Stadiums of the Future with architect Benjamin Brillat (Re-release)

About This Episode

What will stadiums look like in the future? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly investigate stadium technology and “future-proofing” in Los Angeles’s SoFi Stadium with Chief Infrastructure Architect at IBM Sports, Benjamin Brillat.

How do you future-proof a large building project? You’ll learn how IBM approaches technology in today’s rapidly evolving climate. How do you build to predict what technologies are yet to come? Are some recent stadiums already obsolete? We explore Los Angeles Rams SoFi Stadium. Discover more about the transparent roof that covers the field and how the builders earthquake-proofed the stadium. You’ll hear about the record-breaking jumbotron that wraps around the entire stadium and more incredible engineering.

What sort of advancements in technology would eliminate the need for stadiums? How close are we to having an augmented display to watch your team in your home stadium when they’re playing an away game? Could you ever have an artificially intelligent football game that people watch? Benjamin tells us about the technology that’s happening behind-the-scenes that the fans don’t see. 

Lastly, we turn our attention towards the bigger picture. You’ll hear why user experience is the first and foremost thing on Benjamin’s mind when developing ideas for new stadium experiences. We also explore the rise of gambling in the United States and its possible impact on stadium experience. All that, plus, we discuss the trend of developing a stadium “campus” that encompasses many assets of entertainment to keep fans coming during off-days. 

Thanks to our Patrons Kyle Odren, Eileen Aldrin, Francis, Ashvin Lakshmikantha, Tarun, Olivia Chang, Blaine Torkelson, ANKreutzberg, and GibbousLife for supporting us this week.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.