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The Boston Red Sox are calling it ``big hits on the big screen.''

About 360 Sox fans will watch at a movie theater in Randolph as the Olde Towne Team takes on the dreaded New York Yankees next Friday night in the Bronx.

Don't these people have TVs?

Most likely. And the game will be aired on WSBK-TV (Ch. 38) in Boston, as is usually the case on Friday nights.

But that didn't stop more than 20,000 area fans from entering their names in a drawing to win one of 360 tickets for the simulcast at National Amusement's Showcase Cinemas in Randolph. Adding a ballpark atmosphere, hawkers will stroll the aisles selling peanuts, pretzels, Fenway Franks and beer.

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As Ohioans live and die with the Buckeyes, New Englanders live and die with the Red Sox. National Amusements is doing this as a "corporate synergy" tie-in; the company owns Viacom, whose Boston TV stations carry a number of Red Sox games.

NA's website even had a link to the Red Sox website for a few weeks. A lot of Yankee fans must have been unnerved since NA has a major presence in the New York area.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-29-2003, 06:31 PM:
 
A local independent will be showing the OSU games this year. They are not charging admission, but rather a cover charge with a free buffet. It is impossible for us common folk to get tickets to OSU Stadium (be a student or give LOTS of money to good old OSU are about the only ways to get in), and it will be interesting to see how they do.

Local restaurants hate night games. People usually go to the stadium early, eat "tailgate" food, then go home about midnight. Very few people will eat out here on a game day. Restaurants do much better when there is an afternoon game, where people stop to eat on their way home.

Most everyone knows around here that the best time to shop or go to a movie is during a football game.

A large AMC theatre is within sight of the stadium. They patrol the lot continually to be sure there are enough spots for movie patrons. They will tow your car out of their FAST if they see you walking toward the stadium.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 09-23-2003, 10:23 PM:
 
Second local independent is adding Ohio State University football games to their programming. Admission is free, so I guess they are planning on making money with concessions.
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-15-2004, 03:07 PM:
 
Here we go again for another Super Bowl party. This year the Palms Hotel and Casino is buying out the four biggest screens at the Brenden 14 for the day. I'll be in there again riding engineering shotgun. Will try to take postable pictures this time (took pics last year too, but none of them came out good enough for posting here). At least this year we will not have to double-stack and overlay machines. The new machines are 10,000 lumen output each, more than enough for these screens.
 

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-15-2004, 03:20 PM:
 
Are "clearances" for theatre screening of televised sporting events easy to negotiate with the NFL, NCAA, networks, etc.? Do theatres pay a percentage or a fixed amount? Who does the negotiating for the theatres -- film bookers, upper management, agents, etc.? Are the TV commercials shown as well? (It's half the fun of watching the Super Bowl).
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-15-2004, 05:49 PM:
 
I'm not on the business side of this so I really don't know the details. The owners of the Palms are also owners of an NBA franchise, so maybe rights issues are less of a problem for them.

But every hotel/casino in Las Vegas does a Super Bowl party, so the rights must not be that hard to obtain. It's the busiest weekend of the year here for video projection rentals (and video projectionists ). The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is again running TV ads nationwide promoting Las Vegas as a better place to watch the game (even better than being in Houston! ). The NFL doesn't like the gambling inference and therefore won't allow those ads to run during the game itself, but the ads will run prior to game time. Super Bowl is by far the biggest betting day of the year for all of the sports books here.

This year we will use four of the biggest screens at the Brenden Palms 14, up from the two we used last year. This year the hotel is just renting the screens from Brenden (buying out the day, so to speak). This location is Brenden's corporate HQ, so the logistics of the negotiations are easy. Last year sold out, and was done simply to accomdate the overflow (about 900 people) from the hotel's party which takes up all of the convention and meeting room space they have (10 more big screens set up over there). Looks like this year they expect to do even better business.

Yes we show the commericals! We just take a straight OTA feed from our ultra-sophisticated hi-tech bought-it-at-Fry's rooftop antenna pointed at KLAS Channel 8, the local CBS affiliate. The hotel also provides us with a Cox Cable feed as a backup. We amplify the RF and send it down RG-11 (last year was RG-8) to each theater for demodulation and S-Video feed to each projector. Yes, it's just SD--we can't convince them to spring for HD. The 22x29' SD picture (top mask set for 'scope height) doesn't look bad from the back of these approx. 450 seat houses. Hopefully next year we'll be able to show them what HD can look like. The Dolby Stereo audio is fed to the non-sync inputs on each CP-650 using Format 74 (I think) for decoding. We pot down the audio during the halftime break so the live MCs can do their contests and giveaways. Then we pot it back up for the halftime show.

