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A behind-the-scenes look at how Ford Field prepares for big games

‘Without hard work, there’s no success, so we always want to hit the ground running.’

DETROIT – It’s a massive undertaking to put on any live show, whether it’s a play at your community theater or television news, but it truly takes next-level planning and preparation to throw a party like Ford Field does for fans every game.

Related: Roar of the Lions: How loud fans got at Ford Field

If you thought there was a lot of coordination on the field, you should see what goes on behind the scenes.

Kareem Harris is a project manager for 4Wall Entertainment, the company the Detroit Lions trust to handle its intros, halftime shows, lighting, pyrotechnics and more.

The player introductions and the halftime show are the biggest events for them. Especially halftime, where every second counts.

Xavier Williamson, lighting programmer at 4Wall, controls most of it from high up.

Even higher up, in the catwalks at Ford Field, the pyrotechnics team works on streamers, glitter and more.

Joe Leahy, the vice president of live events, is honored the Detroit Lions trusts his team to join theirs. He said that despite the hard work, it’s a family making memories.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Leahy said. “You get lumps in your throat when you see these teams win.”

You can watch Nick Monacelli’s full story in the video player above.


About the Author
Nick Monacelli headshot

Nick joined the Local 4 team in February of 2015. Prior to that he spent 6 years in Sacramento covering a long list of big stories including wildfires and earthquakes. Raised in Sterling Heights, he is no stranger to the deep history and pride Detroit has to offer.

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