If there could be such a thing as a venerable old digital signage integrator, it would be ANC Sports Enterprises. Much like the Golden Age of TV stars - Jack Benny, Steve Allen, George Burns, etc. - were originally radio stars, ANC began as a provider of those rotating, hand-cranked advertising signs before evolving into the leading innovator of digital signage in the sports industry.

“Since 1999, we’ve launched the first 360-degree arena LED ribbon system, unveiled a patent-pending 3D unveiled a patent-pending 3D operating system, debuted digital signage courtside in the NBA and placed LED perimeter signage on the field of North American professional football [United Football League],” explains director of communications and marketing Michael Hopkins.

But the CI staff didn’t select ANC as Digital Signage Integrator of the Year because of its innovative technology or its impressive lineup of collegiate, NBA, NFL and MLB venues. The lesson that we think benefits CI readers is ANC’s grasp of digital signage content and how advertising relates to entertainment and information.

Photos: ANC Sports’ Digital Signage Installs

Smart clients understand that digital signage doesn’t work by plopping up ads and self-serving information. Take the Boston Red Sox, for example. When ownership enlisted ANC to add three gigantic HD video boards (two of which are nearly 100 feet wide) to Fenway Park, promotion wasn’t the only priority.

Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said fans should notice a difference, not only because of the size and HD quality, but because the additional space will allow for the display of more statistics and game information. Lucchino didn’t mention advertising, but that was an obvious priority too.

ANC helped the team create new revenue streams but did so in a way that doesn’t compromise the Fenway experience, says Red Sox COO Sam Kennedy. “They have worked with us throughout the years to not only create new advertising positions around Fenway Park, but to ensure we are delivering our fans as much game information as possible.”

ANC views itself as a “technology partner” to its sports team clients, said founder, president and CEO Jerry Cifarelli. Indeed, another lesson integrators can take from ANC is how essential post-installation service is as a component of digital signage success. “We built the company on a service model,” Cifarelli said. “That makes us different than our competitors; they want to make the sale and put the products in stadiums, but we’re focused on long-term service contracts.”

About 12 percent of ANC’s revenues stem from service contracts. A lot of those proceeds stem from ANC providing content generation and even embedding a technician with teams to operate digital signs during game presentation, but post installation service goes all the way to the top, according to Kennedy. Cifarelli, he says, “was personally involved in every installation, and he is a regular at Fenway to make sure his service team is on top of things. We could not be happier with ANC’s service.”

“These teams are not technology companies,” Cifarelli said. “They’re marketing companies that are there to sell their products, their team, their advertising. So we built a model that says we want to be your tech partner. We encourage teams to work with us on improving their game presentation, and it’s gotten very complex. Our competitors would say, ‘Here is our 800 number.’”

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About the author

Tom LeBlanc - Editor-in-Chief, CI, Tom

Tom has been covering electronics integration since 2003. Prior to being named editor-in-chief of CI, he was senior writer and managing editor of CE Pro. Before that, he wrote for the sports department of the Boston Herald. Migrating to magazines, he was a staff editor for a golf publication and an outdoor sports publication. Follow him on Twitter @leblanctom.

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