Oh, the food and drinks! Each hotel does it a little differently--here it's all you can eat pizza, sub sandwiches, beer and wine, all catered by the casino and included in the price (and comped for the casino's high-rollers). Plus there's the regular snack bar stuff too. People sure do seem to enjoy it.

I don't envy the floor staff at the end of the night though. They literally have to shovel those theaters out while we're wrapping the video projection stuff, even with all the extra trash cans provided. Not much damage to the houses from what I've seen either, which surprises me given the amount of alcohol flowing. The people are rowdy but don't seem to get too out of line--the casino does provide lots of extra security. All in all it's a lot of fun, and a profitable couple of days for me too.
 

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Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 01-15-2004, 09:18 PM:
 
I am curious about this also. I was considering setting up something for the Final Four here at my theater. I haven't even started looking into it yet but I more or less had the assumption that since the games are on broadcast television that it would be ok as long as A) all the commercials are shown and B) we cannot profit from the actual feed (meaning we can't keep any admission charges but donating to charity is ok). If someone has any real insight I'd appreciate any help.
 

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Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 01-16-2004, 01:37 AM:
 


Sugar Bash, LSU vs. OU at the Sugar Bowl viewing party weekend before last at the State Palace theatre in New Orleans. How often do you get a show that will fill the house, the audience won't mind being photographed, AND the house lights are up?

The State Palace did not charge admission, but charged for concessions & with 3 stations & at least 6 strolling vendors could not move them fast enough to take all the money. There was a VIP area with cabaret tables in the orchestra. This photo was taken during the pre-game show (on the big TV projection); they filled the house, 2500+, the 2nd balcony was filling when I left during the 2nd quarter. The pre-game show had segments of other viewing parties around the US; they showed one at the New Orleans House of Blues which looked like a retirement home gathering in comparison. I don't know how it was arranged, but it was the network feed sent to affiliates with play-by-play, interest cut-ins, talking heads, etc.

The thing I found interesting was the security issue. The State Palace handled it like they do their concerts & club nights, robot lights all in the house & a security staff of 78. The security & ticket folks were saying "give me the rock & roll crowd anytime". A few belligerents, drunks, some just stupid as stones, etc., male & female, who did not know they were dealing with staff that did these large crowds often. The people with personal & social development problems were just vanished instantly into the outside air by security, but the security folks were mighty grumpy with the miscreants. Overall, though, it was 99.3% a great crowd in a good humor.



I like these guys, came all the way from Ohio, having a great time, clamored to have their picture took, stood still 6 seconds for the picture.

Beer, liquor, soft drinks, nachos! & theatre munchies, burgers & hotdogs cooked on the grill outside. The folks at the State Palace want to fill their seats, but are different from some MPV's & PAC's in that they LOVE their audiences, & they throw the best parties in the country at their little 3000 seat house. Was a ball, everyone happy.
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-28-2004, 08:28 PM:
 
Heh heh, looks like I won't be doing Super Bowl at the Palms afterall. Channel 3 News here reports that the NFL pulled the plug on the Palms party today. The NFL says the Palms cannot show the game on any screen larger than 55", in other words, a home TV-sized image. Oh well, it would have been a nice gig, but I wonder how the NFL will handle all the other hotels here, since they all do Super Bowl parties with portable screens much bigger than 55"...
 

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Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 01-29-2004, 04:24 AM:
 
I'd like to know more about the licensing arrangements for the Super Bowl parties as well. There's a VERY nearby theater charging $10 a head to watch it on a 15' screen.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 01-29-2004, 07:00 AM:
 
2 local theatres are running the Super Bowl on Sunday.

One, a downtown 8-screen independent, has free admission and is showing in one of the large auditoriums with a 65' screen. Even giving away SPIDERMAN II posters to the first 50 people! (OOOHHH!)

Another, a neighborhood independent (how rare that is!), is charging $1. They have a liquor license and bring in pizza/subs from a shop down the street. Should do very well there.
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 01-29-2004, 08:01 AM:
 
So has anyone figured out how the licensing works? Is it negotiated with the league (NFL, MLB, etc.), the TV station, or both? Is it a flat rate, a per centage of the boxoffice gross, or some other amount?
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 01-30-2004, 03:13 PM:
 
Not sure what effect this will have over theatre screenings, but this was posted (via DrudgeReport) by KNRV in Reno:

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Big screen TV's are causing a problem for a Las Vegas casino planning a Super Bowl party.

The NFL has sent a letter to the Palms Hotel Casino over an advertisement.

The Palms planned a super-sized party for Super Bowl Sunday, with the game to be shown on theater-sized big screens. But the NFL is barring the casino from showing the game on the big screens.

