The O2 Belfast Completes Major Digital Transformation With Merson Digital

The significant upgrade represents a major investment in the arena’s digital capabilities and introduces a new level of scale and flexibility to the up to 11,200-capacity venue. At the heart of the installation is a 200-metre-long, 1.5-metre-high LED ribbon encircling the arena bowl, complemented by four large-format corner scoreboards, each measuring 10 metres by 5.5 metres – 55sqm. Together, the displays create a connected digital canvas of more than 500sqm throughout the bowl, using 3.9mm pixel pitch high-brightness Yaham LED technology to deliver high-impact content visible in all corners of the arena.

For live entertainment, the infrastructure creates a greater scope to integrate event content, branding, messaging, and visual effects into the wider audience experience, giving promoters and event organisers an additional platform through which to complement activity on stage. The transformation will be particularly significant for Belfast Giants home games, with Merson Digital delivering a multi-sports scoreboard solution integrated with the Navori content management system. The technology provides the flexibility to combine essential game information with dynamic content, fan engagement, partner activations, and in-arena entertainment across the ribbon and scoreboards.

Craig Barrington, Associate Director of Estates and Facilities at The Odyssey Trust, said: “The experience our customers have when they come through the doors is central to how we continue to develop The O2 Belfast, and this project represents a significant step forward in what we can deliver inside the venue.

“The sheer scale of the new digital infrastructure is impressive, but what matters most is what it enables us to do. We now have considerably greater scope to use the technology and content to add to the atmosphere and connect audiences with what is happening around them. It also gives us a platform that is much more adaptable, with every event having different requirements. Having more than 500sqm of high-quality digital inventory allows us to work creatively with various internal and external stakeholders to ensure that our customers have the best experience every time.”

The extensive work undertaken at The O2 Belfast builds on Merson Digital’s growing portfolio within the live venue and experiential sectors, with the company having delivered more than 500 projects in over 30 countries, managing more than 32,000 connected devices globally. Its venue portfolio includes a major digital signage and AV transformation at Manchester’s AO Arena, where Merson Digital delivered large-format LED displays, digital menu boards, wayfinding technology, backstage AV, and in-bowl LED ribbon. The company has also delivered work for the First Direct Arena in Leeds, while its wider sports and experiential portfolio includes projects for the NBA, Nike, Under Armour, and Sports Direct.

Josh Bunce, Chief Executive Officer of Merson Digital, commented: “The O2 Belfast is an iconic venue, and a project that Merson Digital is incredibly proud to be a part of. With a venue that moves between live entertainment and multiple sports, The Odyssey Trust needed a solution that could move with it. Our challenge was to bring more than 500sqm of LED, the venue’s CMS, and a multi-sport scoreboard together into one integrated system that was simple to manage and flexible enough for everything the venue hosts. It was a complex brief, but exactly the kind of challenge our team enjoys solving. A brilliant partnership with The Odyssey Trust and a huge credit to everyone involved.”

The completion of the summer-long project in time for the return of arena events and ice hockey games forms part of continued investment within the arena and the wider site at The O2 Belfast, supporting The Odyssey Trust’s digital-first ambition to enhance customer experience and ensure the venue continues to evolve alongside expectations within live entertainment and beyond.

For more information about The O2 Belfast, please click here.