Hewlett-Packard Unveils HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports

Expanding on its long-standing relationship with Walt Disney World Resort, HP (NYSE:HPQ) today unveiled the HP Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a project designed to deliver an immersive technology experience to the 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators that visit the complex each year.

The 165,000-square-foot complex – now branded the HP Field House – is a multipurpose facility that has been the cornerstone of ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex since it opened in 1997. The facility will now deliver an elevated experience for sports enthusiasts through a variety of HP enhancements inside the facility and beyond.

From the HP Photo Creation Center, to the touch-enabled desktops and digital signage that deliver interactive park experiences, to the HP TouchPads that will be used for on-field stat collection, the HP Field House enables athletes, coaches and fans to have a hands-on experience and completely customize their visit in ways that can only be done at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

“Continuing HP’s decades-long collaboration with Disney, the HP Field House captivates audiences through state-of-the-art athletic facilities with a rich, interactive technology experience that extends the spirit and passion of sports beyond the field of play,” said Carlos Montalvo, vice president, Innovation Program Office, Personal Systems Group, HP.

“Today’s youth athletes are extremely tech savvy and HP is the perfect partner to help them better capture and savor the lasting memories of their unique sports experience in ways that no other sports venue can,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president, Disney Sports Enterprises.

Personalized avatars, applications and concierge services
Customized concierge kiosks featuring the first-ever deployment of HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PCs allow athletes, coaches and fans to access and print a wide range of sporting event information using HP TouchSmart technology. Based in seven convenient locations throughout the complex, the kiosks guide users to field assignments and provide schedule updates, access to event highlights and general complex information such as maps, weather and dining options.

The TouchSmart kiosks also host a custom application that allows sports fans to create personalized avatars for their official ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex credentials. Able to generate 37 billion uniquely tailored avatars, the application offers a wide array of preferences and design tools, including a range of sports uniforms, jersey colors, team numbers, facial features, skin and hair tones, and accessories.

Users also can enjoy one-click access to print, email or share their designs with a personalized message, or upload them directly to Facebook. Special HP product offers for guests also will be provided in the same sleeve with the avatar.

HP Photo Creation Center creates lasting memories
The centerpiece of the HP Field House, the HP Photo Creation Center enables sports fans and athletes to download, design, enhance and print commemorative game day and event images such as matte or glossy photographs for purchase. Guests also can upload their content to the HP Photo Creation Center to create a variety of custom keepsakes, such as photo cards, multipage calendars and photo CDs. In addition, guests can print large-scale posters with the option to print single image or collage posters, wallpapers and banners for purchase onsite.

The ESPN Idea Lab showcases the future, today
The Idea Lab provides HP, Disney and ESPN the opportunity to collaborate on 3-D, custom application development and new HP products offering visitors an exclusive opportunity to interact with HP’s newest products in a way they have never experienced them before.

Champion Stadium suites
HP is installing a range of PCs, printers and displays in the Champion Stadium suites, home to Atlanta Braves Spring Training. HP also will update the concession areas throughout the venues with digital signage – including a four-panel display scoreboard in the rotunda of the HP Field House – so fans will never be far from the action on the field.

Overall, the integration of HP technology bolsters the growing list of innovative features added to the 220-acre complex in recent months, including the ESPN Innovation Lab, a high-tech Production Center, several high-definition cameras and video screens, and a 20-zone audio system.

The HP Field House is a multipurpose indoor arena reminiscent of a classic 1950s style field house, with room for six full-size collegiate basketball courts and a seating capacity of 5,500. The facility can accommodate most indoor sports, including basketball, wrestling, gymnastics, volleyball, martial arts, roller hockey, cheerleading and dance, in addition to concerts and conventions. Regular events include AAU basketball, College Cheerleading, Dance Team National Championships and the Old Spice Classic, a leading Division I NCAA men’s basketball holiday tournament.

Images courtesy of and © Disney