Signs of the Times - December 2012 - 6

ST UPDATE
For Golf and Country
For those who prefer team sports (this writer included), golf and its individualistic pursuit of victory may create a disconnect (opinions about certain golfers with feline nicknames notwithstanding). However, the biennial Ryder Cup, which pits top U.S. players against European championship-caliber players in match play, celebrates greatness on the links while creating a team-first atmosphere. For the 2012 Ryder Cup edition, which took place at the Medinah Country Club in suburban Chicago, electronic message centers (EMCs) were integral in keeping the thousands of spectators onsite – and millions more watching at home on NBC – engaged in the proceedings. According to GoVision, the Plano, TX-based company that designed and built the displays, the 15 displays used during the contest – in which the Europeans staged a furious rally to overtake the U.S. squad – represent the most ever employed during a Professional Golfers Assn. of America (PGA) Tour event. Chris Curtis, GoVision’s CEO, said PGA Tour officials determined placement with the company’s input after two years of collaboration and three site visits.

By Steve Aus t

News for a broader perspective

One prominent installation occurred above a pond between Medinah’s 15th and 16th holes. The 12 ft. 7 in. x 31 ft. 11-in. screen sat atop a preinstalled foundation. Curtis said, “All of our gear is IP 65-rated to be completely waterproof outdoors. We had to be careful that all fiberoptic cable and powersource placement remained above water. On Tuesday of that week, turtles ate through a cable in the middle of the lake, which required quick replacement.” All displays used during the competition comprised 8mm-pixel-pitch

Lighthouse EMC tiles; those used in opening and closing ceremonies were 10mm. The screens displayed a combination of real-time video, replays, scoring updates and some prepared Ryder Cup video archives. Lighthouse’s proprietary processors managed the display transmission through a central onsite location. Curtis said, “Image clarity, resolution and wide viewing angles are essential, especially for outdoor installations. The bar is high for such prominent installations, and we’re proud of the results.”

SAi Establishes Free Guild For Sign and Printmakers
SAi (Salt Lake City), the producer of Flexi, PhotoPrint and EnRoute software, has announced its establishment of The Intl. Sign and Printmakers Guild (ISPG) as a way to generate more sales opportunities for sign companies and digital-print makers. Additionally, SAi is setting up a website called sign.com, where end users can design and order their own signs. The ISPG website is www.signprintguild.org. With set prices posted for signs, sign buyers would verify final designs. Guild members nearest to the sign job would be given the first opportunity to accept it. The website will have five categories of signs from which sign buyers can make their selection: Signs, Banners, Stickers, Posters and Decals. In addition to the basic categories on sign.com, consumers can also request a quote for custom signage (that is not template-based) like vehicle wraps, engraved signs, etc. Consumers enter in basic information on what they want, and sign.com will route the quote to their
6 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / DECEMBER 2012 / www.signweb.com

nearest shops, which will contact them directly to work out the details. SAi says it’s basically a lead generator for local signshops. ISPG membership is free, partially due to anticipated sponsorships from product manufacturers and sign associations. Guild members would only pay the 10% commission when they received a job through ISPG. SAi has pledged to spend $1 million annually over the next three years to advertise and promote the website in major metropolitan markets. ISPG is governed by an advisory board of eight members and a Code of Ethics its members have established and will subsequently enforce. The board is helping to set prices, levels of response and conduct criteria. ISPG members can establish their own website presence in exchange for a 5% fee for all site transactions. ISPG will begin accepting membership applications in early January.

http://www.sign.com http://www.signprintguild.org http://www.sign.com http://www.sign.com http://www.signweb.com

Signs of the Times - December 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - December 2012