ANC Sports - History

History

ANC Sports Enterprises was originally founded in 1997 by Jerry Cifarelli, current CEO, and Alan N. Cohen, former co-owner of the Boston Celtics.

ANC acquired exclusive North American rights to Space & Time rotational signage technology in 1997 and in its first year of operations, entered into an agreement with the WNBA to provide each team with all of its rotational signage. The following year, the Company added 19 new clients who would utilize courtside and back-lit fascia rotational signage. Today, ANC is the supplier of rotational signage for more than 200 teams and venues in professional and collegiate sports.

ANC Sports formed a technology division, ANC Technologies, in 1999. ANC Technologies developed FasciaSOFT, an operating engine for LED systems, permitting the company to debut the first 360° LED fascia signage in the National Hockey League. That same year, ANC Marketing was created to provide consulting services and assist clients with marketing strategies. ANC Marketing also helped grow sponsorship revenue streams by executing programs based on each individual client’s business. ANC Design was added in 2001 to create custom LED graphics and animations as well as meet its clients’ graphic needs created by their new LED fascia systems.

ANC directed LED installations and was selected to provide ongoing operational services for digital fascia and scoreboard signage at venues such as Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena, Minnesota's Target Center, Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center and Toronto's Air Canada Centre from 2002 through 2006.

During the same period, ANC debuted a new LED operating software called VisionSOFT. VisionSOFT is the first 3D interface capable of controlling multiple displays through one console, and also capable of distributing uncompressed video to its displays, eliminating distortion. The VisionSOFT application also operates DLP Digital Courtside press tables, which during the 2005-06 season became the first courtside digital signage to be approved for an NBA event.

Shortly after introducing digital courtside press tables, ANC expanded ANC Marketing into a national advertising sales division and formed a manufacturing relationship with Mitsubishi Electric. Following its new relationship with Mitsubishi, the company has completed large LED signage projects such as the Washington Nationals’ new ballpark, Washington D.C.’s Verizon Center and Portland’s Rose Garden.

Mitsubishi Electric then selected ANC Sports' VisionSOFT operating system to control the record-breaking display at Cowboys Stadium. In order to meet the increasing industry demand for venue signage, ANC joined Palladium Equity Partners as a portfolio company in 2009.

The following year, ANC Sports featured new LED and DLP II Courtside Signage Systems in the NBA and NCAA. Additionally, VisionSOFT was selected to operate the LED display system at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center.

ANC renovated Fenway Park with a high-definition video display system in 2011. The year has also been one of firsts as ANC installed and operated LED signage around the perimeter of a tennis court for the first time during a professional event in the United States and provided digital signage for the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma. ANC also collaborated with The Caesars Tribute to the Golden Age of Ice Skating held in Atlantic City, in 2010, providing the digital signage along the rim of the ice.