COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Arena, home of the University of Missouri’s basketball team, recently underwent a comprehensive renovation, which included the addition of on-court 3D projection mapping. Quince Imaging led the design, installation, and content creation for the project, and selected Christie® RGB pure laser projectors to deliver the bright, immersive visuals required to bring this exciting fan experience to life.

Quince Imaging, which offers complete, ready-to-use solutions for projection mapping systems, designed a solution that could tie into the arena’s existing AV system out of the box. The system includes four 36,500-lumen Christie Griffyn® 4K35-RGB pure laser projectors and Christie Mystique™ –Pro Venue Edition, a camera-based alignment and recalibration software.

“The University wanted to create an immersive and dynamic environment to elevate the game-day experience for students, faculty, alums, and players alike,” says Eric Gazzillo, vice president of innovation, Quince Imaging.

“Christie’s leadership in the RGB pure laser projection space has offered teams a powerful advantage. Having the depth of color helps projection mapping effects pop right off the court in ways that were previously impossible,” adds Gazzillo.

RGB pure laser projection is the only projection technology that can achieve ~98% of the Rec. 2020 color space, more than twice the color of Rec. 709 projectors. With this capability, Mizzou Arena is equipped to take advantage of Rec. 2020 in the future and make the visual experience even more realistic and immersive for the fans.

Mystique – Pro Venue Edition easily and quickly aligns and recalibrates multi-projector arrays with repeatable accuracy. It works in conjunction with Christie Twist™, to enable the seamless warping and blending in a single display in less than two minutes per projector. Pro Venue Edition’s marked surface alignment feature makes it ideal for projection mapping on basketball courts or ice rinks that have known surface markings because it eliminates the need for LED or laser-based marker systems.

“Quince has long been a proponent of turnkey packages for projection mapping systems. Creating a one-stop shop for projection technology, integration services, and compelling 3D content not only creates a seamless experience for new teams but also uniquely integrated shows for the audience,” says Gazzillo.

“This project is a stunning example of the incredibly high caliber of work that Quince Imaging creates – from design to content creation,” says Joseph Conover, director, Immersive Entertainment / Live Event Productions, Christie. “We’re proud that our technology has helped to enable an experience that Mizzou fans will enjoy for years to come.”

The 3D projection mapping experience went live in late 2023 at the season home opener. “It was an unforgettable debut experience,” says Gazzillo.

“I anticipate our fan experience will only continue to advance as we enhance our capabilities, grow our content inventory, and more fully realize how to tell the great story of Mizzou and Mizzou Athletics,” says David Bartlett, director, Event Systems Engineering, Mizzou Athletics.

Photos credit: Quince Imaging