The P.A. People Deliver Two Arena Systems in Two Cities Over Basketball Long Weekend

The P.A. People supported a massive weekend of basketball production, supplying full audio and comms systems across two major arena venues – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne and Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – for both NBA and NBL events held over the October long weekend.

In Melbourne, the venue hosted a four-day program including the NBA Fan Day with entertainment from Bliss n Eso, followed by the New Orleans Pelicans vs Melbourne United match on Friday 3 October, a Fan Night on Saturday – featuring Tones & I for both events, and the Pelicans vs Southeast Melbourne Phoenix on Sunday.

To meet the scale and quality expectations of the NBA showcase, The P.A. People deployed a Yamaha DM7 digital mixing console and a Bose Professional ShowMatch line array system, supplemented by additional rigging infrastructure purchased specifically for the event. Production communications were handled via a Clear-Com FreeSpeak II wireless system utilising IPT transceivers, providing reliable, venue-wide coverage and clear communication between technical and event management teams.

In Sydney, the Sydney Kings vs New Zealand Breakers game at Qudos Bank Arena saw The P.A. People continue their long-term partnership with the Kings and the venue, delivering both a season long PA install and event-day production support. The system featured a second Bose Professional ShowMatch line array system, along with a Clear-Com FreeSpeak II and HelixNet hybrid comms solution, ensuring seamless coordination for officials, court crew, and production staff.

“This weekend was a great example of our team’s capacity to support multiple large-scale events simultaneously,” said Nicky Dodds, Event Communications Manager for The P.A. People. “The combination of the ShowMatch for audio quality and coverage, and FreeSpeak II for flexible communications, continues to be a reliable and proven solution for large-format sports and entertainment events.”

The dual deployments underline The P.A. People’s reputation as a leader in arena-scale audio and communications, capable of delivering consistent performance and reliability across complex, multi-venue schedules.

Main Pic: Pelicans v United