From now until Cup Day on Tuesday 3 November, every racing club, footy club and event organiser in Victoria wants a big screen on the same handful of days. The screen itself is the easy part. What makes the day work is the planning that happens beforehand.
This is the checklist we run through with every club before our 9m x 6m LED screen truck rolls in.
1. Lock in the date first
Carnival Saturdays and Cup Day are the first dates to go, every year. If you have an event in that run, send us the date before you sort anything else – we’ll tell you straight away whether the truck is free. If it’s gone, it’s better to know now than the week before.
2. Check the access route and the parking spot
The screen comes on its own truck, so it needs a route in and a firm, reasonably level spot to park. Before the day, think about:
- Gate widths and any tight turns on the way in
- Overhead clearance – trees, wires and shade structures along the route and above the spot
- Ground conditions if it has been raining, especially on ovals and grass car parks
- Whether the spot can be kept clear of cars from early morning
A site map or an aerial screenshot with the spot marked saves a lot of back and forth. We’ll ask for one when we book.
3. Put the screen where the crowd is, not where the power is
The truck brings its own power, so the screen can go wherever the crowd can see it best – along the fence, at the end of the straight, next to the bar. Set-up typically takes 45 to 90 minutes.
Think about where people will actually stand, and about the afternoon sun. The screen is bright enough to watch in daylight, but the best spot has the sun behind or beside the screen rather than in your crowd’s eyes.
4. Sort the content early
A 9m x 6m screen is a 3:2 landscape canvas, and it fills best with content made for that shape. Send your sponsor logos and slides as high-resolution files, and leave room for a race-day running sheet: what plays during the races, between them and during presentations.
Our operator stays all day and runs the lot – live vision, replays, sponsor slides and presentations – so your volunteers can get on with their normal jobs.
5. Confirm you’re entitled to show the broadcast
If you plan to show live racing or sport, check that your club or event is entitled to show that broadcast to a public crowd. Your racing club, governing body or the broadcaster can confirm it. It’s a five-minute question that’s much easier to ask in October than on the day.
6. Check permits for public land
If the event is on council land or a public reserve rather than a club’s own grounds, check with the council whether a vehicle on the site or an event permit is needed.
7. Have a wet-weather plan
The screen is built for outdoor use. The bigger questions in the wet are ground conditions for the truck and where your crowd will shelter – which can change where the screen should face.
Who we’ve done this for
Our screen has been out at race meetings, junior footy days and club events across Victoria, including Stony Creek Racing Club, Melbourne Racing Club and Tabcorp Park Melton.
Got a date in mind?
See what’s included on our LED screen hire page, or send us the date and we’ll check it for you. You can also call us on 1300 913 281.
