As part of a multi-year agreement announced today, Panasonic will serve as Official Partner of INDYCAR, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500, Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the Brickyard 400.
Panasonic will also sponsor the Pagoda, located on the start-finish line at IMS, and Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company is installing 20 networked high-definition LED video display boards at the Speedway. Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, an industry leader in engineering and technology solutions, also was announced as an Official Partner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Verizon IndyCar Series.
“We are continuing to enhance the fan experience at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Panasonic is playing a key role,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway president J. Douglas Boles said. “We will deliver state-of-the-art technology and a clear view of all the racing action. The imaging clarity and technology powering the new video displays, in addition to enhanced content delivery, will allow our fans to truly feel the energy on the track.”
Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, was selected by IMS to spearhead a comprehensive LED display solutions upgrade throughout the facility. To ensure that all spectators have a video screen to view at the massive racetrack, Panasonic is working with IMS to build a network of next generation video boards located throughout the infield and in front of the grandstands of the iconic 2.5-mile oval.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world. The digital display network provides clear sight lines from any viewing angle, with 98 percent of all seat holders having a clear view of all the new and vibrant content delivered on these displays. Fans will immediately notice the new LED video boards are significantly larger, brighter, have more accurate color imagery and are capable of broadcasting HD animation, graphics and video.
In Turns 1 and 4 and above Gasoline Alley, the displays are more than three and a half times the size of the previous boards, with the displays at Turns 1 and 4 each exceeding 2,200 total square feet. The boards positioned above the Media Center and at the south end of the Gasoline Alley Suites are more than four times larger, with each having a total display area greater than 600 square feet.
Complementing the video board digital network is the 92-foot-tall scoring pylon erected by Panasonic in June 2014. The new structure replaced the previous pylon, built in 1994 on the front straightaway, just south of the entrance to Gasoline Alley. The Panasonic pylon features LED panels on all four sides, providing vastly improved messaging capabilities for attendees.
The new Panasonic video boards and pylon are key highlights on a long list of major capital improvements planned by IMS scheduled to conclude ahead of the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016. The “Project 100” initiative includes renovations across all aspects of facility operations, from seating, connectivity and technology to fan experiences and track improvements.
