
WiFi connectivity in sports venues is like indoor plumbing: it has gone from luxury option to expected amenity to absolute necessity. However, getting it into existing venues often isn't easy, according to Verizon, services provider for MetLife Stadium, Auburn University's Jordan-Hare Stadium, Sports Authority Field (Denver Broncos), and Petco Park (San Diego Padres).
The two big challenges [for existing venues] are the physical architecture of the building, where materials like concrete and aluminum can interfere with signals, and, in the largest venues, the density of the network that you need to manage all those endpoints, explains Rick Capstraw, who runs Verizon's strategic team for media and entertainment verticals.
He cites the WiFi retrofit at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, home to the L.A. Lakers and Kings, now under way, as an example of the former. We had already done a lot of work on cellular-antenna distribution there and found there was a lot of aluminum used in its construction, which just does not work well with WiFi. It causes all kinds of weird reflections.
He adds that fan interactivity via mobile devices is going to become an expected service at all levels of sports venues in the near future. Various dedicated apps are already being developed for this purpose, and the sports and wireless industries are coming together to address the issue. This is seen as a key strategy to reverse some declines in attendance and revenue that some leagues most notably, the NFL are experiencing as the home-broadcast experience continues to improve with enhanced audio and video.
But adding to the challenge of retrofitting WiFi into large, densely built structures are the costs of doing so. Capstraw estimates that it costs between $3 million and $5 million to outfit a typical stadium for WiFi. That may not seem like a lot in a multibillion-dollar sports industry, but it becomes just that when multiplied by hundreds of major- and minor-league parks, stadiums and arenas, and collegiate venues.
The problem is, the ROI for all of this is not very well defined yet, says Capstraw. How does the team owner or league justify the costs when they're not sure what the business model is going to be to generate revenue from it?
Various models are being looked at in the industry, including paid access to WiFi, paid apps to access in-venue premium content, and ad-supported connectivity, including merchandise sales within the venue. It's an issue that's also being faced by the hospitality industry, with hotels finding that guests expect high-speed broadband connectivity, often for free, on which they will access their own entertainment options, reducing hotel revenue from lost PPV-content delivery.
(In fact, Verizon partnered with iBAHN which provides Internet Protocol-based information services for the hospitality, meeting, conference. and retail industries to build and install the AU Guest WiFi network at Auburn last year, which is paid for via user subscription fees. Verizon is providing the connectivity and backhaul to the public Internet, and iBAHN is helping process payments and provide customer support, as it does for thousands of hotel customers.)
Spectrum Issues
Verizon and other WiFi providers are also running into spectrum issues. With the 2.4 GHz frequency already crowded with consumer devices, says JT Timmons, VP of strategy for Verizon enterprise solutions, WiFi has to move further into the 5 GHz range. Higher frequencies usually require a larger distributed-antenna system inside large facilities since they're more vulnerable to being blocked by concrete and steel. And the number of consumer devices in the 5 GHz range is growing as well.
He says the response is to use the edge channels of the 11-channel band: Those are less congested, and we can also use high-gain directional antennas to increase coverage.
The problem, says Capstraw, is that, even when devices aren't in active use, phones and tablets with their WiFi activated are constantly pinging the wireless systems' access points, straining them. What's remarkable, he adds, is that, once sufficient coverage has been achieved in a venue, even very large loads can be managed. He cites the temporary WiFi system put into place at the Staples Center for this year's Grammy Awards event (the current WiFi project Verizon is installing there is a permanent system), which was able to handle about 22,000 devices in and around the arena. Auburn's stadium routinely handles as many as 10,000 devices during a game.
It's not about bandwidth, necessarily; it's about how many connections are made between access points and endpoints, he states. The equation is population [at the event] divided by the number of access points. However, even with the 1-GB networks being installed now, bandwidth will eventually become an issue as more fans in the stands start watching HD video of multiple games.
WiFi in sports venues is still a relative rarity, but it won't stay that way long. Timmons calls it an exploding market but still in its infancy. Some ways to address the costs of retrofitting venues include leveraging the proliferation of the LTE standard (adopted by Verizon and Sprint in the U.S.) and the use of IP-based networks. However these WiFi networks are funded and charged, it's clear that fans want them for entertainment and information, and venues need them for revenue and attendance. Those two massive forces guarantee that some kind of solution will be found.
