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Summer’s last blast is coming up this weekend.
From parties on the Jersey Shore to Staten Island’s North Shore all the way to the Hamptons, people will be dancing on the beaches, drinks in hand, listening to summer’s hits.
When you think of the sounds of summer, do you remember amps being blown and distortion ruining the mood in your venue? Are audio visual headaches the top theme of the season? Cross your fingers that your system will survive your Labor Day, end-of-summer party.
Then it’s time to start thinking about changes you can make to the audio visual systems in your sports bar, nightclub or ultra lounge so you’ll have the best technology on the block for football season and beyond. With the Superbowl taking place in New York this year, it’s never too early to start thinking about how you’ll draw people to your venue that Sunday. And that answer is: by creating an experience that’s even better than they’ll get with $4,000 tickets at the Meadowlands’ Met Life Stadium this winter.
“The 12th Man Concept,” Coming to a Sports Bar Near You
You may have heard of the “12th Man” concept, where spectators literally become part of the action during high-tension football game moments. (If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s explained here in Sound & Communications magazine).
Today’s audiovisual integrators can take this concept to its next, high-tech step, making spectators feel like part of the action even if they can’t be at the game. The breathless silence when there are just seconds left in the game… the deafening roar of the crowd following a touchdown… High definition video systems and an audio system that brings clear, transparent sound brings it all to life on the big screens. Because of the close-ups, multiple camera angles, replays, commentary and yes, the climate control, some New York fans would rather watch sports at their favorite bar than braving city traffic to get to the stadium. Is that a surprise?
Now, what can you do to make sure your venue is the one where they choose to gather?
How to Ensure Rock-Solid Audio Visual for Your Sports Bar
First, you want to make sure your audiovisual systems are reliable. This is the key. The best sounding audio system and state-of-the-art LED screens don’t mean anything if they’re always breaking down.
Even having one screen or one zone of audio malfunctioning makes your venue look unprofessional. Your customers may not notice after a few beers, but it’s all about the overall ambiance, which they’ll subconsciously realize from the first drink to last call.
Equally important is that the audio system sounds good, with no distortion and clear, even and consistent coverage throughout the venue.
Finally, you want the sightlines on your video screens to work for your customers wherever they are sitting. People shouldn’t have to crane their necks to catch the big play. If there are multiple games on, they should be able to watch them all from any seat in the house. This isn’t always possible depending on your venue, but this is the ideal to aim for.
A professional audio visual consultant can help you design systems that achieve these objectives and help make your sports bar or lounge the place to be in New York this football season, from the first down to the Super Bowl.