Riedel Communications today announced that ATK Versacom, a Clair Global brand, has used a comprehensive suite of Riedel solutions to ensure seamless production and broadcast of an annual worldwide esports championship.
Enhanced Wireless Communication with Riedel’s Bolero Systems
By seamlessly integrating Riedel’s Bolero 1.9 GHz and 2.4 GHz systems with the Artist-1024 matrix, ATK Versacom was able to overcome the traditional limitations of wireless communication in dense environments, facilitating synchronous communication with local and international production teams, broadcasters, and the event’s technical crew.
“Working on a high-profile international esports championship was a fun and exciting challenge. The complexity and scale of the event required a robust and flexible communication system, and as always, Riedel’s solutions delivered exactly what we needed,” said Juan Gallardo, Director of Technical Operations at ATK Versacom. “By creating a high-density wireless environment that supported seamless communication across all production elements, we were successful in coordinating the efforts of our local and international teams, broadcasters, and the game’s producer. We are proud to have successfully executed such a prestigious global event and look forward to continuing our partnership with Riedel on other important occasions.”
First held in 2011, the annual international championship has evolved into a highly prestigious event on the esports calendar. The acclaimed multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game event drew fans from around the world to Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, where competing teams this season fought for the title of world champion and a share of a massive multimillion-dollar prize pool.
High-Density Network Deployment
This year’s tournament marked a significant achievement in live event production thanks to the innovative use of Riedel’s state-of-the-art technology. As the production support specialist, ATK Versacom deployed an extensive Riedel setup, including 90 Bolero wireless beltpacks (26 operating on 2.4 GHz and the rest on 1.9 GHz DECT), an Artist-1024 digital matrix intercom frame with 256 ports, approximately 30 SmartPanels and legacy 1000 Series panels, up to 25 antennas for 1.9 GHz, and 20 antennas for 2.4 GHz. This equipment was installed and operational for both the semifinals at the Seattle Convention Center and the finals at the Climate Pledge Arena, enabling a quick breakdown and reassembly between venues.
For additional flexibility, Riedel’s network- and IP-based system enabled ATK Versacom to run a cable or use the house fiber, adding a switch and then installing the panels, antennas, and beltpacks as needed.
Global Connectivity and Multilingual Support
ATK Versacom was able to integrate the Bolero 1.9 GHz and 2.4 GHz systems into the Artist-1024 matrix seamlessly, enabling communication across different frequency bands without direct interaction. This setup allowed ATK Versacom to create a high-density wireless communication network capable of supporting up to 90 beltpacks simultaneously, overcoming the typical DECT limitation of 50 beltpacks. Moreover, the integration facilitated communication in at least four different languages — including Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish — and included Dante.
The adaptable system seamlessly integrated with third-party interfaces to establish connections with broadcasters across different countries, thus ensuring seamless global transmission.
“The complexity of this international championship highlights the power and flexibility of Riedel’s solutions to meet the unique communication demands of live global esports events,” said Patti Gunnell, Vice President, Key Accounts – Western U.S. at Riedel Communications. “While our 2.4 GHz Bolero system was originally designed for countries outside the U.S., its ability to assist in creating high-density wireless systems proves invaluable when pushing the limits of the DECT band.
Once again, the combination of Riedel’s Artist and Bolero proves vital in allowing this prestigious esports tournament to connect participants from around the world effortlessly. We are thrilled to support ATK Versacom in taking on this ambitious challenge and delivering a truly global experience for this passionate community.”
For over 30 years, ATK Audiotek has consistently pushed technological boundaries to create some of the most ambitious concepts in the production world. ATK Versacom creates wired, fiber, and wireless communication systems, placing complex, multi-channel networks seamlessly under the control of our live, broadcast, and televised events clients. In 2022 ATK was acquired by market-leading sound reinforcement specialist Clair Global, expanding Clair’s worldwide reach into broadcast audio, communications, and integration while simultaneously offering ATK’s loyal customers a long-term, sustainable path within the event technology sector.
Riedel Communications is a leading provider of live production tools in the worlds of media, sports, and entertainment. The company’s hard- and software solutions span from distributed video and audio networks over intercom and replay solutions to WAN and MPLS applications. Thanks to Riedel’s holistic approach, its two business units — Product Division and Networks Division — can leverage powerful synergies to provide flexible infrastructures, tools, and services for both fixed and temporary installations around the globe, enabling Riedel customers to run even the most complex projects on-site, remotely, or in the cloud.
Riedel is locally headquartered in Santa Clarita, California, with its global headquarters in Wuppertal, Germany. Riedel employs over 1,000 people in 30 locations throughout Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Americas.
