Extreme Networks

Stadium Tech Report: THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ISSUE looks at university Wi-Fi deployments

December 15, 2014 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

If there was a college football playoff for stadium wireless network deployments, which four teams would be in? Electing myself to the committee, I think my top picks would be the same venues we’re profiling in our latest Stadium Tech Report – Baylor, Nebraska, Stanford and Texas A&M. All four are pursuing high-end networks to support a better fan experience, leading the way for what may turn out to be the largest “vertical” market in the stadium networking field – sporting venues at institutions of higher learning.

To be sure, network deployments at major universities in the U.S. are still at the earliest stages — in our reporting for our latest long-form report, we found that at two of the top conferences, the SEC and the Pac-12, only four schools total (two in each conference) had fan-facing Wi-Fi, with only one more planned to come online next year. Why is the collegiate market so far behind the pro market when it comes to network deployment? There are several main reasons, but mostly it comes down to money and mindset, with a lack of either keeping schools on the sidelines.

Leaders look for NFL-type experiences

But at our “playoff” schools, it’s clear that with some ready budget and a clear perspective, college stadiums don’t need to take a back seat to anyone, pro stadiums included. The networks, apps and infrastructure deployed for this season at Baylor’s McLane Stadium and Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium are among the tops anywhere in sports, and the all-fiber infrastructure being put in place at Texas A&M should make that school’s Kyle Field among the most-connected if all work gets completed on time for next football season. Read in-depth profiles on these schools’ deployments, along with team-by-team capsule technology descriptions and an exclusive interview with Mississippi State athletic director Scott Stricklin in our latest report, available for free download from our site.

We’d like to take a second here to thank our sponsors, without whom we wouldn’t be able to offer these comprehensive reports to you free of charge. For our fourth-quarter report our sponsors include Crown Castle, SOLiD, Extreme Networks, Aruba Networks, TE Connectivity, and Corning.

Filed Under: 4G LTE, Apps, AT&T, Cisco, DAS, iPhone, MSR Guides, NCAA Football, Pac-12, SEC, University of Oregon, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi Tagged With: Baylor University, CDW, Cisco, college football, Corning, Corning ONE, Extreme Networks, iBM, Kyle Field, McLane Stadium, Memorial Stadium, Mobile Sports Report, Pac-12, Paul Kapustka, Stadium Wi-Fi, Stanford, Texas A&M, University of Nebraska, Wi-Fi

Extreme announces strategic partnership with IMG’s college division

December 9, 2014 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

In a move that could net Extreme Networks some more college stadium Wi-Fi deals, Extreme announced it had entered into a strategic partnership with marketing giant IMG, as the “Official Wi-Fi Provider of IMG College.”

Though the partnership doesn’t guarantee that Extreme will sell Wi-Fi gear, being the “preferred supplier” to IMG College’s stable of 90 collegiate “institutions” — a list that includes schools, conferences and venues — gives Extreme a leg up as those entities decide on providers for wireless network deployments. While IMG College might not be the final decision-maker when it comes to network deployments, its wide-ranging representation of media rights, licensing deals and other tasks for its clients certainly won’t hurt Extreme’s chances when it comes to picking a Wi-Fi gear supplier.

For what it’s worth, Extreme signed a similar non-binding deal with the NFL in January of this year, which did not require teams to purchase Extreme equipment. However, prior to this season four new teams — the Seattle Seahawks, the Tennessee Titans, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars all signed deals to use Extreme gear in their Wi-Fi deployments. We haven’t spoken to Extreme or IMG yet so we don’t know if the college partnership will offer IMG clients discounts on Wi-Fi gear, like Extreme does for NFL teams. Extreme recently also won the Wi-Fi gear bid for the new McLane Stadium at Baylor University, which is an IMG client.

Filed Under: Basketball, NCAA Football, NCAA Hoops, Wi-Fi Tagged With: Baylor University, Extreme Networks, IMG, IMG College, marketing, Mobile Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, Stadium Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi

SignalShare ‘relaunches’ with new fan-engagement platform for large-venue Wi-Fi

November 21, 2014 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

SignalShare announced today its new LiveFi nGage product suite, a system that combines content, analytics and advertising links to give venue owners and operators a turnkey method to improve fan engagement and perhaps increase revenue opportunities for large-venue Wi-Fi networks.

The product launch coincides with a redesign of the company’s website in what company leaders are calling a bit of a public relaunch, one that includes tweaks like a new logo and subtle changes to main product naming as well as streamlining explanations of what exactly the mobile mass-audience engagement specialist SignalShare does. The Raleigh, N.C.-based SignalShare is also set to significantly increase its operational size soon, as the 20-person privately held company is in the final stages of a “reverse IPO,” going public by acquiring another company that is already trading on the public markets.

