[TeMPOraL]

Why huge? Something couple times stronger than a TV remote should be fine, if focused. Unless they purposefully put a powerful IR attenuator in front of the receiver, as a security measure so that a would-be attacker would really need a a "huge IR spotlight".

[jvanderbot]

Because distance and reflection are the attenuators here. A stadium-sized group of kids aren't very good at pointing your receivers at your rogue transmitter.