Stadium Shows
“In-field” stadium shows are unique in their setup and require a whole lot of coordination. The national anthem, player introductions, halftime performances, and scoring are the most common segments of a sporting event to have pyro. Precise coordination with other things happening on the field, in addition to television broadcast scripts, is a must. Movements on and off the field usually have to take place in a very limited time span and in coordination with other elements of the production. For larger events, pre-game rehearsals are sometimes conducted in the days leading up to the event with everyone involved in the production which could include TV crews, anthem singers, half-time performers, and of course the pyros. This is to ensure smooth transitions from one segment to another, and that the area surrounding the pyro is cleared during shoot time.
Once in a while, there will also be coordination between the infield pyro crews and an external aerial setup. To make loading faster on and off the field, a “field cart” is used to bring pyro to/from the field. These carts have permanently mounted mortar racks, that allow us to roll the entire setup on/off the field in a timely fashion.
