A Look Inside the Sphere: From Visionary Project to Las Vegas Icon

I recently came across this article about a guy who was arrested after climbing to the top of the Sphere in Las Vegas.

This story is interesting in and of itself but it made me realize that the Sphere is a topic that I would have been all over back in my bloggin' days. After all, my posts about outdoor advertising in cities, how to combat ad blindness and ads on building exteriors have been some of my most viewed posts. 

So...let's write about the Sphere!

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Las Vegas, the city of dazzling lights and larger-than-life experiences, has a new marvel on its horizon: The Sphere. This behemoth isn't just another casino or hotel; it's a technologically advanced entertainment venue pushing the boundaries of live events and reshaping the landscape of outdoor advertising. 

The Sphere's story began in 2018 when the Madison Square Garden Company (now MSG Entertainment) unveiled plans for a revolutionary, spherical entertainment complex. Designed by Populous, the architectural firm behind iconic structures like Yankee Stadium, The Sphere promised an immersive experience unlike any other. 

Construction took years, culminating in the grand opening on September 29th, 2023.  This wasn't just a new venue; it was a statement piece. At a staggering 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide, The Sphere holds the title of the world's largest spherical building. But size alone doesn't tell the whole story. The true magic lies in the innovative technology woven into its very fabric.

A Beacon in the Desert: How The Sphere Redefines Outdoor Advertising

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Las Vegas has always been a pioneer in outdoor advertising. From towering casino signs to dazzling LED displays, the city thrives on visual spectacle. The Sphere takes this concept to a whole new level.  

Imagine a giant, high-definition canvas that wraps around the entire building. Now imagine that canvas coming alive with captivating visuals, synchronized with the events happening inside.  This is the power of The Sphere's exterior.  Forget static billboards; The Sphere offers a dynamic platform for brands to tell their stories in a truly immersive way.

Here's how companies can leverage this innovative advertising space:

• High-Resolution Storytelling:  The Sphere's 16,000 square foot LED display boasts an unbelievable resolution, allowing for incredibly detailed and captivating visuals.  Brands can showcase their products, services, and stories in a way that traditional billboards simply can't.
• Interactive Experiences:  The Sphere isn't just a display screen; it's an interactive platform.  Imagine a car commercial where viewers can seemingly "drive" the car around the Sphere's curved surface.  The possibilities for engagement are endless.
• Synchronized Shows:  The exterior display can be seamlessly integrated with the events happening inside The Sphere. Imagine concert visuals spilling out onto the exterior, creating a truly immersive experience for both attendees and passersby.

Beyond the Glitz: The Sphere's Impact on Las Vegas

The Sphere's impact goes beyond dazzling visuals and innovative advertising.  This entertainment giant is poised to redefine the Las Vegas experience in several ways:

• A New Generation of Entertainment:  The Sphere boasts a unique seating arrangement, where two-thirds of the interior is dedicated to the audience, and the remaining space is transformed into a massive stage. This allows for unparalleled artist freedom and the creation of truly immersive shows. 
• A Hub for Innovation: The Sphere isn't just a venue; it's a testament to cutting-edge technology.  From haptic feedback embedded in seats to high-speed internet access for every attendee, The Sphere is a platform for pushing the boundaries of live events.
• A Destination in Itself:  The Sphere's architectural marvel combined with its innovative shows is sure to become a major tourist attraction.  This will not only benefit The Sphere but also generate additional foot traffic for surrounding businesses.

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The Sphere has only just begun its journey, but its impact on Las Vegas and the entertainment industry as a whole is undeniable.  It's a testament to human ingenuity and a glimpse into the future of live events, forever changing the way we experience entertainment and advertising under the bright lights of Las Vegas.  

Bowl Game Sponsorships

'Tis the season - College Football's bowl season. The same aspects intrigue me each year: the odd matchups and the bowl sponsors. I'm always curious as to how the relationships between the sponsors and their bowl games came to be.

Some of the relationships between sponsors and their bowl games make perfect sense. For instance, San Diego County Credit Union's sponsorship of the Poinsettia Bowl (held in San Diego) seems like a great opportunity for boosting local community awareness. Tostitos makes a clever match with their sponsorship of the Fiesta Bowl, a big-time bowl that provides huge brand exposure.

Other sponsor/bowl pairings leave me scratching my head. GoDaddy seems to have no connection to its bowl's host city of Mobile, Alabama. And Mobile isn't really known as a tech-savvy town. The same goes for Royal Purple's sponsorship of the Las Vegas Bowl. Does anyone associate Las Vegas with synthetic oil? Actually...don't answer that question.

You can check out all of the other bowl game matchups and the title sponsors on ESPN's website. You'll see that most of the sponsorships make sense from a location standpoint in that most of the sponsors are headquartered in the same city as the bowl game.

So what amounts of money are corporations spending for these bowl sponsorships? According to this article by IEG, the costs vary. The amounts listed are for the 2012 - '13 bowl games. I assume that prices are similar for this season's sponsorships.

And how do these sponsorships arrive at these amounts? IEG's Jim Andrews explains in this article that the naming rights for the BCS bowl games are part of ESPN's broadcasting rights for these games. This means that Tostitos, for example, is making a really, really big media buy from ESPN and gets to be the sponsor of the Fiesta Bowl as part of the buy.

When I originally considered writing about this topic, I wanted to highlight how much of a waste it is for Beef 'O' Brady's to sponsor a bowl game between teams from two low-profile conferences in Saint Petersburg, Florida. But these types of bowl sponsorships, with their community relations aspects, charity ties and other benefits, are a great marketing expense for companies of this size. It's the big bowl sponsors that stand a greater chance of getting a poor return on their bowl game investment.

In conclusion, don't be like me and discredit bowl sponsors as just a name on the bowl logo. Companies sink a lot of money into these decisions and in return, communities benefit and we get more college football. OK, it's not always riveting football but it's definitely more football.