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Since 2018, 2CL has been the trusted radio communications partner for Bournemouth 7s. With a 65-acre site, up to 30,000 attendees, and a multi-zone security operation to coordinate, the logistical demands are significant. 2CL is proud to have delivered a tailored two-way radio system that has evolved year on year alongside the event itself. The ChallengeThe Bournemouth 7s Festival is the world’s largest sport and music festival, drawing 30,000 attendees to a 65-acre site at the Bournemouth University Sports Campus in Christchurch, Dorset every May Bank Holiday weekend. |
AT A GLANCE Industry: Festivals & Sporting Events
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Affectionately known as the ‘Sporting Glastonbury’, it combines elite and social rugby sevens tournaments, large-scale music arenas, and camping.
The event is delivered by Project 30 Event Management, which coordinates all operational activity across the site. Because the event runs elite and social sports tournaments alongside music stages and camping simultaneously, security operations are organised into distinct zones, each requiring reliable, independent communications across a large outdoor site.
The Solution
This year’s deployment was the most capable to date. The handset fleet was upgraded, a longstanding RF interference issue in the control room was resolved, and a new safety feature was introduced.
250 New Radios
The various teams this year benefitted from the latest Motorola radio – the MOTOTRBO R7. Built for noisy, demanding environments, it delivers loud and clear audio that cuts through crowd noise, music stages, and outdoor conditions. This model was chosen as it has a battery life that comfortably covers extended shifts and with its straightforward design, even occasional radio users can quickly feel comfortable using it.
New Safety Feature
In addition, the R7 allowed the introduction of a new safety feature for the team. An emergency call broadcast function was added to all radios so that in the event of a serious incident, a single activation notifies every radio user simultaneously, giving security, medical, stewards, and management teams the ability to respond as one.
Improved Control Room Management
This year we were also asked to supply and install the desktop radios in the event’s control room to address previous interference issues. The Motorola DM4400E radios, repeaters, and antennas were all deployed with radio frequency management in mind to ensure the control room functioned as a reliable communications hub throughout the weekend.
We also reorganised the repeater setup to make the overall radio system more robust. All four units were consolidated and ran through a single antenna to give a cleaner arrangement to reduce potential points of failure.
A Complete Service
The hire package included a full range of accessories to suit various user roles – D-shell earpieces, remote speaker mics, and noise-cancelling headsets. A support engineer went on-site to ensure everything was tested and operational before the first attendees arrived and remained on hand across the weekend.
“Your on-site engineer was an absolute star throughout deliveries, installation and setup of our Control Room. I did not hear one message all weekend about radio comms challenges which is amazing considering the number of people across various networks. ”
— Craig Mathie, Managing Director, Project 30 Event Management
The Results
The total absence of radio-related issues was the most telling result of the weekend.
Full radio coverage, without any interference, was maintained for the duration of the festival. The voice cams reliable communications between security and steward teams supported effective crowd management across the site, enabling coordinated responses across sporting events and festival activities.
Not a single problem was reported by any of the 250 radio users across the teams – a significant indicator of a well deployed system for an operation of this scale and complexity.
Year-on-Year Improvement
The 2026 event represented a step up from previous years in both equipment and service. The upgrade to MOTOTRBO R7 handsets, the resolution of previous control room interference issues, and the addition of the emergency broadcast capability meant the communications setup was the strongest it had been in the event’s history with 2CL.
“From start to finish, 2CL was impeccable. I’ve been really proud to work with them for many years now. It’s their high level of experience, onsite support, and year on year improvements that give us complete confidence going into every event. ”
— Craig Mathie, Managing Director, Project 30 Event Management
Ready to Keep Your Event Connected?
Whether you’re planning a major festival, a sporting event, or a multi-day outdoor operation, 2CL has the expertise, equipment, and on-site support to keep your teams connected from the first briefing to the final pack-down.
Call us on 0800 389 2278 or send us a message.