Peek Into the Control Rooms at University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium

See the console equipment that makes ambitious in-game, in-event content production possible.

CI Staff
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With Big Ten college football games, basketball games, hockey games and school events, things can get busy at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium.

With such variety in events, the behind-the-scenes control room equipment and personnel have to be flexible and nimble in their operations.

“We’re not only producing our in-house broadcasts at four venues, but we’re also streaming a good number of those events as well,” says Tadd Wilson, scoreboard and video manager at the University of Minnesota. “There are times when we’re producing two shows at once—a hockey game from one control room and a basketball game from the other.”

The university recently added a fourth broadcast venue location called the Sports Pavilion. The new display required a secondary control room … One of the biggest challenges to the new space, however, was the unique shape and size.

The university recently added a fourth broadcast venue location called the Sports Pavilion. The new display required a secondary control room to support the addition, and Wilson and his team were allotted a specific space to house the new setup. One of the biggest challenges to the new space, however, was the unique shape and size.

“We didn’t get to choose the space, and what we were given was very long and narrow,” he said. “We needed some flexibility in how the room was developed in order to make sure the space was configured so we had the right functionality for all the events we produce.”

Workstations and consoles were a major component of the room, and Wilson worked closely with Jeffrey Volk, director, Alpha Video Sports and Entertainment, to determine the best furniture solution for the long, narrow space.

Winsted, a maker of control room consoles, had been partnering with Alpha Video on projects for over 30 years.

“Having worked with Winsted in the past, we knew they’d help us find the best layout for the room,” Wilson says of the Minneapolis-based manufacturer. “We looked at what we wanted to do, then they came back with solutions to help us configure the room to make the best use of the space.”

Wilson and his team selected a Sight-Line console from Winsted’s Prestige line of products, which is ergonomic, modular and adaptable, so the operators have the flexibility and adaptability to monitor viewing angles and sight lines as well as maintain a level of personal comfort.

“Between the two control rooms, we sometimes have 16 or 17 operators working at one time,” Wilson said. “It was important to have comfortable workstations and with the new layout, there is plenty of space. Plus, we’re able to adjust the monitors as needed.”

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The console system provides rack mount turrets, which allows operators to adjust the monitors and any other piece of equipment as necessary for individual operator comfort and viewing angles.

“The turrets are very practical,” Wilson said. “They allow us to arrange our control panels, routers, speakers, audio monitors and other equipment for height and angle adjustment, which helps keep operators comfortable while providing the necessary viewing angles.”

As well as effectively functional, the University of Minnesota TCF Bank Stadium control room configuration additionally provides an aesthetic appeal that elevates the space to showroom quality.

“The elegant look of the consoles really plays a role because we conduct so many tours throughout the year, and people are always coming through the control rooms,” Wilson says. “The aesthetic finish on the consoles is appealing, and Winsted added our logo to the sides, which is a nice touch. The room is comfortable, functional and the look of the consoles really makes our room stand out.”

Photos: Get a Glimpse at the Console

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