After an incredible summer of football at the Euro 2024 championship, Euronews Culture take a closer look at one of the tournament’s unsung heroes, Hisense, the design obsessed global electronics firm which provided the giant screens at Germany’s record-breaking fan parks.
ADVERTISEMENTWhat a summer of sport we've had this year. From the Euros, via Wimbledon to the Olympics, fan zones, for many, have been their favourite part of the communal and cultural experience.
They’ve become such a common and colourful part of international events that it's easy to forget just how remarkable they are. In football, 20-years or so years ago, the thought of rival fans being encouraged to get together to watch their teams play was a dream for some but a real nightmare for others.
Television, of course, played an enormous part and the battle to be Europe's biggest supplier is fierce. After all, what differentiates one big screen from another? How it makes you feel is the answer according to Chinese electronics firm Hisense, which is having a significant impact through major sponsorship deal and, crucially it says, by putting design at the forefront of its domestic products.
For four weeks, Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate became the world’s biggest fan park; one of ten in Germany, that was ready to welcome ticketless supporters
The Brandenburg fan park set the tone for the level of consideration fans could expect. Organisers literally rolled out the green carpet for supporters by laying metres of green turf in the zone as a nod to the playing surfaces at the nation’s football grounds. Music concerts, an open-air cinema, DJ sets, performances, and exhibitions all formed part of the unique visitor experience fans enjoyed at the championship.
Hisense, high stakes
But while the entertainment for fans was top-notch, the reason record numbers visited the parks was to see the matches, putting huge pressure on Hisense, the firm chosen by European football's governing body UEFA to deliver the tech and pin-sharp pictures from the stadium via its giant screens, quickly and seamlessly.
The tournament also marked the first time a major brand had put its name next to the Video-Assisted Referee (VAR) system used to settle contentious decisions on the pitch. This meant providing smooth 'state-of-the-art' screen solutions for the tournament's central VAR Room.
It was also the first time UEFA had given exclusive rights to one of its sponsors so the stakes couldn't have been higher for the Chinese firm. Get it right and the fans wouldn’t notice, get it wrong and their reputation, and potentially their business, would have taken a serious hit.
The company has expanded quickly over the past five years, operating in more than 160 countries. According to Omdia, Hisense ranked No. 2 globally for TV shipments and No. 1 in 100" TVs in both 2023 and Q1 2024.
And that's where design, preparation and planning comes to the fore according to Hisense's Executive Vice President in Germany, Sühel Semerci, who says sponsoring two of the world's biggest football events (World Cup and European Championship) gets you noticed but having reliable, constantly improving products keeps the firm in prime position.
"If you're talking about the living room or the kitchen, it is so important to have a design which is, let's say up to date, but more than this, it's how you can use it. People are living in a world where everything is going fast. They don't want to have a break when they use the product, because they just want to use it. So design means that it can't only look just like, nice, but it must be functional. Functional, workable and also connectable, which is also very important," says Semerci.
Connectivity, security and AI
Fortunately for them, Hisense successfully managed to deliver a high-quality immersive viewing experience to millions of football fans.
Their TVs, which were also used by referees reviewing pitch-side VAR decisions, caught the eye with sleek designs and minimalistic frames – the company’s aim was to ensure that the focus remained on the drama of the football matches – whether that be a crucial goal in the final minute or a nail-biting penalty shootout.
Screen designs were intentionally understated to allow the vibrant colours and high contrast of the much-anticipated live broadcast to take centre stage. The company’s design choice was made to enhance fans’ viewing experience and make every match feel as if it’s being watched live in the stadium.
The technology Hisense deployed was cutting edge, harnessing advanced AI technology to automatically adjust settings such as brightness and sound, to capture the carnival of colour in the stands and the roar when a goal hit the back of the net.
ADVERTISEMENTSo, what does the immediate future hold for a firm that appears to have set its sights on global domination? Part of the answer lies with another sporting tie-up. Last week, Hisense announced a three-year partnership deal with Spanish football giants Real Madrid. The agreement will see the launch of a limited edition 100-inch (254cm) television, that promises 'unprecedented picture quality and immersive sound.'
The numbers from Euro 2024 suggest that the pimped-up fan zones that became such an important part of tournament were a roaring success. Data from Football Ground Guide found that a record 5.8 million fans visited the ten fan zones across Germany before the final.
The big challenge for Euro 2028 joint hosts, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, will be to match the vibrancy and interactivity that helped Euro 2024 set the gold-standard for fan entertainment.
