Moving Memorial for Commentator Legend at Murrayfield

Murrayfield Stadium played host to thousands of rugby fans and stars of the sport who gathered to pay tribute to commentating legend Bill McLaren, who sadly died in January, aged 68.

An iCONIC 12 alongside the stage and an ADI-installed 60m screen in the stand helped keep the large crowds entertained“The voice of rugby” was renowned throughout the sport for his enthusiastic commentary and memorable turn of phrase across a commentary career that spanned 5 decades.  The Murrayfield memorial was a chance for fans and stars of rugby alike to pay their respect to the great man at an evening that celebrated his life and special relationship with the sport he loved.

The event took place within Murrayfield Stadium, with a specially built stage erected at the edge of the pitch across the running track, facing the West Stand where over 4,000 fans would later gather.  Murrayfield’s ADI-installed 60m² screens were both used to broadcast the event, but in addition, ADI also provided a brace of iCONIC 12 mobile LED screens, which were positioned on either side of the stage.  Having arrived on-site on Wednesday, the screens were setup and running by 4pm, in time for the evening rehearsals.  All four screens took a feed of coverage supplied by event production company 20/20 Productions.

A Scottish pipe band marches past the stage and ADI's iCONIC 12.The ceremony began at around 6.30pm on Thursday and was hosted by BBC sports presenter Dougie Donnelly, who introduced a number of heartfelt personal tributes from lifelong friends and fellow commentators as well as rugby legends such as Bill Beaumont and Gavin Hastings.  These were interspersed with footage of commentaries from Bill McLaren’s career, starting in 1960 and all the way up to his last when Scotland played Wales in 2002, along with music provided by a variety of Scottish bands and choirs.

That the memorial was a moving precursor for a weekend of huge annual importance – as Scotland take on England for the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield on Saturday – was a fitting turn of events of which Bill himself would no doubt have approved.