Jim Hughes is the General Manager of the Palms Hotel. He says it is all about copyright laws. "Copyright laws that the National Football League is quoting allows us to show it on big screen TV's up to 55 inches in diagonal. However, forbids showing it on any kind of a screen larger than that or any kind of commercial screen."

More than 600 tickets had been sold for the Palms Super Bowl party. The hotel is now refunding the money and offering a free Super Bowl party to those who had tickets, with the game on 130 regular-sized screens.

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-30-2004, 03:34 PM:
 
If the licensing can be worked out, one of the neatest applications of high-end digital projectors would be in a betting or sports bar environment, with wall-to-wall rear screen displays. Imagine a bar or restaurant patron surrounded by multiple 9x16 foot screens, maybe even covering different angles on the action.
 

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Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 10-19-2006, 11:36 AM:
 

It has been 992 days since the last post.

 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 10-19-2006, 11:36 AM:
 
ESPN is screwing Central Ohio this weekend, and some cinemas will benefit.

Living in football crazy Columbus, Oh (Home of the currently #1 Buckeyes), we are used to seeing OSU football games. But, this weekend, ESPN is putting the screws to local cable companies by placing the OSU/INDIANA game on ESPN-U, a channel almost no one gets around here. ESPN has done this to pressure Time-Warner to get this channel and other new Disney channels. As of now, it looks like there will be no chance of a deal before this weekend.

ESPN-U will be on the satellites, and a number of cinemas will be showing the football game on Saturday. They charge no admission, and make a killing on concessions, especially beer. Right now, there are 5 locations (all independently run) that will have the game. Some are already booked by radio stations and other groups. One advertises free hot dogs, and the Arena Grand shows it on 65' screens! (I have not seen this, so I can't vouch for what it looks like.)

Cost for an entire season of ESPN channels is $600 per year. The service is through Direct TV Commercial.
 

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Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 01-07-2008, 06:40 PM:
 

It has been 445 days since the last post.

 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 01-07-2008, 06:40 PM:
 
Well, its BCS night and, once again, the Ohio State Buckeyes are after the national championship.

Things are very weird around Columbus tonight. Many businesses are closing at 7:30 so the employees can get home for the game. Arby's is closing early, and even Texas Roadhouse will send its employees home.

If the Buckeyes win, the local Macy's stores will open after the game to sell OSU victory memorabilia.

There are at least 4 and maybe 6 theatres showing the game, all with free admission. Studio 35, Arena Grand and Drexel Gateway (all independents), and the Starplex derivitive, Movie Tavern. Marcus Pickerington and Screens at the Continent may also have the game.

We'll know soon if OSU is embarrassed again or they pull out a victory.
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-07-2008, 09:07 PM:
 
The all-digital projection Galaxy Theaters at the Cannery Casino here are also showing the BCS game for free.
 

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Posted by Edwin Schwing (Member # 1270) on 01-08-2008, 02:21 AM:
 
I watched the game at the Galaxy Cannery and it is truly an awesome event!

I hear they are having the playoffs on the 20th and will have the Superbowl on the 3rd!

E
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 12-18-2008, 07:17 PM:
 
The local RAVE theatre will be carrying the BCS Championship game on January 8 in 3-D. RAVE says this is the first 3-D event carried on a national basis. Tickets will be $25. This will show in the 258 seat Auditorium #1 which is the only one at that location with a Real-D unit.

RAVE will also be carrying the NBA All-Star game. Tickets for that are $20.

Should be interesting to see how this works out.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-18-2008, 08:12 PM:
 
Mark, any idea how the 3D programming is being produced and by whom? Will there be two separate systems...the full network setup with their 2D cameras and RAVE's own duplicate system using their own 3D equipment?

I can see that piggy-backing on the network production when they were just showing the network broadcast would be viable, the network are able to do this kind of sports coverage with their eyes closed and the highest production values (best cameras and plenty of them plus veteran production teams). That would be costly enough for RAVE to have to pay to simulcast the network's broadcast to their theatres, but to duplicate an entire production system with multiple 3D cameras -- I would guess that the cost to pull that off would be astronomical. I would even guess near impossible to find that many qualified pros around. What kind of 3D cameras rigs will they be using? How many for really good coverage? Consistance between camera rigs would be a nightmare -- going from one camera rig to another while still keeping convergence from changing radically so that people don't go crosseyed would be a big issue, no?
 

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Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 12-18-2008, 11:32 PM:
 
Sky (sister company of Fox) in the UK have tested 3D sports events, which can apparently be delivered to customers via existing set top boxes. This link explains briefly how they did it.

