Levi’s Stadium Facelift, Part 3: ANC’s Jerry Cifarelli Jr. on Growing the San Francisco 49ers Relationship, Enhancing In-Venue Tech
Founded in 1997 by Jerry Cifarelli Sr. and former Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets owner Alan N. Cohen, ANC has become a viable option for high-quality LED video displays in both professional and collegiate sports venues. Responsible for many firsts in the sports-video–production industry, including installation of the world’s first 4K kinetic centerhung at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, the company has its sights set on even more history with the NFL’s largest videoboards at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA . SVG sat down with ANC CEO/President Jerry Cifarelli Jr. — who reacquired the company from Learfield in 2023 to return it to a family-owned business — to discuss the start of the company’s relationship with the San Francisco 49ers, what inspired ANC to become a part of the $200 million Levi’s Stadium renovation, how game-day workflows have adapted over time, and more.
When did ANC’s relationship with the San Francisco 49ers began, and how did the company get involved with the renovation?
The 49ers ran an RFP [request for proposal] process for the upgrade of the videoboards, and that’s how it all started. I became involved through a mutual friend in the industry that connected me with [49ers President] Al [Guido] and [49ers Chief Revenue/Marketing Officer] Brent [Schoeb]. We hit it off right out of the gates. Our relationship has developed into a true partnership/friendship because they’re both great people and they have a first-class organization from top to bottom. We believe it to be a first-class organization when it comes to large-format videoboard installations, so it has been a great marriage from the beginning.
During the installation process, they were very transparent about what they wanted. Now that it’s finished, we have a 10-year partnership with the franchise, so it feels like we’ve become a part of the 49ers family.
Knowing how production-heavy and tech-focused the 49ers are, why was this renovation important to be a part of?
With this stadium located in the heart of Silicon Valley and the building becoming the first ever to host a Super Bowl and a FIFA World Cup in the same year, we were attracted to it right away. Whether it’s concerts, major sporting events, or 49ers home games, Levi’s Stadium is a showcase venue. When it comes to NFL venues, they are the cream of the crop because of their tremendous ownership and leadership group. In addition, these new videoboards will be 70% larger than their previous video displays, and it’ll be a full 4K production.
While these videoboards are the cherry on top, this is only one part of a $200 million renovation. The 49ers’ entire production team did a phenomenal job of building out their control room and back-of-house technology that will now drive these LED video displays.
Throughout your time in the sports-video–production industry, how much has the fan experience and game-day technology evolved?
From the 40 million pixels that these videoboards will have to the image clarity that they will have, the quality will be second to none. Game day has turned into fans’ being immersed in the experience rather than just watching or looking at the content. At nearly 50,000 sq. ft. of digital signage in total, fans will be able to see the smallest of details in these videos displayed at any 49ers home game.
How does ANC balance this build with the host of other projects the company is working on?
It comes down to incredible project management. [SVP, Project Management,] Daniel Marchesani, [Senior Project Manager] Jesse Vellucci, and [Project Solutions Manager] Jackson Hart from our team managed this project from start to finish, along with [SVP, Revenue] Jireh Billings, who was the project executive on this job. When you take a project to this magnitude, there are always going to be hurdles and ups and downs a bit, but the team has been calm, cool, and collected. San Francisco was a behemoth of a project. It’s going to be an awesome showcase to end the NFL season with Super Bowl LX, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the game-day staff at the 49ers, our project managers, and our subcontractors that worked together towards a common goal.
How does the work at Levi’s Stadium continue the company’s legacy in sports venues?
ANC has been in this industry for a very long time, and we’ve integrated many videoboards, but we were truly excited to be involved in hosting this year’s Super Bowl. When I re-acquired ownership of the company a few years ago, this was one of the major projects that we secured right away, so it is extremely special to me. When you think about a true “welcome back” moment, this is definitely one of them. This project has helped catapult ANC forward in the in-venue–technology business, especially in the NFL. This stadium has become a crown jewel for us.
This interview was edited for clarity and length.
Originally published to Sports Video Group
