Standard de Liège’s strong message on the pitch thanks to AirPrint technology

During the last home match of the 2018/19 season, Standard de Liège wanted to send out a strong message towards its fans in regards to ‘say no to racism’.  Prior to the match against Club Brugge, ESSMA interviewed Sascha Feytons - Infrastructure Director - about the process of implementing the message and why they collaborated with ESSMA Stadium Partner, AirPrint.

What is the main goal behind the message ‘say no to racism’?

As a club, we wanted to send out a strong message that racism has no place in football. The on-field printing message ‘say no to racism’ was visible during the match. In addition, other messages were shown via the LED boarding and by the players themselves. AirPrint has made it possible for us to show this important message somewhere everyone can see it.

How and why did you come up with the idea of using similar technology to send out a message to your fans?

We received a request from the management of Standard de Liège to showcase a message against racism on the pitch and to ensure that this message is as visually representative as possible. In a first phase, we decided to spread the message via the scoreboard and LED boarding. However, we were also looking for more innovative ideas hence the option to print the message on the pitch with the AirPrint technology.

“AirPrint has made it possible for us to show this important message in a place where everyone can see it.”

Why did you choose the Airprint technology for this initiative?

After doing some research and comparing different options, we opted for the AirPrint technology. I contacted the Stadium Manager at PSG to ask his opinion as AirPrint recently implemented a similar project at their club, with positive feedback. The main advantage of the AirPrint technology is that it is easy to use and doesn’t damage the pitch itself. 

“The end result is in line with our expectations as the printing is clearly visible on the pitch.”

What do you think of the potential reach and interaction with fans?

I believe there is a lot of potential in terms of engagement with our fans. Our main goal is to create buzz and to give our fans something unique and innovative. We hope a lot of fans, especially in stand 1 and 2, will share the message on social media and will think about the meaning behind the message. Of course, we’ll share the message ourselves on social media to reach all our fans.