This new deployment features 15 Bolero wireless beltpacks, over 20 PunQtum digital partyline beltpacks, the powerful Riedel Artist-1024 matrix intercom platform, and more than six 2300 Series SmartPanels — all supporting the university’s growing production demands as it enters the Big 12 Conference.

With the university now responsible for over 125 ESPN+ broadcasts per year — two to three times more than in previous seasons — UofA required a communication solution that could scale quickly while remaining user-friendly, cost-effective, and highly reliable.

PunQtum’s wired beltpacks are now a core part of the workflow, delivering reliable communication to fixed operator positions like replay, graphics, and marketing. Meanwhile, Bolero provides full wireless mobility across multiple venues, including McKale Center, where the university’s main broadcast control room is located, and the nearly 100-year-old Arizona Stadium. One of the biggest improvements has been eliminating the loud, buzzing interference, especially during long cable runs in the football facility. With the noise gone, people can clearly hear and understand each other, making a huge difference in both operations and experience. The Artist-1024 intercom matrix ties the system together, enabling fast reconfiguration and isolated workflows for simultaneous events.

Located on 380 acres in Tucson, Arizona, UofA is home to over 55,000 students and a wide array of NCAA sports. The main broadcast control room runs on Riedel’s SmartPanels and serves as the hub for ESPN+ productions. The system’s IP-based design allows for future expansion across the university’s fiber network, with softball and track facilities next on the roadmap.

This deployment also showcases the value of Riedel’s hybrid approach, which combines high-end wireless capabilities with scalable, IP-based partyline solutions like PunQtum. Supported by Dante and existing network infrastructure, the system maximizes performance while managing costs.

Riedel’s support team and systems integration partner AVI-SPL played a key role in bringing the system online in time for a full season of football and basketball broadcasts. Additional antennas, intercom endpoints, and venue integrations are expected as the university continues expanding its production reach.