Toadvine Blog

The match between the Cards and the Cats in the Sweet 16 wasn't the only heated event to hit the hard wood this basketball season. At Toadvine Enterprises we understand that stiff competition can leave fans on the edge of their seats, literally, and when their enthusiasm explodes you need an arena that's equipped for those crazed fans and rowdy events. Whether your indoor arena will need to accommodate competing rivalries or more sophisticated assemblies, Toadvine has a variety of seating options to fit your needs. Here are some of the various seating options you can choose when designing or updating your facility.

The main components of the bleacher system are made up of the decking, the flooring of the bleachers and the risers, or the seating portion of the bleachers. When it comes to choosing your decking and rising system, Toadvine provides a variety of choices. Here are the three  options:

Basic – When your budget demands that code compliance and lowest price are the best options, basic decking is the solution. This system can be installed as fully closed or semi-closed. The semi-closed option does not allow for effective water control, but does help eliminate trash that falls to the ground underneath your bleacher.

Interlocking – With interlocking decking, stadiums can be configured with maximum flexibility.

The interlocking planks can be designed to accommodate any specifications, including angled seating, risers with varying tread depths and riser heights, custom stair structures, and large walkways or platforms.

Premium Welded Decking – A factory-controlled robotic process produces consistent welding that connects individual aluminum extrusions into a one-piece tread panel. Because of its premium design and quality, this decking ensures maximum water control, strength and durability while keeping maintenance costs to a minimum. The premium designed decking system is the only one that addresses rainwater runoff and collection. Constructed with a double lock design, this premium system provides easy maintenance.

Known for its quality and versatile construction, this system is used in the NFL, MLB, MLS and D1 College Football stadiums across the country.

Key features of this system are:

• low cost

• slip resistant

• quick installation

• easy maintenance

• durability

• great for water control

For more information on how Toadvine Enterprises can help you plan your bleacher system, click here to request a quote or to learn more about Decking and Riser Systems.

 

When it comes to arenas that rock, KFC Yum! Center not only rocks the music venue with top, highly-sought after artists, but it also rolls out the red carpet to the University of Louisville men's and women's basketball team and its massive host of fanatical spectators.

Built in 2010, the 22,090 seat, $238 million arena, home to the University of Louisville Cardinal basketball teams, was recently voted as one of the top 10 Venues that Rock, by Rolling Stone magazine.

Not only do last year's NCAA hoops champions call the Yum! Center home, but a full slate of big-name music headliners, including Taylor Swift, The Eagles, Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, and Bruce Springsteen have also graced the impressive stage of the Yum! Center, captivating long-time fans and rocking out the multipurpose facility.

Nestled on Main Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets, the backdrop of the Ohio River accentuates the glass facade of the building, along with the wavy interior ceilings and randomly splattered art which give it an inviting and modern feel. As the fifth largest college basketball arena in the nation, this facility displays modern technology at its finest. Developers integrated a scoring and video display system, which includes large LED video displays within the seating area, professional grade LCD screens, and a powerful control system.

Several other interesting features of the arena include:

4 miles of fiber optic cable

5 auxiliary locker rooms

7 acres of land on which facility is built

9 escalators

28 entry doors

44 exit doors

70 premium boxes

75 restrooms

411 total flat screen televisions (number includes 90 menu boards)

760 parking spaces in the facility garage

9,000 light fixtures

14,000 square footage in the grand lobby

17,500 seating capacity for end stage concerts

22,090 seating capacity for basketball and center stage concerts

33,926 total square footage of four meeting rooms

40,000 weight (in pounds) of the center-hung scoreboard

58,655 total square footage of exterior glass panels

721,762 total square footage

Former Courier Journal and Sports Illustrated writer Billy Reed says that the arena "was about providing every element of the city's culture — men and women, black and white, business and labor, rich and poor — with the opportunity to participate in a project that will revitalize the city's downtown and make the city a viable option for national tournaments and conventions, as well as the biggest show-business acts in the nation."

"It's a story of how Possibility City turned a dream into a magnificent reality," says Reed, who believes the center is a "blueprint for how a public project should be funded, planned, and executed." 

Follow our continuing spotlights on stand-out arenas around the country and find out how Toadvine Enterprises can help you plan a rocking facility for your organization.

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One of the most traditional bleacher seating systems is the retractable or recessed bleacher which is generally used in sporting facilities to provide a tiered seating structure which enhances audience experience. This style system utilizes a pocket in the wall to house the bleacher when closed. The bleacher is hidden away from sight, generally under a balcony or mezzanine when the area is needed for other purposes. Each platform conveniently stores under the one above it for a minimizing storage area.

Recessed bleachers require a minimal clearance to fit comfortably under a balcony overhang. Maximum usable floor space is utilized when bleachers are stacked. This system is available with seating options up to 24 rows. Upper and lower tracking guides and removable end rails can accommodate custom transition steps to the balcony when required. Some of the other advantages of the recessed seating include:

• Optimum use of facility space
• Savings on land and building cost
• Increased revenue potential
• Fast and resourceful seating arrangements
• Comfort and optimum viewing for patrons

Each tiered platform is durably constructed and retracts into the wall at the touch of a button. These systems can be customized to meet the ongoing and changing needs of sporting venues while maximizing capacity. 

