SETTING THE STAGE
A typical NFL Halftime is exactly 13 minutes, less than
half the total run time of the Super Bowl halftime.
The logistics behind staging, performing, and clearing the field within this rigid time restriction had been an industry-wide barrier to impactful productions at the NFL Club level.
Here's how we changed the game and unlocked major stage productions on field en route to the NFL's highest rated halftime program of all-time.
THE CHALLENGE
We set out to build a solution with the following criteria in mind:
It must fully deploy to mid-field in 90 seconds to allow meaningful halftime entertainment.
It must do so without leaving any impact on the playing surface.
It must be future-proof and able to be deployed for varied known and unknown future uses.
It must be production-friendly and allow for dynamic lighting, audio, equipment, and staging to be added ad hoc.
It must clear all height and width restrictions to deploy through field tunnels and store inside the stadium.
Knowing nothing off the shelf could solve all these needs simultaneously, we set out to build a custom solution
RESULTS
Our new staging system allowed the Vikings to add a professional, big-game production quality to weekly home games. The system unlocked musical performances as a realistic programming option outside playoffs or special occasions.
Halftime became an integral part of the Vikings gameday experience, and by 2019 the Vikings posted the best season halftime rating in NFL history, as polled by the fans.
Below, check out some full-length halftime performances showing the stage in action.