Rangers Football Club – The Light Blues trust in top-notch security technology from Dallmeier.
Founded in 1873, Rangers Football Club is today one of the top clubs in the world of football. They are also Scotland’s most successful football club, having won over 100 trophies during their 145-year history. Until recently, the club had been relying on an ageing analogue CCTV system to protect its assets, ensure the safety and security of fans, and to support match day operations at the stadium. When the club’s management decided it was time to upgrade to a state-of-the-art video monitoring system, the solution offered by German video technology experts Dallmeier came out on top of the search.
Complex security situation
Whenever a major stadium hosts a great concert or an exciting soccer match, a huge mass of people convene at the site. Growing numbers of visitors though also increase the risk of dangerous situations arising. Those can include objects being thrown onto the playing field or even the displaying of fireworks by fans. Unchecked crowds or brawls between fans are probably among the scenarios that security personnel fear most. In order to prevent such escalations from the start and to ensure the safety of fans and players, sophisticated video security systems are an indispensable tool to provide the necessary overview.
Roland Meier, Director of Panomera Multifocal Sensor Systems with German video experts Dallmeier, explains: “To achieve visitor safety at all times, it is necessary to equip stadia with video information systems that enable operators and authorities to clearly identify and track individuals within groups of people and over large areas and distances.” Rangers Football Club aims to make football matches at Ibrox stadium as safe and enjoyable as possible. Therefore, management chose a Dallmeier video system.
Upgrade at Ibrox
When the decision was made to upgrade the existing system, which operated cameras from a range of manufacturers, to an end-to-end Dallmeier Full IP HD solution, the technical infrastructure was identified as the starting point. A new fibre ring network was put in place around the stadium in order to ensure system performance and provide additional capacity in case of increased operational requirements. As Dallmeier's main partner in Scotland, installation company Systechnica Limited is fully trained on the installation and maintenance of all systems and thus took charge of the complete project work. CEO Brian McNeill commented: "The installation at Rangers FC went smoothly and has produced outstanding images, with an intuitive front end, allowing the club to expand as both risk and requirements change."
Once the necessary networking infrastructure had been set up, the club and Dallmeier’s experts set out to specify what cameras would have to be installed in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the stadium, particularly areas that management and security personnel deemed critical for safety and security. At the core of the system is Dallmeier’s patented MFS - Multifocal Sensor System Panomera®, a number of which were installed in strategic location inside and outside the bowl. Panomera® was specially developed for the all-encompassing video surveillance of expansive areas, such as airports and stadiums. Using the MFS technology, a huge area can be surveyed from a single location, and depending on the customer's needs, the resolution can be scaled nearly limitlessly.
The system upgrade also included Dallmeier PTZ cameras, DDF5400 fixed domes and a number of the highly discreet Picodome® cameras. In the course of the upgrade, the existing recording systems were also replaced, and video images are now stored on high-performance IPS 2400 and IPS 10000 recording server appliances. Lastly, video management was updated to the state-of-the-art SMAVIA VideoIP server and client software, which enables the highly user-friendly recording and evaluation of IP based audio and video data.
Rangers Operations Manager Robin Howe is also a security officer for both UEFA and FIFA, and in that role travels the world visiting and assessing the readiness of venues to host matches safely. He was deeply involved in the system upgrade at Ibrox and has stated his conviction that the new Dallmeier system is substantially better than most that he has seen on his travels.
Integration possibilities
The surveillance of stadia is very complex. The biggest benefit is realised when all systems are intertwined and linked up. Every Dallmeier CCTV/IP video surveillance solution is therefore designed to be able to serve as an open platform for third-party integration.
From cameras to recording systems (recorders, servers, VideoIP appliances) right up to video management, all Dallmeier products can be integrated into any kind of third-party systems (overriding property management systems, access controls, fire detection systems etc.). Likewise, third-party systems or individual components can of course be integrated into existing Dallmeier solutions. The integration process is carried out by using either standard or customised communication protocols, so-called "Open Platform Tools", or else through tools that are specifically developed for the customer.
Therefore, the security systems remain open for adjustments and expansions, and offers long-term investment protection.
Future-proof technology
Ibrox Stadium is arguably one of the most iconic football venues in the world. Ensuring the safety and security of players and fans alike is obviously a top priority for the club. In addition, internationally agreed standards regarding the technical equipment of stadia around the world also apply to Ibrox and must be adhered to in order to retain UEFA and FIFA licenses to host top-tier matches. With the upgrade to a comprehensive Dallmeier video monitoring system, Rangers FC are well-prepared to meet the ever-changing security challenges faced by the sports industry. David Martin, the club's Safety Officer, is confident in the new technology: “Rangers FC cannot be more pleased with its latest investment. Not only do we have peace of mind with a system that has already proved to be reliable and which is one of the most technically advanced among the country's football clubs. But the coverage and range of in-built facilities it has to offer will be adding real value to the work of those at the club charged with responsibility for protecting and operating the stadium."
Dallmeier has at its disposal more than 30 years of experience in transmission, recording as well as picture processing technology and is an outstanding pioneer of CCTV/IP solutions worldwide. This profound knowledge is used in the development of intelligent software and high quality recorder and camera technologies enabling Dallmeier to not only offer stand-alone systems, but complete network solutions up to large-scale projects with perfectly integrated components. Right from the beginning the company always focused on own innovative developments and highest quality and reliability. Dallmeier is the only manufacturer in Germany that develops and manufactures all components on its own. This includes the entire product range, from cameras to picture storage and transmission to intelligent video analysis and even individually adjusted management systems. Quality made by Dallmeier, made in Germany!
Over the years, Dallmeier has repeatedly given fresh impetus to the market with new developments and extraordinary innovations. The world’s first DVR for example, which introduced digital recording to the entire CCTV industry, came from Dallmeier. The introduction of the patented multifocal sensor system Panomera® has had a similarly groundbreaking effect: This unique camera technology has ushered in a new era for the video security industry and is opening up completely new possibilities for securing assets, optimising business processes and ensuring public security. This and the extensive experience in the CCTV and IP field have led to a top position in the international market for digital video surveillance systems.