To get a quote on recessed telescopic bleachers for your facility, click here. 

When planning a sports stadium or just updating your equipment to meet safety requirements, adding a railing system can add a prominent feature to your seating and promote a higher level of safety for your patrons.

When you choose Toadvine, you are not limited to a simple banister style railing. We offer three types of railing systems and multiple styles with each option. Here are the various railing styles we offer and some of the options you can choose for each one.

Vertical Picket Rail:

• Guardian - minimal visibility obstruction and reduced material
• Regal - square horizontal railings for more architectural appeal
• Classic - traditional styling with sturdy appearance

Premium:

• Wire mesh panels
• Stainless steel cable
• Laminated or fully tempered glass, either working independently or in conjunction with other systems

Chain Link Fence:

• Galvanized steel
• Black vinyl
• Safety and code compliance

We would like to help you plan your sports facility and assist you in adding any equipment that will help make your bleachers safer and more accessible for your fans.

For more information on how Toadvine can meet your school's seating needs, fill out our Railing Systems Quote form on the right and one of our qualified team members will contact you to discuss your needs and provide you with a free quote.

Fans and spectators have been utilizing telescopic bleachers for their seating choice in facilities and gymnasiums for more than 70 years. The practical design and flexibility of this seating has kept the telescopic bleacher a popular choice in many arenas. 

Each telescopic bleacher project is custom made, adapted to the dimensions available in the indoor facility. Mainly used in indoor facilities to increase seating capacity, this product adds a series of bleacher modules that can be folded to occupy very little space when not being used.  

As the top provider of telescopic bleachers for more than 30 years, Toadvine Enterprises offers several different types of telescopic bleacher seating that will meet the needs of your facility with a quality product and exceptional customer service. Here are the different varieties of telescopic bleachers we offer and a description of how they might benefit your organization.

Reverse Fold Systems. This type of telescopic bleacher is designed to utilize the space behind the bleacher stack for other activities when the bleacher is not in use. These systems are recommended to have up to 18 rows. 

Forward Fold. The most common telescopic seating system is the forward fold bleachers which open in the forward direction. These systems are available in up to 24 rows. 

Recessed Systems. The best feature of the recessed bleacher system is the fact that they require minimal clearance for a nice comfortable fit under a balcony overhang. This type of system is helpful when you wish to utilize floor space when the bleachers are stacked away. 

Mobile Systems. The advantage of using the mobile system is that they can be used in one part of a building and then transported and stored in another. Portable hydraulic dollies are provided with the system. These systems are available with up to 14 rows.  

Free-Standing Floor-Attached Systems. When bleachers are required to stand away from the wall, or when the facility restricts wall attachment, these bleachers are ideal. Contact us for details on row restrictions.   

All of our Telescopic Bleacher Seating systems feature outstanding durability and are built with the safest and most secure under-structure in the industry, providing great comfort and a stunning appearance. Here are some other options available to you at Toadvine when you select telescopic bleacher seating:

• Built to last
• Wide range of colors
• Built to fit a variety of facilities
• Self-storing aisle rails
• Power options 
• Options and Accessories 

Contact Toadvine Enterprises today to find out what telescopic bleacher system is best for your facility. 

After six-year-old Toby Lee fell between a 13-inch gap between the footboard and the seat of a bleacher set at a community sports area in Minnesota and died of his injuries, legislators decided to pursue greater scrutiny in the area of bleacher safety. 

In 1999, after the the tragic death of Toby Lee, Congress petitioned the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue national safety standards for bleacher and grandstand facilities due to numerous injuries to children at basketball and hockey arenas resulting from falls between the gaps of bleacher seats and guardrails.

Congress stated in a letter to the CPSC that uniform national standards were needed to help efforts at the state level to prevent injuries and deaths due to poorly designed or out of date bleacher facilities. The recommended national standards to be implemented were to include:

• Minimum spacing requirements for gaps between bleacher guardrails and between seats and footboards for new construction

• Side and back safety features

• Guidelines for retro-fitting older facilities

Although Congress emphasized the importance of watchful parents during sporting events, they also stated the responsibility venues have to insure that their facilities are safe. The desire for safer facilities not only locally, but nationwide, created the desire to press for strengthening safety standards legislatively in order to quickly inact the establishment of safe bleacher standards.   

House Bill H.R. 836 was created in 1999 and entitled, “The Bleacher Safety Act” proclaiming that new and safer standards would be adopted within six months. Minnesota was the first state that required the issuing of this federal standard.

To help your school meet those required safety standards, Toadvine Enterprises has created Vine & Branch, a maintenance and safety inspection program for all your indoor and outdoor seating equipment. Our maintenance and safety program can help you maintain your required annual inspections and can also help you with any upgrades or written records. For more information on keeping your school bleachers safe, fill out our Maintenance and Safety form and a member of our staff will get back to you. Let Toadvine help you keep safety the name of the game.