Executive Summary
PixMob created an immersive, interactive LED armrest install built into every seat at Intuit Dome. Each armrest acts as a pixel in a massive 360° display, turning the entire crowd into a living, responsive screen.
Each armrest functions as both a lighting pixel and a real-time controller, enabling fans to actively participate in live moments rather than passively watch them. Fully integrated into the venue infrastructure, the system synchronizes lighting, gameplay, and storytelling across the arena, most notably demonstrated in the 2025 Candy Crush activation, where thousands of fans simultaneously played via their armrests on the halo board. (this activation saw an increase of return to seat rates from ~50% to ~75% in the second half).
The result is a fundamentally redefined live event model- where fans are not the audience, but the medium; creating a dynamic, shared experience that is both immersive and impossible to replicate outside the venue.
Submitting Organization: PixMob
Detailed Nomination
The NOVA Armrest’s core innovation lies in how it gamifies the fan experience, and transforms the audience itself into an interactive platform—merging lighting, gameplay, and real-time data into a single, seamless (and visually awesome) system. Traditionally, crowds are passive and visually dark; NOVA redefines them as an active, programmable canvas capable of delivering synchronized effects and direct fan input at scale.
Each armrest integrates LED lighting with a four-button interface, allowing every fan to influence live content on the halo board in real time. This creates a dual-layer experience: visually immersive effects paired with direct interaction. Crucially, this is not a standalone activation or overlay-it is embedded into the venue’s infrastructure, enabling continuous use across games, shows, and sponsor integrations.
The system’s impact is both experiential and measurable. During the 2025 Candy Crush activation, fan participation directly influenced gameplay, demonstrating mass interactivity at arena scale while increasing second-half seat return rates from approximately 50% to 75%. Additional metrics—including interaction rates, response times, and participation levels-provide teams and sponsors with actionable insights into fan behavior, proving not just engagement, but behavioral change.
For operators, NOVA introduces a new category of programmable fan engagement. For sponsors, it creates high-impact, participatory brand moments that move beyond passive visibility into active involvement. For fans, it delivers a heightened sense of agency – transforming them from spectators into “players” in the live experience.
Ultimately, the NOVA Armrest advances the live entertainment industry by redefining what a “crowd” can be: not just an audience, but an integrated, interactive layer of the live event itself.
