Opened in March 2010, the 25,000-seat Red Bull Arena is home to MLS New York Red Bulls and the NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. It’s the third-largest soccer-specific stadium in the US and the league. Looking for a world-class sound system, Diversified designed and installed a new L-Acoustics A Series loudspeaker system, just ahead of the 2022 MLS season kick-off.
The Red Bulls sought a high-performance, high-impact sound system with higher output and full coverage of seating areas. Working closely with Red Bull Arena Director of Construction John Amorosa, the new system—which utilized the previous system’s cabling infrastructure, saving considerable costs on installation—is designed specifically for enhanced speech intelligibility and music impact. It not only improves the stadium’s sound but also makes it more attractive to touring shows, which can connect to the new speakers and use them for music performances. “That’s a huge factor now for attracting touring shows,” noted John.
The system is controlled and powered by 15 amplified controllers and is flown from the venue’s steel canopy structures and rigged under a tension-fabric curved exterior shell of PTFE fiberglass wraps, utilizing a custom rigging design created by Mountain Productions. The system is fully weatherized to IP standards all of which are critical for a Northeast outdoor venue. That protection extends to the fit and finish of the system, with sealed connector plates, gland nuts and highly durable hardware to meet the rigorous demands of outdoor stadium installations.
The new L-Acoustics A15i sound system, part of a wider sound upgrade also included the installation of a DiGiCo Quantum225 mixing console and new Dante-native DQ-Rack for front of house, will serve the Red Bulls and other venue stakeholders for years to come. “Between how even the coverage is and how musical and impactful the rig sounds, we couldn’t be happier,” shares Red Bull Arena AV Engineer John Nicklas. “Both L-Acoustics and Diversified provided exceptional service and attention to detail. The PA they’ve installed is a total game-changer for us and we’re looking forward to bringing our sports fans a new sonic experience here at Red Bull Arena.”
