The 2011 College World Series took place last month for the first time in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship's new 24,300 seat stadium. It is among the game's most technologically advanced, with modern features including microphones embedded in home plate and the pitcher's mound, the second largest video board in the state of Nebraska, and a sub-air system within the playing surface that can either heat or cool the field.
The venue is also outfitted with high-tech sound reinforcement and broadcast cabling systems designed by Austin, TX-based BAI and installed by Electronic Contracting Company of Lincoln, NE. With more than 700,000ft of cabling and 120,000 Watts of power, the sound system features more than 200 Community WET and R-Series weather-resistant loudspeakers.
According to ECC's Chris Chavanu, there's not a bad seat in the house. "It's one of the best designs I've ever seen for coverage in a ballpark. The distributed design of Community's WET and R-Series loudspeakers deliver even, consistent coverage to the entire stadium," Chavanu notes.
The sound system includes a range of R.5 two-way short throw loudspeakers, including R.5-94, R.5COAX66 and R.5COAX99 models, augmented by R.25-94 compact two-way loudspeakers. Three long-throw R2-474 three-way loudspeakers provide long-range coverage. Rounding out the system are more than 100 WET Series W2 models.
Chavanu reports, "Community's WET Series came into play because the area is very exposed to the elements. Nearly every Community loudspeaker is mounted onto a pole that stands 30ft high and is continually exposed to the elements. We pre-assembled each loudspeaker and ran pink noise and rattle testing in the field. Some loudspeakers were mounted onto poles which were then lifted 150 feet in the air by a crane to be positioned and secured. It's a very unique set-up."
(Jim Evans)
