technical and field operations for Fox Sports, in a Sony press release. “Our job is to tell the story of the game, capturing the energy within the stadium and keeping billions of viewers engaged. Sony is a key tool in reaching that goal.” The halftime show, now an inextricable element of the Super Bowl itself, also requires complete coverage. Technical project management was handled by Funicular Goats, who also oversaw the halftime shows in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The multicam solutions company captured Lamar’s performance on 14 devices: 13 Sony Venice 2s and one Sony Burano for the ASL feed. This year, Motion Impossible’s modular Agito dolly system also roamed the field during Lamar’s performance. Designed for quick and precise movement and to prevent tyre damage, Agito was rolled out, captured all the action and then disappeared without a trace. “The Super Bowl halftime show is a challenge unlike any other,” explained James Coker, co-founder and head of engineering and technical management at Funicular Goats, within a Sony press release. “Sony Cinema Line cameras have the perfect combination of full-frame The whole ordeal is a hugely collaborative effort – and one that ultimately pays off for everyone”
Apple Music sponsored the show for the fourth year running
risen to each new challenge, elevating the halftime show from mediocre commercial break to being – for many viewers – more entertaining than the game itself. At this point, the crew has it down to a science: “We’ve worked together for so long that I know what Bruce expects, and he knows what I expect,” admits Powell. “I love working with him and the wonderful team he’s put together.” Between building stages and set pieces to setting up audio systems, planning camera positions and more, the whole ordeal is a hugely collaborative effort – and one that ultimately pays off. This year, Kendrick Lamar broke the record for most-viewed halftime show, and in the three hours immediately after the game, his music saw an average of a 175% increase in streams on Spotify ( Not Like Us , the Drake diss track, alone saw a 430% spike). Whether for the artist or the audience, the Super Bowl halftime show is nothing short of spectacular. While the game itself remains ‘the biggest night in football’, the concert might be even bigger – and we can’t wait to see what else is in store.
sensor and broadcast compatibility to allow them to work seamlessly within the show’s structure.” Traditionally, broadcast cameras would cover the halftime show, but this shifted as technology improved and audiences began to display a preference for more ‘cinematic’ content. Then, during the pandemic, The Weeknd performed at Super Bowl LV with almost no one in the stadium. Since it was largely a televised concert, cameras made the difference; there’s no going back now. LIGHT UP THE NIGHT One way to get audiences engaged is by making them part of the performance. For the sixth consecutive Super Bowl (and seventh in total), Canadian wireless lighting company Pixmob delivered an LED wristband to every attending fan, illuminating the Superdome stadium in synchronised fashion. Used to turn live events immersive around the world, including Taylor Swift’s record-breaking The Eras Tour (the LED would change colour depending on the era) and Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour, Pixmob’s wristbands have definitely made their mark on the fan experience. Designed to fit every wrist, the LED bands feature ultra-bright infrared light, respond to radio frequencies and are constructed from recycled plastics. It’s a light show like no other and, at this year’s Super Bowl, all 75,000 fans donned a bracelet (as all 133.5 million TV viewers watched from afar). Previously deployed exclusively during the halftime show, Pixmob’s wristbands lit up all game long this year. The company have developed a ‘human screen’ technology called MVT, which turns dark stadiums into animated visual canvases; Super Bowl LIX marked its North American debut. Like the rest of the AV experience, the wristbands were customised to fit Lamar’s creative vision, with the wearables collectively spelling words such as ‘start’ and ‘game over’ to further Lamar’s concept of playing the ‘great American game’. UNTIL NEXT TIME It won’t be long before planning begins for next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, with lots going on behind the scenes as fans wait for the artist announcement. Full of seasoned live event veterans, the team behind the annual gig have
BRINGING SOUND TO THE SUPER BOWL
This year’s Super Bowl was kitted out with a completely new sound system. Brought in specifically for the halftime show and the game, this was a set-up that’s become a mainstay of high-end concert performances globally. It was integrated with an L-Acoustics K2-based system, provided by ATK Audiotek/Clair Global, who have managed the halftime event sound for nearly 30 years. The impressive system comprised 16 hangs of K2 arrays as well as eight hangs of KS28 subwoofers. A dozen of those K2 hangs had K1-SBs above; eight of the K2 hangs had close-coupled K1-SBs, while four of the remaining K2 hangs employed K1-SBs as a line extension.
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