Though small, SignalShare has racked up an impressive list of customers for its high-capacity Wi-Fi network design, deployment and management systems and services. Professional teams including the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets all use SignalShare in some capacity for their Wi-Fi network operations, as does the U.S. Open tennis tournament, as well as major entertainment acts like Bon Jovi. The new nGage suite is a top-layer addition to the company’s existing proprietary LiveFi audience engagement platform, which according to SignalShare “leverages real-time analytics and dynamic messaging to deliver location-aware customized content – including offers, discounts and call-to-actions – to attendees’ mobile devices during events.”

In a phone interview this week prior to the announcement, SignalShare founder and chief technology officer Joe Costanzo said that in its operation of stadium and other large-venue networks, SignalShare often found that attendees were using the local networks far more for independent apps like Twitter and Facebook, and in many cases were basically ignoring the team or stadium app.

“The reality in a lot of places is that the mobile app [for that venue] is floating to the bottom of the pile,” Costanzo said. To help remedy that situation, SignalShare came up with LiveFi nGage, which has as its linchpin an HTML5-based portal site that fans are directed to after logging in to the local network.

Increasing ways to monetize the network

Screen shot of nGage Fan Feed. Credit: SignalShare

In a demonstration prior to the announcement, the nGage “Fan Feed” component appeared on the device like any other smartphone app, with graphic and text links that could be vertically scrolled through. Through its ability to combine event content, fan social media contributions and advertisements or promotional links, Costanzo said nGage Fan Feed could act as a funnel directing fans to a team or stadium app or website, while also providing up-front engagement opportunities that could go a long way toward helping venues monetize their Wi-Fi network investments.

The HTML5 construction of nGage Fan Feed, Costanzo said, makes it easier for venue owners to change the content feed quickly — an important factor for venues that may host a lot of different events, such as basketball arenas that also have hockey games or concerts. The nGage suite also includes an analytics engine to capture usage patterns across the Wi-Fi network, a feature rapidly being seen as a necessary component for any large venue networking operation.

While the splash-page feel of the Fan Feed could be seen as competition for an arena or team’s own app, Costanzo said that the low engagement rates for stadium or team apps seem to be calling out for some kind of help to keep fans from just using outside apps.

“We’re just reacting to the data we’re seeing,” Costanzo said. “Our goal is to help venues close the circle of engagement, and evolve how you get fans to engage with the event.”

Owning the network

According to Costanzo, SignalShare makes money by being a sort of neutral third-party host for venue Wi-Fi networks, providing the Wi-Fi as a managed service instead of a capital expense. In a recent deal at the University of Maryland where SignalShare partnered with Wi-Fi gear and analytics provider Extreme Networks, Costanzo said SignalShare “owns the network,” and will work to bring in sponsors to share revenue with the school. The LiveFi nGage suite, Constanzo said, will help both SignalShare and the venue owner find a faster ROI.

“We’ve taken the concept of a managed service approach, which is an off-the-books approach for teams and venues,” Costanzo said. Trying to justify the ROI for a stadium Wi-Fi network, he noted, “can get pretty hefty when [the venue] only has six events a year.”

By using nGage and its Fan Feed component, Costanzo said operators can “make sure the sponsor content gets elevated, but that fans are not just slammed by ads, ads, ads.” Costanzo said the LiveFi nGage platform can also be used to push synchronized messaging to other stadium displays, like big screens or LED ribbons.

Reverse merger takes SignalShare public

On the business side, SignalShare is near completion of a planned “reverse merger” with a company called Roomlinx, Inc., a Broomfield, Colo.-based provider of interactive TV applications for the hospitality industry. Roomlinx, which trades on the “pink sheets” over-the-counter market, will own (along with its investors) 14 percent of the new company, which will be called SignalShare Inc. SignalShare will own the balance, and will give $1 million in cash to Roomlinx, according to a news release from last spring that announced the deal.

Filed Under: Apps, Basketball, NBA, NFL, Wi-Fi Tagged With: Extreme Networks, Mobile Sports Report, New England Patriots, Paul Kapustka, SignalShare, Stadium Wi-Fi, University of Maryland, Wi-Fi

NFL’s CIO says teams need to share technology know-how

November 20, 2014 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

Michelle McKenna-Doyle, CIO, NFL

Editor’s note: the following interview with NFL CIO Michelle McKenna-Doyle was featured in our most recent long-form report, THE FOOTBALL ISSUE, which is available for free download. In addition to team-by-team capsules of technology deployments for all 32 NFL teams the issue also has several in-depth stadium technology profiles and an extensive look at the technology behind the San Francisco 49ers’ new Levi’s Stadium. Get your copy today!

In a league known for its intense rivalries, is it possible to get teams to work together and share information for the betterment of all? In the area of stadium technology, that task is on the to-do list for Michelle McKenna-Doyle, who is now in her third season as chief information officer for the National Football League.

