Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) has outfitted its LEVEL Up esports arena with a full AV system built around Extron technologies. The facility, located in the Student Union Building, includes 24 gaming stations, a coaching hub, a shoutcasting booth, POV cameras, large-format displays, streaming tools, and a multichannel audio system—all controlled through Extron’s Pro Series control platform.

The AV backbone of the arena is built on Extron’s NAV Pro AV-over-IP system. According to MTSU Director of Classroom Technology James Copeland, the university selected Extron based on long-standing experience with the brand and its AV systems across campus. “When we were contemplating building a dedicated esports venue, we reached out to Extron, because they have a lot of experience in that area,” Copeland said. “They showed us examples at other schools and proposed a NAV Pro AV over IP design that was really flexible.”

NAV E 121 encoders connect the arena’s gaming and coaching PCs, as well as POV cameras, to the AV network. NAV SD 101 decoders deliver video signals to displays throughout the space, and two additional decoders feed an Extron SMP 352 streaming media processor. This processor handles live-streaming of matches and records footage for future playback.

TouchLink Pro touchpanels, paired with IPCP Pro xi control processors, give users a touch-based interface to switch sources, route content, control camera angles, and manage audio settings. The control interface is used by students, coaches, and event coordinators to adapt the AV system on the fly during events.

MTSU has relied on Extron across hundreds of other campus spaces, including classrooms and conference rooms. The esports arena is the latest addition to that infrastructure. “When our college leadership came through for the first time, they were impressed; their eyes got wide, and jaws dropped,” said Justin Reed, Director of Student Union Event Coordination. “Student reaction is overwhelmingly positive.”