Columbus Crew create leading MLS matchday experiences with Uniguest Sports Hub

Connected IPTV and digital signage power every matchday, event and hospitality experience across ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.

As one of Major League Soccer’s founding clubs, the Columbus Crew have always been known for setting new standards. From becoming the first franchise awarded by MLS in 1994 to building Historic Crew Stadium, America’s first professional soccer-specific stadium, innovation has long been part of the club’s identity.

ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, which opened in July 2021, was designed to set a new benchmark for fan experience. Home to more than 20,000 supporters, the stadium hosts MLS fixtures plus major international soccer matches, concerts, corporate events and community activities throughout the year and will also welcome the NWSL’s 18th franchise in 2028. From the outset, the club wanted every part of the venue to contribute to the atmosphere – not just the seating bowl.

To support that vision, the Columbus Crew deployed Uniguest Sports Hub across more than 550 endpoints, bringing IPTV, digital signage and centralized content management together on a single platform. Today, Sports Hub powers live IPTV, digital signage, sponsor activation, hospitality experiences, EPOS-integrated menu boards and operational communications throughout the venue, helping deliver a connected experience wherever supporters are in the stadium.

When planning the new stadium, our biggest goals were to create an environment that was unmatched in the entire league in terms of fan experience, but also home-field advantage. We wanted to create an atmosphere, both audibly and visually, that made our home feel like a fortress.

Erik Shear

Senior Manager of Scoreboard Operations

Keeping supporters connected throughout the stadium

For the Columbus Crew, the matchday experience extends well beyond the action on the pitch. Sports Hub distributes multiple content feeds across suites, clubs, concourses and hospitality areas, combining live broadcast television with the club’s own match presentation and interactive fan engagement content.

Every screen has a clearly defined purpose. Premium suites combine the live broadcast feed with the in-house production, while larger hospitality areas feature dedicated fan engagement channels with live statistics, player profiles and matchday content. Sponsor L-Wraps create additional commercial opportunities while ensuring supporters remain connected to the game wherever they are.

The result is a seamless journey that allows supporters to stay connected with the match while reinforcing a consistent Columbus Crew identity across every digital touchpoint.

The matchday experience is really important for the club. It connects the city with the fans and the players on the pitch. The look that we have throughout our entire content is the same, from the uniforms to social media to what's on the LED boards and our TVs.

Ryan Gruebel

Manager of IT Support Services

Built for more than matchdays

ScottsMiracle-Gro Field is a year-round destination, hosting conferences, private functions, community events, stadium tours and international sporting fixtures, in addition to MLS matches. Every event requires different branding and content experiences.

Sports Hub’s Event Trigger functionality allows the operations team to instantly deploy personalized welcome messages, customer branding and tailored content across selected displays before automatically returning every screen to the standard matchday configuration once an event has finished. Different layouts can also be assigned to individual clubs, suites and hospitality spaces, allowing the stadium to deliver bespoke experiences without disrupting the wider IPTV infrastructure.

This flexibility enables the Columbus Crew to maximize the commercial value of its premium spaces while maintaining a consistent experience for supporters, partners and event guests throughout the year.

Every event space and every experience varies slightly, and the Uniguest platform allows us to dictate what goes into that space and how the televisions are divided up.

Erik Shear

Senior Manager of Scoreboard Operations

Supporting operations behind the scenes

Sports Hub also simplifies day-to-day operations for the club’s IT team. EPOS integration enables concession menu boards to update instantly with pricing changes, promotions and product availability, while automated endpoint reporting highlights any displays requiring attention before supporters arrive.

Virtual Remote QR codes give guests easy access to selected TV controls and venue information, while the platform’s mapping functionality allows engineers to quickly locate individual media players when troubleshooting. With centralized management, content can be updated instantly from anywhere in the stadium, reducing manual intervention on busy matchdays.

The EPOS integration has been great because it's really customizable. We can change things on the fly. Everything can be updated instantaneously from wherever we're located in the stadium.

Ryan Gruebel

Manager of IT Support Services

A platform for every event

Although matchdays remain the primary focus, Sports Hub supports activity across ScottsMiracle-Gro Field every day of the year. Corporate presentations, hospitality events and private functions all rely on the same flexible platform to deliver tailored digital experiences throughout the venue.

The move from Historic Crew Stadium has transformed both the supporter experience and the club’s operational capabilities. With one of the highest Net Promoter Scores in MLS and continued demand for premium hospitality, the stadium demonstrates how a connected digital media platform can enhance fan engagement while supporting commercial growth.

Combined with responsive customer support and ongoing collaboration with Uniguest, Sports Hub continues to evolve alongside one of Major League Soccer’s most innovative venues.

As ScottsMiracle-Gro Field continues to evolve as one of Major League Soccer’s premier venues, Sports Hub provides a scalable platform that grows alongside it – supporting matchdays, hospitality and year-round events while helping the Columbus Crew continue to raise the bar for fan engagement.

The fan experience is night and day compared to the old stadium. We can do so much more with the Uniguest platform than we could before. Our Net Promoter Score is one of the top ones in MLS and that's been consistent since we've opened the stadium. Fans love coming here.