Clear-Com’s tech links Toledo Walleye and Mud Hens venues

A new Clear-Com Arcadia-based intercom system connects Huntington Center and Fifth Third Field, giving production teams full-duplex communication across both venues

When the Toledo Walleye and Toledo Mud Hens host home games on the same night, clear communication between their production teams is critical. To support this, Clear-Com, working with CTI, has implemented a new intercom system in Toledo, Ohio, linking Huntington Center, home of the Walleye, with Fifth Third Field, home of the Mud Hens. 

The new system is anchored by Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station and serves as the unified hub at Huntington Center. The integrated network supports both a HelixNet digital partyline system and FreeSpeak II wireless beltpacks, giving operators at each venue full-duplex communications whether they’re producing a hockey game or a baseball game, or both simultaneously.

“Opening day is when this system truly shines,” says Jeremy Knoff, CTS, CQT and branch director at CTI. “When both teams have games at the same time, crews at each venue can communicate instantly over the network instead of relying on phone calls. It’s a major step forward for efficiency and collaboration.”

Each venue is equipped with four or more FreeSpeak beltpacks, HelixNet panels and has camera operators tied directly into the intercom workflow. The two locations are linked through redundant network switches, one at each venue, providing continuous uptime and flexibility.

The upgrade replaces legacy equipment with a scalable, IP-based communications network designed to grow. The long-term goal is to bring the teams’ cable sports network partner onto the same platform, creating a fully unified production ecosystem across all facilities.

Find out more at clearcom.com