On the Gridiron: Atlanta Falcons Adjust To Evolving COVID-19 Policies at Mercedes-Benz Stadium From no fans in the stands to 15,000 at the third home game, the challenges keep changing By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor Friday, October 9, 2020 - 7:00 am
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Many professional sports have opted for a return to play inside a sanitized bubble. Not the NFL. Without skipping a beat, the league is soldiering on with regular-season games in all 30 stadiums across the country. Similar to our At the Ballpark series, On the Gridiron examines the new routines, habits, and production philosophies of in-venue personnel on any given Thursday, Sunday, or Monday.
When Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened its doors in 2017, AMB Sports + Entertainment (AMBSE) needed to generate a content strategy that matched its new digs. After producing a few preseason games, the in-venue production team settled in. Three years later, though, the team is back to developing a new plan, one for a venue without fans in the stands and accommodating safety protocols affecting day-to-day operations.
The season has been a very odd experience for all of us. It feels like we're watching a practice, says Tameka Rish, VP, game day and event experience, AMBSE. I think 2020 is the year of change, and we are continuing to live that through every protocol.
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Daily Effort: Operations Rolls With Constant Changes Widespread changes have been seen throughout the professional leagues to ensure a safe setting for staffers. The NFL is following guidelines in enforcing precautions. When workers returned to the facility and the control room at the beginning of the season, it looked drastically different from the way it had at the end of the stadium's third year.
Atlanta Falcons players' families provided pregame introductions prior to the home opener vs. the Seattle Seahawks.
We have plexiglass set up at just about every station, separating all of our operators. We don't have any people that are less than 6 ft. [from each other], says Ben Dolinky, chief broadcast/AV engineer, AMBSE. We also have a safety protocol that the stadium has put in place with a health questionnaire that [staffers] must answer before getting access into the building. Once people are in the room, we've mapped out [one-way markings] with tape on the floor to keep that flow of traffic in the control room separate.
Not only have there been changes to the control-room physical layout, but the team is adapting to the current circumstances by keeping the creative juices flowing. When this year's logistical obstacles arose, the operations team went back to the drawing board.
Technology is constantly changing, Dolinky notes. One of the things that we love to do is continuously innovate; we're always looking for what's next and how we can improve. Regardless of COVID-19, we're always looking to push the envelope to enhance that game-day experience for our fans.
A Piece of Home: Videoboard Integrates Fans, Families on Game Day Before the season, teams were wondering how to connect the players with fans who aren't at the venue, and, when the preseason was canceled, the situation became more daunting. Despite the tough task, Manager, Stadium Productions, Julia Chongarlides and her in-venue production crew are exceeding expectations by delivering a multifaceted in-house experience.
We like to bring a lot of energy by utilizing prompts and our PA announcer, she explains. We've incorporated a lot of unique elements as well. We're doing whatever we can for the players since they're our main audience right now. For our player introductions, we've asked family members to introduce them.
Besides relatives, the franchise is tapping the greater Atlanta community to bring the energy while the stands are empty. Reached with the help of the Falcons' community-relations team, local high school coaches and players are adding texture and hometown flavor to the defensive prompts shown on the video displays.
In addition, innovations include technologies that allow at-home friends and family members to be at the center of the action. For example, TVU Networks is helping the team display 25-50 at-home fans on the venue's massive Halo board and four fans on the large mega columns at a height of 20 ft.
ATL, it won't be the same without you today.
Until we can have you home, send us your favorite memories from game days at @MBStadium pic.twitter.com/kHpcmKNw2b
- Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 13, 2020
Julia and her team have done a great job of providing high-end content to our season-ticket members [watching from home], says Dolinky. We're want them to feel like they're still part of the game-day experience. It has been challenging but, at the same time, very rewarding when you see the excitement on the fans' faces when they know that they're on the videoboard or receiving that content.
