Installation window
45–90 minutes
Application Guide
Custom Inflatable Sports Team Tunnels
Players run out through it on match day in front of the crowd and cameras. It goes up on or beside the playing surface in a short pre-match window, and has to be off the pitch before kick-off. Everyone watching knows the team colours, so the colour has to be right.
Products and typical sizes
What is used for sports team tunnels, and at what size.
| Product type | Role in this setting | Typical size range |
|---|---|---|
| Custom shaped advertising inflatables | The tunnel itself, built to the team's length, width and internal height. | 5–15 m long × 3–6 m wide × 3–5 m internal height |
| Inflatable mascots | A mascot head or figure mounted on the tunnel entrance. | 1.5–3 m high |
| Inflatable arches | A simpler walk-out arch where a full tunnel will not fit the pre-match window. | 4–8 m wide × 3–5 m high |
Typical sizes and setup times are planning references only. Final dimensions, crew size, anchoring, electrical supply and weather limits are confirmed for each design and venue.
Installation
Installation window and crew.
Crew needed
4–6 people
Setup happens in the pre-match window, with ground staff and match officials watching the clock. The tunnel is inflated in position or moved into position inflated, depending on the route from storage to the pitch.
Clearing the pitch before kick-off is part of the installation. Whether the tunnel leaves inflated or deflated has to be decided in advance, because it changes which gates it can pass through.
Fixing and wind
Fixing requirements specific to sports team tunnels.
The groundsman's rules decide what can touch the playing surface; stakes near the pitch are usually not allowed. Plan ballast.
The blower goes at the side or rear of the tunnel, never at the mouth where players run.
Keep the run-out route and the tunnel exit clear of cameras and pitchside advertising boards.
If the tunnel moves inflated, the gate or route from storage to the pitch has to be wide and high enough for it.
Wind and weather: No fixed wind speed is published. Do not operate in strong winds, storms or severe weather; a site-specific anchoring plan and operator supervision are required. Test-inflate before the match and check clearances and emergency removal.
Common failure points
How these projects usually go wrong.
Internal height is set from average player height. The tallest players duck on the way out, on camera.
No clear-down plan. Officials want the pitch clear before kick-off, and the tunnel is too big to leave through the gate inflated.
The blower sits at the tunnel mouth, and the cable is at the players' feet as they run out.
Team colours are matched on screen, not against the kit. Under stadium lighting the print is visibly a different shade from the jerseys beside it.
Procurement checklist
Send these with the RFQ.
- Tunnel length, width and the tallest player's height
- Playing surface and the groundsman's rules
- Pre-match setup window and clear-down deadline
- Route and gate dimensions from storage to the pitch
- Power position
- Team colour references matched to the kit, not a screen
- Mascot and logo files
- Camera positions and pitchside sponsors
- Number of home matches per season
Markets
Destination planning for this application.
FAQ
Questions about inflatables for sports team tunnels.
RFQ Support