AFL Interchange Partner – Marvel

Introduction

The Interchange Partner spec covers the three components the interchange partner is entitled to.

  • Interchange LED
  • Live data IPTV
  • Bench printed signage

The Interchange LED and IPTV components are required to include some language calling out that this is the Interchange partner. For example:

“Interchange brought to you by”
“Interchange bench thanks to”
“Interchange presented by”

Review and follow our best practices guide to ensure your content displays correctly at the stadium. Example videos and images are available for reference..

Need assitance? MKTG Creative is here to help..

Interchange LED
Interchange IPTV
Interchange bench print signage

Submission & Deadlines

All content is submitted via our content management portal MKTG Drop.
Instructions for uploading and re-using content via MKTG Drop can be found here..

Club deadlines

Club content, club commercial partners, club form.

First Home Match Deadline
Round 1
23rd February 2024
Round 2
1st March 2024
Match day Deadline
Thursday
Monday 12pm
Friday
Tuesday 12pm
Saturday
Tuesday 12pm
Sunday
Wednesday 12pm
Monday
Wednesday 12pm
Tuesday
Thursday 12pm
Wednesday
Friday 12pm

Commercial deadlines

AFL commercial partners.

Start of season Deadline
Round 1
23rd February 2024
Round 2
1st March 2024
Match day Deadline
Any
Monday 12pm

Contact MKTG immediately if you are unable to meet these deadlines.

Content guidelines

Legibility

Maximise scale

Content should fill up as much of the LED height as possible.

There are no safe areas on the LED, all pixels will be seen.

Big and bold is best

Text and graphics should be large and bold to maximise legibility from a distance.

Shorter messages perform better than longer creatives with a lot of copy.

High contrast

Maximise contrast between the background and foreground elements.

Dark or colourful backgrounds

Dark or bold colour backgrounds perform best on broadcast.

White and lighter colours should be avoided as the white can overpower the content.

Animation tips

Animated content can be a great way to draw the eye and display multiple messages over the duration of the content.

However animations must not be too distracting, scroll too fast, feature too many messages or flashing graphics.

Consider having your branding/main message on screen for the majority of the duration.

You can use photos, product images and video on the LED, however using these elements exclusively isn’t very effective in this space.

Layout

Ensure even spacing

Making sure your elements are evenly spaced ensures that you don’t leave large empty spaces on the LED.

Take into consideration your content will be back to back with another file.

Use the whole space

Make sure to populate the entire LED and not leave large gaps.

You may miss out on exposure if too much space is left blank.

Do not put two lines of text on top of each other on the LED.

No content on edges

Do not use your elements to cover up the seams between files. Content will end up cut in half.

This does not apply for scrolling / moving content.

Have consistent sizes

You should keep all logos and assets the same size throughout your LED and across all files.

Field and parapet can have different sizes to each other.

Order of content

Consider your designs not only on their own but in relation to each other.

If you have a tile that starts and ends with a logo such as below:

When it is tiled, you will end up with two logos next to each other before the text repeats.

There is nothing wrong with this, but it is something to keep in mind.

Including lower logos

Some designs include a set of small logos along the bottom of the field LED.

This option can be useful if there is a close up near the LED.

File creation

How to ensure accurate duration

Due to the way the LED are played out, it is important that all files are the same duration.

Where a spec requires a certain duration, the files must all be exactly that duration, and not a frame more or less.

For example if you are required to make content that is 15 seconds long, you can check the duration in After Effects in the composition settings. The duration should read ‘0.00.15.00’

How to render large files

Sometimes when creating files in Adobe Media Encoder or Handbreak, the large dimensions of the LED files can be restricted by the default settings. Make sure to double check the output dimensions.

You may need to change the following Media Encoder settings to the following:

Profile: Main

Level: Unrestricted

Interchange LED Spec

You are able to supply static or animated content for this space. 

Animated content is 10 seconds long and is played before the interchange stats along the parapet LED.

