12 May 2014 Realising the Potential of Stadium WiFi
Stadium Wi-Fi: An Evolving Concept
The offer of ‘free Wi-Fi’ is something we’re all accustomed to. What was once a luxury, we have now even come to expect – free access to the internet in many of the locations we visit every day. It’s available in pubs, coffee shops and on public transport all around the country. Yet the concept of the ‘connected stadium’ is not one many are familiar with.
Already becoming an established idea in the US, a ‘connected stadium’ is one offering free Wi-Fi to the large number of people inside. By enhancing its coverage and capacity it’s possible to supply a free Wi-Fi network to many thousands of people, allowing them to use their mobile devices or tablets without any disruption to their internet connectivity.
Previously the high density of people in such an enclosed space, coupled with the steel and concrete construction of a modern stadium, has made it difficult for those inside to connect to the internet over 3G and 4G mobile networks. This has led to advancements in wireless internet technology and its implementation in large venues, meaning the idea of a ‘connected stadium’ is now a reality.
Learning From The NFL
An initiative in the US by the National Football League (NFL) has seen this technology utilised by several clubs with great success, and we’re now starting to see the idea spread to Premier League football, with Liverpool and Manchester City among the early adopters.
The benefits for sports fans inside the stadium are manifold. As well as being able to connect with friends and family through messaging services while inside the ground, fans also expect to be able to connect to social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram while showing their support. This is especially important for the clubs themselves as they seek maximum engagement during a match with fans both inside the stadium and out.
What all clubs are keen to avoid is a scenario where watching from your sofa is more appealing than the true, live experience. Apps, such as the NFL’s Red Zone, seek to offer fans inside the stadium the same on demand access to instant replays, specific camera views and statistics as those watching in the comfort of their living rooms and it’s hoped that offering such incentives will increase revenue from ticket sales.
As well as encouraging fans to continue to attend matches by offering the best connectivity possible, there are other key benefits for clubs to consider when investing in stadium Wi-Fi. Enabling fans to connect easily to social media channels during a game can be hugely rewarding for the clubs themselves. Having so many well connected fans in a sphere where the team is the key focus can lead to a great surge in social media activity across a club’s channels.
Social Media
With fans tweeting, posting to Facebook and uploading photos to Instagram in their thousands, having a connected stadium can in turn lead to a great deal of free publicity. Clubs are able to maximise this potential further by running competitions, offering discounts and otherwise engaging directly with those in the stadium, increasing their level of visibility on social media.
Another potential future benefit for clubs with a ‘connected stadium’ is the ability to capture data through their own network. Anonymous data relating to app usage, social media engagement and time of use could be analysed and used to better direct future promotions, advertising and social media campaigns. NFL teams are already beginning to look at such data and the potential it holds adds extra value to the cost of installing and maintaining stadium Wi-Fi systems.
Stadium Wi-Fi is already proving to be a popular area of development for US sports teams, but its uptake and success in the UK has been rather more muted. The structure of English football stadiums makes it incredibly difficult to install systems with a great enough range and capacity, especially in the current financial climate.
With UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules looming, clubs are not yet convinced that the considerable outlay – especially for a fledgling technology that has so far proven difficult to perfect – is a wise investment.
A test by Liverpool on one of Anfield’s stands has had mixed results. Celtic have, however, seen some success at Parkhead and it is widely believed to be only a matter of time before the right technology and implementation will convince Premier League clubs that the benefits outweigh the initial costs. It is now not such a stretch to imagine that in the near future stadium Wi-Fi will be as ubiquitous as tweeting for free while ordering your coffee.
To learn more about our Stadium Wi-Fi services, and our other solutions, get in touch with Purdicom today by calling 0845 331 6169.
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