Howzat! Panasonic Keeps Cricket Alive At SCG

More than 1.5 million people are expected to experience the impressive screen in 2011, with the SCG joining some of the world’s most prominent venues such as New York City’s Madison Square Garden and the Beijing Olympic Stadium in deploying Panasonic LED screens.With the cricket season now in full swing and many more events to be held at the SCG throughout the year, the 157 square metre, super-bright screen is located on the parapet of the Dally Messenger Stand.

The LED screen was installed in time for the Australia vs England Ashes Test in January, which was attended by more than 170,000 cricket fans. The SCG was also the venue of yesterday’s ODI between Australia and England, in which Australia sealed a 5:1 lead in the 7 match series.

SCG Trust Chief Executive, Jamie Barkley, said the Trust aimed to offer fans an experience that could not be matched in the home, even with live television broadcasts.

“Our key aim is to make the fans’ match day experience the best it can be, so it was crucial for us to choose a provider who could deliver long term quality performance, flexibility, reliability and support,” he said.

“Panasonic has an excellent track-record in these elements and is supported by a strong local presence, so we are confident that the new screens will help make our customers’ experience even more enjoyable,” he continued.

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Panasonic has also installed banner eight metre square LED signage on the parapet levels of the Bradman and Churchill Stands to provide fans with a news ticker of the latest score and information updates.

Mark Deere-Jones, Director – Business Systems Group, Panasonic, said: “We are a nation of sports lovers, with research predicting that over seven million Australians will attend a sporting match this year. At Panasonic, we are looking forward to working with local venues to get fans through the front gate and help make sure they want to come back again and again,” he added. 

The new screen is 18.8 metres wide and 8.3 metres high, displaying vision in an impressive ultra-wide 23 x 9 ‘cinemascope’ format. It is designed for outstanding viewing with a vivid picture even in bright Australian conditions and direct sunlight, featuring a 7000 cd/m2 (candelas per square metre) display and 23 trillion colours.