In an interview with Mobile Sports Report, McKenna-Doyle outlined some of the league’s recent accomplishments in technology-related areas like instant replay and digital content, while also explaining how the league oversees stadium technology deployments. According to McKenna-Doyle, one of her office’s jobs is to act as a best-practices and lessons-learned clearinghouse, to better move the state of NFL stadium technology forward faster as a whole.

“One of our roles is helping teams help themselves” with technology deployment strategies, McKenna-Doyle said. “What we want is to provide a forum where clubs can share information with each other. If somebody’s done something and learned it doesn’t work, we can tell other clubs not to waste their time doing the same thing.”

The business use of technology

Focusing on the business uses of technology and not the 1s and 0s is somewhat of a natural fit for McKenna-Doyle, who spent 13 years at the Walt Disney Company in disciplines including finance and marketing before becoming a VP in IT for two years. During CIO stints at Centex Homes and Universal Orlando Resort, McKenna-Doyle said she focused on using technology to enhance the guest experience, a goal the NFL sought when it brought her aboard in September 2012.

Wi-Fi access point antennas visible on poles at CenturyLink Field, Seattle. Credit: Extreme Networks

“Part of my job is making sure our in-stadium experience for mobility meets the needs of our fans,” McKenna-Doyle said. While it is true that commissioner Roger Goodell said he wanted all NFL stadiums to have fan-facing Wi-Fi, and that the league does expect teams to meet a minimum set of connectivity standards, McKenna-Doyle said the NFL’s overall stadium-tech strategy is to be more of a guide than to dictate exactly which technologies or apps teams should deploy.

“People really are fans of their own team first, and we encourage clubs to have that engagement, and help them interact with fans,” McKenna-Doyle said. “There are minimum standards and we do grade their [technology] experience, and report that back to the club. But they manage it. We are more of a guide.”

Putting out a plan for stadium Wi-Fi

In the area of Wi-Fi, for example, McKenna-Doyle said that last year the league put together “a really deep-dive spec” that laid out all the basics necessary for stadium Wi-Fi deployments. “That was so teams didn’t have to start at square one for design,” McKenna-Doyle said.

The league also helped move Wi-Fi deployments forward faster by signing a preferred-supplier deal with Extreme Networks, under which teams get a discount on pricing in exchange for the league-wide sponsorship exposure. (Editor’s note: This week, the league announced that Extreme is now the official Wi-Fi technology supplier for the NFL.) Though teams are not required to use Extreme’s Wi-Fi gear, new Extreme-based Wi-Fi networks are in use this season at Seattle, Jacksonville, Tennessee, and Cincinnati, joining two previous Extreme installations in Philadelphia and New England.

“It’s a great option if teams choose Extreme, and it [the league deal] also creates a competitive environment for other suppliers like Cisco to step up,” McKenna-Doyle said.

Fans take pictures at Levi’s Stadium. Credit: Paul Kapustka, MSR

If necessary, the league can also play Wi-Fi matchmaker, as McKenna-Doyle said it did in bringing partner Verizon into Seattle, where the carrier deployed a Wi-Fi network at CenturyLink Field that is live this season.

At the writing of this report, 10 of the NFL’s 32 teams still had no fan-facing Wi-Fi services at their stadiums, a list that includes Green Bay, Baltimore, Cleveland, Buffalo, Houston, Oakland, San Diego, Washington, Minnesota and St. Louis. While McKenna-Doyle said that there are “a few more Wi-Fi announcements coming,” she also noted that some teams with lease uncertanties still don’t have firm plans to deploy Wi-Fi.

Help on the app side with partner YinzCam

McKenna-Doyle said the league also provides assistance in stadium application development via YinzCam Inc., a Pittsburgh-based company that has developed mobile apps for a number of pro sports teams. The NFL, which was an investor in YinzCam, uses the company’s technology in its league mobile apps, and McKenna-Doyle said YinzCam is also developing an app for the upcoming Super Bowl XLIX that will be “like nothing we’ve ever had before.”

Though teams are not required to use YinzCam – the San Francisco 49ers, for example, turned to newcomer VenueNext to develop their Levi’s Stadium app – McKenna-Doyle said that YinzCam may be a fit for other teams.

“For quality and speed to market, [YinzCam’s] product is very strong,” McKenna-Doyle said.

It’s about the fans, not the technology

Following a summer that saw her office overseeing the new method for on-field official review of replay calls – “which meant building a new system for 32 teams, 31 stadiums, and training all the officials” – as well as the launch of the NFL Now digital content site, McKenna-Doyle is back spending time with teams, counseling them on technology deployment resource management – “what to prioritize, and what to put on the back burner,” she said.