Most recent headlines
13/03/2025
Every time airborne law enforcement (ALE) teams fly, they expect their equipment to perform. Whether airborne units are conducting support for ground teams, bor...
13/03/2025
Sunday February 9 saw the annual return of the US' biggest television event, the Super Bowl LIX. Jamie McCombs, Fox Sports Audio Consultant / Sr. Audio capt...
13/03/2025
On Sunday March 2, stars across the film industry gathered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 97th Academy Awards. Production Sound Mixer Paul Sandweis...
13/03/2025
WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications will feature its new StageLink family of smart edge devices, Smart Audio and Mixing Engine (SAME) and Virtual Smart Pan...
13/03/2025
TAG Video Systems and Harmonic Partner to Deliver Enhanced Real-Time Monitoring ...
13/03/2025
DigitalGlue Invites NAB Visitors to Experience New Features in Managed Storage P...
13/03/2025
FOR-A America Theme - Connecting the Present, Building the Future - Comes to Lif...
13/03/2025
CTIA, the wireless industry association, has named former FCC Chairman Aji Pai as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1. He replaces Mere...
13/03/2025
he National Association of Broadcasters is urging the FCC to end its investigation of that controversial CBS interview with Kamala Harris stating there is no ...
13/03/2025
MIAMI CBS News & Stations continues to expand its use of augmented and virtual reality technologies with the planned launch of an augmented reality/virtual real...
13/03/2025
Srividhya Srinivasan, co-founder and chief customer success & innovation Officer at Amagi, tells TVBEurope how staying ahead of the latest trends is essential f...
13/03/2025
WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...
13/03/2025
SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...
13/03/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...
13/03/2025
TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
13/03/2025
We asked the questions, analysed the answers and now we're excited to share the results of the fifth edition of the ICG Marketing Survey.
Our 2025 survey p...
13/03/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 13, 2025 Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a breakthrough in video streaming innovation with the launch of new origin capabilitie...
13/03/2025
Haivision Showcases Mission-Critical Video Solutions at SOF Week 2025
Haivision's video wall systems, ISR technology, and DoDIN APL-certified video distri...
13/03/2025
Company Leads the Way with New Software-Based Production Platform, 12G Switcher,...
13/03/2025
A new Apple Immersive concert experience, Metallica, is coming to Apple Vision Pro this Friday, March 14. Filmed in Mexico City during the sold-out second-year ...
13/03/2025
Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!
Shake your Shamrocks, Patrick Kielty will be...
13/03/2025
This St. Patrick's weekend, RT invites you to celebrate all things Irish, showcasing the very best of Irish sport, entertainment and live coverage from the...
13/03/2025
What's next in AI is at GTC 2025. Not only the technology, but the people and ideas that are pushing AI forward - creating new opportunities, novel solution...
13/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
By combining T-Mobile's robust network, Thal...
13/03/2025
Bundle up - GeForce NOW is bringing a flurry of Blizzard titles to its ever-expanding library.
Prepare to weather epic gameplay in the cloud, tackling the genr...
13/03/2025
AI is leveling up the world's most beloved games, as the latest advancements...
13/03/2025
PC game modding is massive, with over 5 billion mods downloaded annually. Mods p...
12/03/2025
O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...
12/03/2025
Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...
12/03/2025
Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...
12/03/2025
Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...
12/03/2025
More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report
NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...
12/03/2025
GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...
12/03/2025
BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....
12/03/2025
LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...
12/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....
12/03/2025
Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
High-capacity switch enhances existi...
12/03/2025
DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...
12/03/2025
SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally...
12/03/2025
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits.
By
Madd...
12/03/2025
TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a you...
12/03/2025
The new process has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, with automation freeing up creators to concentrate on higher value tasks
By Matthew Corrig...
12/03/2025
Jellyfish Pictures, which has offices in London and Sheffield, said it has been battling hard in the face of strong headwinds over the last 12 months
By Jenny ...
12/03/2025
Visit Booth #W2213 to Experience the Latest in AI-Driven Content Discovery and Workflow Automation
Bitcentral, a leader in media workflow solutions, is set to ...
12/03/2025
CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....
12/03/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...
12/03/2025
BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...
12/03/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....
12/03/2025
Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14
Brie Clayton March 11, 2025
0 Comments
Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade
During Marc...