We've started to get live sporting events in the cinema in the UK. However we really like a drink in this country, and I think the problems that occur as a result make owners apprehensive about organising screenings. Last thing you need is a whole auditorium wrecked or negative local press because things got out of hand.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-20-2008, 10:45 AM:
 
Interesting article. Answers my question about how they shoot it. But I can't imagine that the 3D effect would trump the ability of seeing the same game as a standard network sports production where they use upwards of 12 cameras and all the ancillary stuff to do the special effects like the instant replay, slo-mo, on field tracking shots, etc. I think I would much rather watch the full coverage that the network does with lots of camera angles than a measly 3 camera shoot, 3D notwithstanding.
 

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Posted by Benny Walters (Member # 4894) on 12-22-2008, 06:56 PM:
 
Thanks for all the free advertising Mark.

The Arena Grand actually shows all the regular season games as well as any bowl games. Been doing it for three years straight.
We do a lot of special events here often connected to large sporting events, debates, and this years inauguration which will be public as well.
 

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Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 12-29-2008, 01:05 PM:
 
Frank,
This event is being filmed by 3ality and distributed by Cinedigm. I observed the testing with 3ality in our lab and the 3d was incredible. As far as the camera count Im unaware of what 3ality is using but I would guess its more than 3 cameras. Should be interesting to see what else is in the pipe for such events
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-29-2008, 02:03 PM:
 
Well, not being a sports fan other than for my alma mater football, I can't see how 3D would enhance the experience by very much unless the cameras are right down on the field. Any medium or distance shots would seem to benefit little from 3D. But if this works for them, I would love to seem them do 3D productions of other events like concerts, operas, symphony orchestras, etc. where the cameras could get right down into the action and put the audience in the middle of it.
 

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Posted by Edwin Schwing (Member # 1270) on 12-30-2008, 05:43 AM:
 
Frank,

Imagine a football (in 3D) being punted toward your face. Just seeing a sporting event on the big screen is surreal, imagine it in 3D.

As far as concerts go, I am sure that you didn't watch Miley/Hanna perform earlier this year in 3D. A whole heck-uv-a-lotta others DID!

E
 

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Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 12-30-2008, 04:26 PM:
 
Modell said the format will be roughly the same as it was during the test screening, which had eight 3-D camera crews beside their 2-D counterparts, and a separate set of commentators.

http://www.huskerboard.com/forums/index.php?s=0533c30dfda43c3cdae01771436ca85d&showtopic=31360
 

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Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 01-08-2009, 09:22 AM:
 
Well, its game day. Ive heard from many sites booked for this that they have secured alcohol permits for the event, I hope this is a growing trend as I would really like to enjoy a fine barley pop with my film/event patronage. Unfortunately Los Angeles is rather tight on these type of permits
 

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Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 01-20-2009, 06:56 PM:
 
Regarding the 3-D football, friend of mine saw it at CES in Vegas and was very impressed, apparently you really get the sense of the depth of the field when watching, and the number of cameras was over five on his count.
 

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Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 09-23-2010, 09:14 PM:
 

It has been 611 days since the last post.

 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 09-23-2010, 09:14 PM:
 
Big Ten Stops Local Theatres from Showing Football

(Columbus Dispatch, 9/23/2010)

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Big Ten nips cinema showings
By Tara Stubbs-Figurski THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS

Football fans who had hoped to watch Ohio State University’s upcoming games on a giant screen at an area cinema might want to work on a Plan B.

After showing the Buckeyes’ season-opening win over Marshall on Sept. 2, the Drexel Theatre in Bexley received a cease-and-desist letter from the Big Ten Conference, manager Ben Leonard said.

The theater decided not to fight the conference, Leonard said.

“We checked around with the other theaters in town that were (showing the OSU) football games, and all of them have pulled the games as well.”

Chris Hamel, president of Gateway Film Center near the OSU campus, said the Gateway received a similar letter late last season, when it was under different management. As a result, the new operators haven’t shown any games this year.

Movie Tavern Mill Run near Hilliard showed the first two games before receiving the Big Ten letter, a manager said. The OSU-Ohio screening was canceled Friday, although the venue continues to show the games in its bar area on smaller TV screens.

The size of the screen, Leonard said, is the sticking point for the Big Ten.

The Drexel, he said, was informed that it could continue showing OSU games if it projects the contests on a screen measuring less than 55 inches wide.

The Drexel’s main screen is about seven times that size.

The theater’s screening of the Marshall game was attended by 60 to 70 people, with organizers expecting more for the Miami game. The letter from the Big Ten arrived the day of the Miami game (Sept. 11), however, so Drexel officials scrapped plans to show the game.

Admission to the event was free, Leonard said, because making a profit directly from the game is illegal. The theaters make money through the sales of snacks and alcoholic beverages.

Erick J. Palmer, a legal representative for the Big Ten, acknowledged that theaters were asked to stop showing the football games but declined to say more.

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