Example LED - 2880 x 64

Dimensions

Location Dimensions
Parapet
2880 x 64

File format

Content Venue FPS File type Codec Duration
Video
MCG
Marvel Stadium
50
.mp4
H.264
10 seconds
Static
MCG
Marvel Stadium
-
.jpg or .png
RGB - 72dpi
-

MKTG Drop asset

MKTG Drop Asset
AFL Interchange LED

Live data IPTV suite

Full layout
L-wrap layout
Strap layout
Side layout
J-wrap layout

Live data sites

Interchange IPTV is very similar to a normal IPTV suite, however some areas will need to be plain for the data to go over the top.

The data areas on the FULL, J-WRAP and L-WRAP graphics will be used to display live Interchange Bench data.

Leave the bottom half of the FULL graphic plain.
Leave the bottom 100 pixels of the J-WRAP and L-WRAP graphic plain.

We recommend using a solid, dark, non-black colour for these data areas.

Examples

Full layout
L-wrap layout
Strap layout
Side layout
J-wrap layout

Alpha and Luma keying

In order for the match feed to appear under these graphics, they need to have alpha (if they are static images) or be luma key ready (if they are videos).

To luma key anything that is perfect black will be keyed out, and the screens’ regular content displayed in the blank spaces. This means you can not use perfect black in your video designs or must dilute any blacks so they do not key out.

An After Effects template for checking the Luma key available here.

Do not fade to black at the start or end of your animation.

Overhang

You may overhang a small amount of content up to 50 pixels from the content edge on the J-Wrap, L-Wrap, Side and Strap graphic.

Dimensions

Asset Venue Dimensions Title safe
Full layout
L-Wrap layout
Side layout
Strap layout
MCG
Marvel Stadium
1920x1080
20 pixels

File format

Content FPS File type Codec Duration
Video
25
.mp4
H.264
15 seconds
Static
-
.png
RGB with alpha
-

MKTG Drop asset

Content MKTG Drop Asset
Full layout
L-Wrap layout
Side layout
Strap layout
IPTV Interchange

IPTV Gallery

Bench printed signage

There are two main components for the signage on the benches:

  1. Printed corflute signage
  2. Padded bench dressing

The seats themselves require padded seat covers to be manufactured. The AFL require that these be consistent across all benches. 

It is incumbent on the club or signage supplier to create, produce, install and remove these signs. We have measured and labeled the locations available on the benches.

Guide for undrestanding the Seat / Backrest measurements

Left interchange signage

Left interchange signage
Site Width (mm) Height (mm)
MAR - L - 1
1360
280
MAR - L - 2
2155
280
MAR - L - 3
1245
280
MAR - L - 4
3820
200
MAR - L - 5
7680
230

Left interchange bench

Left interchange signage
Site Section Width (mm) Depth (mm) Height (mm)
MAR - L - Seat 1
Backrest
4700
-
140
Seat
4700
420
75
MAR - L - Seat 2
Backrest
3820
-
140
Seat
3820
400
75

Centre interchange signage

Centre interchange signage
Site Width (mm) Height (mm)
MAR - C - 1
2725
280
MAR - C - 2
2480
200

Centre interchange bench

Centre interchange signage
Site Section Width (mm) Depth (mm) Height (mm)
MAR - C - Seat 1
Backrest
2725
-
140
Seat
2725
420
75
MAR - C - Seat 2
Backrest
2670
-
140
Seat
2670
400
75

Right interchange signage

Right interchange signage
Site Width (mm) Height (mm)
MAR - R - 1
820
280
MAR - R - 2
2610
280
MAR - R - 3
1150
280
MAR - R - 4
4150
200
MAR - R - 5
4850
230

Right interchange bench

Right interchange signage
Site Section Width (mm) Depth (mm) Height (mm)
MAR - R - Seat 1
Backrest
4820
-
140
Seat
4820
400
75
MAR - R - Seat 2
Backrest
4150
-
140
Seat
4150
400
75

Contact

Elizabeth Cook

Content Director

Isaac Moores

MKTG Creative / Specs

Kelvin Giraldo

MKTG Creative / Specs

Create content with
MKTG Creative

We craft content for a broad range of clients across a comprehensive suite of assets. From design to stadium to social media, our in-house studio is a time efficient and cost effective solution.

MKTG Creative can help not only create content, but provide expert advice on best practice.

Elizabeth Cook

Head of Content

Isaac Moores

MKTG Creative / Specs