyable throughout the Pandemic.

“The new PA, the first L-Acoustics system to be installed in an MLB stadium, was designed to enable the venue to be used for a wider variety of functions and to keep it competitive with other MLB and sports venues, which have been upgrading their live sound in recent years,” says Derek O’Hara, director, planning and development, Los Angeles Dodgers.

The MLB will always be looking for the next thing to keep Baseball America’s pastime. Which is why they have a long list of contract partners and contractors. A project of this magnitude, finished in less than 7 months, couldn’t have been accomplished by any one group alone. A new A/V layout for outfield locations, an in-house production suite upgrade, and an overhaul of the mobile truck bay was installed by A/V integrator Scher Shot Productions out of Huntersville, NC. Connectivity products for the project was supplied by Clark Wire and Cable.

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