In the USA, Clear-Com has delivered a new IP-based intercom system linking two major sports venues in Toledo, Ohio, enabling real-time communication between production teams at Huntington Center and Fifth Third Field.
Developed in partnership with systems integrator CTI (Conference Technologies, Inc.), the system connects the home of the Toledo Walleye ice hockey team with the Toledo Mud Hens baseball stadium via more than 8km of fibre. The goal was to streamline coordination on nights when both venues are hosting events simultaneously, removing the need for phone-based communication between production crews.
At the core of the installation is Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station, located at Huntington Center. Arcadia acts as a unified hub for the intercom network, supporting both HelixNet digital partyline and FreeSpeak II wireless intercom systems. This allows operators at either venue to communicate using full-duplex audio, whether working on individual productions or managing overlapping events.
According to CTI branch director Jeremy Knoff, the benefits of the system are most evident during busy game nights. When both teams are playing at home, production teams can now communicate instantly across venues using the shared intercom network, improving coordination and response times during live broadcasts and in-venue productions.
Each site is equipped with multiple FreeSpeak wireless beltpacks and HelixNet panels, with camera operators and technical staff integrated directly into the intercom workflow. The two venues are connected via redundant network switches at each location, providing resilience and continuous uptime. Clear-Com’s IP-based architecture, combined with long-haul transmission, enables reliable communication across the multi-mile fibre link.
The new deployment replaces legacy intercom infrastructure with a scalable platform designed to support future expansion. One planned next step is to integrate the teams’ cable sports network partner into the same communications system, creating a unified intercom environment spanning multiple production facilities.