The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be held in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan from August 31 to September 15, 2019. This is the first year in which China is hosting the event, which features a record number of participating teams and anticipates record attendance numbers. Accordingly, the demands on infrastructure – including sound and security systems — are higher than ever.
Thanks its rich experience in stadium system installations and an extensive product portfolio, Bosch and its professional audio brands Dynacord and Electro-Voice were chosen to provide integrated sound and security solutions for four of the tournament’s major venues: Beijing Cadillac Center, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Wuhan Sports Center and Foshan International Sports and Performing Arts Center.
According to the different requirements of each site, Bosch PRAESIDEO public address and voice alarm, Dynacord IPX and Electro-Voice TG multi-channel amplifiers, Electro-Voice X1 line array loudspeakers and EVH horn-loaded loudspeakers, and a range of other high-performance products have been installed to help elevate the game-day audio experience for fans and help share the excitement of the FIBA Basketball World Cup with the world.
Cadillac Center
Beijing’s 18,000-seat Cadillac Center, formerly known as Wukesong Station, served as a competition venue for basketball matches during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Since it is the venue for semi-finals and finals of this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup, its reconstruction project has attracted a lot of attention. Thanks to its location and advanced facilities, Cadillac Center is among the busiest stadiums in the world, with a particularly high utilization rate in recent years. The installation was successfully completed within a tight time frame, significantly reducing the impact on daily activities at the venue.
The placement of the X1 arrays was limited by having just four hoisting points available on the stadium’s ceiling structure. The choice of horizontal coverage patterns – 90 and 120 degrees – and rigging hardware options meant that a total of 48 X1 full-range elements were installed across the space with no compromises in coverage or sound quality. These are supported by 12 X12-128 subwoofers distributed in four groups, ensuring excellent low-frequency reproduction. Four EVH horn-loaded loudspeakers cover the court area, ensuring the players and team members hear announcements clearly. The system at Cadillac Center is powered by 21 Dynacord IPX series multi-channel power amplifiers, which offer presets to optimize the performance of the Electro-Voice loudspeakers.
Foshan International Sports and Performing Arts Center
Compared with Cadillac Center, which has been in use for over ten years, Foshan International Sports and Performing Arts Center — built in 2018 – is an up-and-coming star. Within just one year the stadium, designed to host international NBA games and the FIBA Basketball World Cup, has become one of the most important sports and cultural facilities in south China.
“In order to meet the customer’s strict requirements for the sound reinforcement system, together with Electro-Voice team we installed a total of 54 X1 line-array loudspeakers in six groups with 12 Xsub subwoofers to cover the spectator area, as well as 20 TG7 power amplifiers to satisfy system drive needs for transient peaks and low impedance,” explains Wang Yong, project manager at Bosch partner Nanjing Hiwin. “To ensure that spectators throughout the venue hear games and announcements clearly during every match, we selected 28 EVF loudspeakers as auxiliary fills (powered by seven TG5 amplifiers), and eight ZX3 loudspeakers as mobile sound fills (powered by two TG5 amplifiers), delivering the exciting competitive atmosphere to every corner of the venue.”
In addition, an Electro-Voice N8000 digital audio matrix controller provides comprehensive and extensive management for the entire system. Wang Yong adds,“depending on the requirements for places of various sizes, such as deluxe boxes, chairman lounges, VIP lounges and club lounges, we have installed hundreds of EVID and ZX1i loudspeakers together with Dynacord C-series power amplifiers, ensuring that personnel in different areas can hear sound clearly and synchronously. In addition, a Bosch CCS 1000 D digital conference system also allows effective communication between stadium and FIBA staff for meetings during the event.”
Wuhan Sports Center
1000 kilometers away from Foshan, the Wuhan Sports Center has also transformed its sound reinforcement system for the upcoming Basketball World Cup. The Electro-Voice and Dynacord team installed four EVH loudspeakers to cover the court area, with 36 flown EVA compact line-array elements in six groups to cover different zones of the spectator area. Utilizing the powerful processing functionality of 24 DYNACORD C-series amplifiers, the system provides consistently excellent performance for major events at the venue.
Shanghai Oriental Sports Center
Bosch and Electro-Voice solutions are also providing a combination of sound and security at the 18,000-seat Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. This large indoor sports facility installed Bosch and Electro-Voice products soon after its completion. 10 years later, their excellent performance continues to extend the value of the initial investment.
Key products include EVH horn-loaded loudspeakers and N8000 digital matrix systems to coverage and intelligibility across multiple audio zones. The PRAESIDEO Digital Public Address and Voice Alarm System from Bosch, combined with a range of ceiling and surface-mounted speakers in zones, enhances the venue’s overall operating efficiency, safety and security. More than 1000 high-performance Bosch cameras are installed on site to ensure personnel safety and to conduct real-time surveillance inside and outside the stadium.
Bosch, Dynacord and Electro-Voice are proud to play such an integral role in hosting the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Like every player on court, each brand strives for excellence in every project.