Bolton Wanderers FC, a founder member of the football league, relocated to a new stadium in 1997, currently named the University of Bolton Stadium. BWFC not only showcase their #MadeInBolton community spirit on the pitch, but they’re also dedicated to working with Bolton-based businesses behind the scenes. With many BWFC fans within our network of staff and having carried out AV installations for the club before, they hold a place close to our heart. Not only that, but Mitchell & Brown were the clubs first ever back of shirt sponsor with their branding emblazoned on the player’s shirts.
Building upon a decade-an-a-half relationship between Bolton Wanderers FC and TVC, we embarked on an ambitious digital AV screen and signage makeover for the Stadium.
The project required an upgrade to the stadium’s entire video distribution system. Moving from outdated analogue to digital, it will provide a dramatically increased clarity of image on screens within the hospitality areas. To take full advantage of this, a series of new TVs were to be installed throughout.
The ambitious project, part of a 25-year refurbishment project for the University of Bolton Stadium, included upgrading light-box signage in the food courts to fully digital screens, making it far easier and cheaper for booths and kiosks to update content.
The complex Bolton Stadium AV project saw TVC upgrade the stadium’s entire video distribution system and install our own-brand Mitchell & Brown TVs from the main concourse to the luxury suites.
Throughout the stadium and the Corporate Hospitality area, we installed over 100 Mitchell & Brown screens as well as overhauling the Stadium’s video distribution system to a full digital platform. In the corporate hospitality areas and Platinum Suites, we used 55 and 65in flagship 4K UHD TVs with near-frameless design. The Platinum Suites regularly see over 200 guests in attendance, further reinforcing the Mitchell & Brown brand as Bolton’s local TV brand of choice.
In the main concourse, the new Mitchell & Brown digital displays were to be used as digital menu boards to display the ever-changing match day menus using advanced digital signage. We opted to mount them on Peerless-AV flat TV brackets from their Universal Flat Wall Mount series. These revolutionary flat TV brackets offer the most versatile installation features and mounting options. Due to the digital displays being arranged side-to-side, the unique horizontal and vertical adjustment abilities simplify post installation levelling whilst helping to achieve perfect, accurate positioning.
“Bolton Wanderers needed a complete overhaul of the TV display and signage system as part of the stadium works over the summer of 2022” said Mike Pink, Chief Commercial Officer “We were delighted to work with TVD Group and the Brown Family on delivery of the new state-of-the-art aerial distribution and signage system across many key areas of the Stadium including our hospitality lounges and boxes. This was an essential project for us to complete in time for the new 22/23 season, TVD delivered not only on time but a quality service and product which has considerably improved the match day experience for our guests and supporters”
The Bolton Stadium project had a time-line of just four weeks in total to remove the old analogue system and install the latest digital video network and over 100 TV screens. The entire system went fully live this month (August 2022) to coincide with the opening of BWFC’s new Fan Zone. This 1,000-capacity outdoor space is a dedicated place for Wanderers’ supporters to get together pre and post-match in a friendly, relaxed environment to grab a bite of locally-sourced food and enjoy a drink.
Mitchell & Brown Operations Director, Dan Brown, commented, “We are extremely proud to have been selected to supply and install BWFC’s new 4K digital TV screen and signage network. As long-standing supporters of the club, as well becoming the clubs first ever back-of-shirt sponsors in 2016/17 , this is a great example of local businesses working together to build a better experience for the end customer – in this case the hundreds of thousands of football fans, BWFC supporters and hospitality guests that pass through the Bolton Stadium every year. We are delighted to be a part of this new chapter in the club’s ongoing history.”
