Activation Light Shows: Innovative Ways Schools are Enhancing Events on Campus

Author: Jordan Edgett

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If you have been to a professional, collegiate sporting event or music concert over the past couple of years, you have probably noticed innovative lighting solutions that contribute to an enhanced fan experience. The Philadelphia Eagles light show this past fall season is one of my favorites and is a good example of how organizations leverage new technology to create a better gameday atmosphere. Whether the experience is created with a CUE cell phone light show, wristbands, or LED lighting systems, these activations have become essential to captivate your audience successfully.

High schools searching for ways to attract students to games or want to provide a better event experience have already begun activating light shows. Few schools have the resources for LED lighting systems or the budget for wristbands. The ease and affordability of CUE have made the cell phone light show a great option for high schools. Our audio tracks come pre-programmed and it takes only a few minutes to customize with team and/or sponsor logos. The best part is that no hardware, cell service, or internet is required to activate it!

Athletic games, whether pre-game or in-game, are the most popular events for light shows at the high school level. Schools across the country have enjoyed successful activations at football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, and wrestling events. We have also worked with a few schools to hype up big soccer and lacrosse games under the lights for evening games. To this day, I can remember the feeling of being part of introductions at my high school basketball games. Those moments were always surrounded by intense energy in the building; now, that feeling can be amplified with a CUE light show that both the student-athletes and fans will feel.

Athletic Directors have created new traditions at all levels, such as shutting the stadium lights off between the third and fourth quarters. Picture your fans lighting up the field during these moments with their phones dancing to Sandstorm, singing Thunderstruck, or vibing to Lose Yourself. This brings a special kind of energy that is entertaining for the fans and can energize the athletes with a unique home-field/court advantage heading into the end of the game.

The great thing about this technology is it is universal, it works great at any live event where energy is high. Pep Rallies are also a popular activation in high schools. Picture your gymnasium packed with your entire student body, lights off with everyone’s flashlights synced to the beat of the music. It creates an environment where every student can enjoy and be a part of, not just student-athletes. There is no better way to build school spirit!

Clear Creek Independent School District in Texas is one of many that have already activated a light show and several other engagement features to begin their pep rally and celebrate their Homecoming this school year.

“Incorporating Light Show into our campus pep rally elevated the overall experience and allowed every student to be involved. Energy was at an all-time high during this activation. Our next step is to sync it to the dance team performance to step it up another level.” - Amber Pecsenye, C3Studios Program Director

We have also seen light shows activated through Dance / Drill, Band, and Cheerleading routines. Coaches and students love the idea of including fans in their in-game or halftime routines. Lincoln Christian High School integrated its light show into its Cheerleading halftime show during a recent playoff basketball game in Nebraska.

Coming from an athletic administration background, I admittedly did not realize the potential of events outside of sports. Schools continue to be creative with how they choose to engage students and fans, highlighting the dynamic impact light shows can have. Our cell phone light shows are subscription-based, so schools can use the product as often as they want, when and where they can add value. Light Shows work great for any event because it isn’t just about the lights but also the on-screen content. We have seen light shows at:

• Robotics tournaments: Interactive activations have proved to be a great start to the tournament or during breaks in competition
• Spring concerts: Music directors have programmed their pre-recorded tracks to sync the triggers to a live song.
• Student Leadership workshops: The Iowa High School State Athletic Association presented light shows at its fall student leadership conference.
• Freshman Orientation: This is a great way to break the ice and get students to engage during these exciting yet nervous times.
• Assemblies: Any student, faculty/staff, or community assemblies with a crowd can make it work.
• Religious services: Schools that have religious affiliations have activated light shows during services and youth events.

It’s always fun to hear administrators and group leaders ask, “Would it be possible to run a light show at…?” We enjoy working with schools that bring a creative spin to their production experiences. We are currently planning light show activations at a prom and a summer workshop, both new event types, at two different schools, and we can't wait to share the results!

Each new creative activation is another unique opportunity to highlight your sponsors. Schools that take advantage of fan engagement products not only provide a better event experience but also create new revenue streams.

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If you have upcoming events at your school that would be perfect for a CUE smartphone light show? Let us know. We would love to continue expanding the list of creative ways to use this great technology!

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