The Not The Footy Show team attended the Ice Hockey yesterday at Cockburn Ice Arena and watched the Perth Thunder win their first game against an AIHL side, and none- less than the current reigning champions the VIP Adelaide Adrenaline. Well done Perth Thunder and coach Stan Scott.
While we were there someone raised the point about the music cutting in during the breaks in play and how quickly it came in and how modern and up tempo it was. This then reminded us as to how good they are at the Wheelchair basketball when the Perth Wheelcats play, and also when the West Coast Fever play, yet so horrendous at Emirates Western Force and Perth Glory games.
This raised the issue why so? Is it that at these two bigger sports it is simply a technician driving the music, and therefore they do not understand the breaks in play? Is it that at the three events we have mentioned as being outstanding that those working there have a passion for the sport?
We do not know the answer but we do know that when done well it really adds to the atmosphere, yet when done badly sounds simply terrible. Well done Ice Hockey WA and Wheelchair Sports WA, you make it a really enjoyable experience.
The point I was trying to make was not necessarily the quality of the sound, just the timing of when to come in and when to cut the music, as well as the choice of music.
I am like you I wonder when this need for music came into sport.
I think you will find that it as much to do with the venue as anything, and by association the technology you are using.
Ice Hockey, the Basketball codes, Netball etc are all played indoors, where as the so called ‘larger’ sports play on ‘larger’ out door stadiums.
I noticed from our VIP positions at the Cockburn Ice Arena that they were running the music from a simple Windows Media Player or such playlist on a laptop and then pumped out the PA. This would be how it is done at most grounds. From here it is the quality of the PA vs the size and shape of the venue.
If you have a small room then you don’t need a big PA to get it sounding huge. Conversely, If you want Perth Oval to sound like Challenge Stadium, then you need Metalica to leave behind their ‘Front of House’ setup, and employ the road crew to stage it etc.
Most large outdoor stadium PA systems sound shite, generally because they are. It seems to be the sort of thing Stadia owners think they can get away with the minimum $$
As for the timing of the music interludes, that is in the hands of the individual user.
Personally, if I want to listen to music, I play a cd.
PA’s should be for goalscorers, subs and winning raffle numbers.