Just for Fun No C&C will be given: Cowboys Stadium - Part 1

This past Saturday (2009.08.29), as part of an outing arranged by two of Carla's offspring, we went to the new Cowboys Stadium (in Arlington, Texas, a bit west of Dallas) to see the Dallas Cowboys play (and lose to) the San Francisco 49ers, a pre-season game and only the second NFL game played at the new stadium.

This is part 1 of what I expect to be a multi-part photographic report on the stadium. The most important attributes are:

• It's big. Its basic seating capacity is almost as great as that of the Cleveland (Lakefront) Stadium commissioned in 1931.

• It's expensive. The generally accepted number for its cost is USD1.25 G.

All the images here were shot with a Canon EOS 40D with a Sigma 18-200 mm f/3.5-6.3 OS. Most are full-frame, an all are ex camera except for some curves work, downsizing, and the attendant sharpening.

Here we see the stadium from one of the parking lots (actually, one associated with the nearby Rangers Ballpark at Arlington, the local baseball stadium), where we had a lovely tailgate party (on a wide grassy berm with nice shade trees - much nicer even than the one seen in this shot, lower left) in the afternoon preceding the game. (Boy, do our kids know how to have an outing or what! They paid for our game tickets as a birthday gift to Carla.)


The end walls open up (aircraft-hangar style), and of course the roof opens.

This gives an idea of the interior arrangements:


The white circle shows (although at the opposite end) the location of our seats. (Hey - the kids are thoughtful, but not rich!). (This shot was obviously not from our seats.)

Here we see the Arlington (Texas) High School band taking the field at halftime (shot from my seat):


We can see the gigantic video display, about which more in the next section of this report.

Finally, we see the winning touchdown (San Francisco!), in the last two minutes of play:


[200 mm, ISO 1600, F/6.3, 1/320 sec, full frame]

I'll have some comments on the design features of the stadium and on some unique photographic considerations, along with some action shots in various contexts, in the next section of this report.

Now it's off to breakfast.

Cowboys Stadium - Part 2 - The video display

One of the most striking features of the new Cowboys Stadium is its video display system hung in the center of the field (the bottom is, I understand, 90 ft above the field surface).


The system has four panels, made by Mitsubishi.

The two panels facing the sidelines have a display area approximately 160 ft wide x 71 ft high (2.24:1). The two panels facing the end zones have a display area approximately 50 ft wide x 29 ft high (1.78:1).

The main (side-facing) panels are built up of multiple-LED "dots" at a pitch of 10 mm. These are operated in clusters of four (RGBR) to produce pixels at a pitch of 20 mm.


The pixel dimensions of the images on these screens are 2432 px x 1088 px. On the end screens, the pixel pitch is 16 mm, and the pixel dimensions are 960 px x 540.

It is said that by using a clever algorithm, the dot pitch is exploited (reminiscent of demosaicing in an image sensor) to gave an effective visual resolution higher than the pixel dimensions.

According to the specifications, the total power consumption of the system is about 1.4 MW (it is possible that, owing to a possible misunderstanding about the specifications, it is only half that). The system is reputed to have cost USD40 M. The panels themselves have an overall weight of about 200 tons.

An interesting photographic implication of this system is that its maximum luminance is substantial. When there is an image on the screen (and this is always), the system contributes a substantial portion of the total illuminance on the field and stands. As a result, that illuminance, and its chromaticity, vary wildly as the program material changes.

Adding to that is the illumination from two bands of video panels extending all around the stadium at the fascia of two tiers of seating.


Changes in their messages thus also contribute to a continual variation of the illuminance on the field and its effective chromaticity.

Overall, it's an amazing system.

It has already had a punt kicked into it, leading to a big uproar, including what the rules say about that. (Loss of a stroke and drop the ball for the lie, maybe.)

Best regards,

Doug

I can't wait until I can get back there for a game. It is really a magnificent stadium for a truly magnificent franchise I must say. The Cowboys are going to be the first team to host, and win, a Superbowl game, I think it is in 2012. Yes the board is low enough to where it will be hit by punts but it was built to league specifications. I assume they will be changing the specs after this season. Thanks for sharing and I envy your visit.
James Newman

Doug,

I am so impressed with your presentation. I like the idea of going from the external, "establishing shot", from the parking lot to superwide lavish spectacular interior to action shots. Good job.

Now how about some detailed architectural snippets and maybe a Goggle air shot.

Asher