That includes technology ideas that might not work operationally, like a food-ordering service that isn’t staffed properly. For the in-seat food ordering feature at Levi’s Stadium, for instance, the 49ers said they did extensive research, hiring and training to make sure they had enough feet on the ground – runners carrying orders – to make the tech-inspired feature work.

If teams don’t do the human engineering behind the scenes, McKenna-Doyle said, the technology may not be that cool.

“We stress that it’s not about the technology, but about the fan experience,” McKenna-Doyle said. “It has to be operationally sound, and it has to be integrated with being at the game. If it’s not something that’s operationally sound, you might be better off not doing it.”

Filed Under: 4G LTE, Apps, AT&T, Cisco, Comcast, DAS, NFL, NFL Mobile, NFL Network, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi Tagged With: 4G LTE, AT&T, DAS, Extreme Networks, Michelle McKenna-Doyle, Mobile Sports Report, NFL, Paul Kapustka, Stadium Wi-Fi, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi

Stadium Tech Report — NFL stadium technology reports — NFC West

November 17, 2014 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

Editor’s note: The following team-by-team capsule reports of NFL stadium technology deployments are an excerpt from our most recent Stadium Tech Report, THE FOOTBALL ISSUE. To get all the capsules in one place as well as our featured reports, interviews and analysis, download your free copy of the full report today.

NFC WEST

Reporting by Chris Gallo

Arizona Cardinals
University of Phoenix Stadium
Seating Capacity: 65,000
Wi-Fi – Yes
DAS-Yes
Beaconing – No

As the site of the Super Bowl XLIX, University of Phoenix Stadium is in the midst of massive upgrades. This includes an $8 million dollar improvement for faster wireless and larger video boards. The stadium turned eight this summer and already has one Super Bowl under its belt. Look for more information about upgrades throughout the year before the big game on Feb. 1, 2015.

San Francisco 49ers
Levi’s Stadium
Seating Capacity: 68,500
Wi-Fi – Yes, 1,200 access points
DAS – Yes, 700 antennas
Beaconing – Yes

View from the Pepsi seating porch at the north end of Levi’s Stadium

There is a buzz around Levi’s Stadium entering this season. And for good reason. The brand-new venue boasts more than 1,200 Wi-Fi access points and 700 DAS antennas. Aruba Networks (Wi-Fi) and DAS Group Professionals are hoping to fulfill the 49ers’ desires to own the most-connected stadium in all of sports. An ambitious new team app, with replays and food ordering and delivery to all seats is also part of the technology offerings.

Early tests of the stadium network during the preseason and regular season opener were promising, with Wi-Fi performance at Super Bowl-surpassing levels. On the DAS side, strong cellular signals were reached, with a nearly full house of fans. The question for the network, like the team itself – can it keep performing at a high level during the full season?

Seattle Seahawks
CenturyLink Field
Seating Capacity: 72,000
Wi-Fi-Yes
DAS-Yes
Beaconing – No

Fans of the reigning Super Bowl Champions will have more to cheer for in coming years at CenturyLink Field. The question is, will the loudest stadium in the NFL stay that way if Seahawks fans are using their phones more often, now that Verizon has installed stadium-wide Wi-Fi using Extreme Networks equipment?

St. Louis Rams
Edward Jones Dome
Seating Capacity: 66,000
Wi-Fi – No
DAS-Yes
Beaconing – No

After a proposed $700 million dollar upgrade was rejected, the St. Louis Rams are still seeking to improve the Edward Jones Dome. The good news for fans is that for this season a Mobilitie neutral-host DAS should significantly improve cellular communications not just in the stadium itself, but also in the adjacent convention center.

Filed Under: 4G LTE, AT&T, Cisco, DAS, NFL, Seattle Seahwaks, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi Tagged With: Arizona Cardinals, Aruba Networks, AT&T, CenturyLink Field, DAS, Extreme Networks, Levi's Stadium, Mobile Sports Report, Mobilitie, NFL, Paul Kapustka, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Stadium Wi-Fi, University of Phoenix Stadium, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi

Stadium Tech Report — NFL stadium technology reports — NFC East

November 13, 2014 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

NFC EAST

Reporting by Chris Gallo

Dallas Cowboys
AT&T Stadium
Seating Capacity: 105,121
Wi-Fi – Yes, 1,525 access points
DAS – Yes, 1,374 antennas
Beaconing – No

AT&T Fan Experience board with single message

Everything is bigger in Texas – including connectivity. AT&T Stadium features 1,525 Wi-Fi access points and 1,374 DAS antennas. That’s enough cellular capacity to service the small suburb of McKinney, Texas. While watching Tony Romo target Dez Bryant, Cowboys fans will notice a new 130-foot LED display along the east platform. The AT&T Fan Experience board features 40 robotic panels that work in combination with other stadium displays to entertain fans all game along. And don’t forget the big TV hanging in the middle of the place!

New York Giants
MetLife Stadium
Seating Capacity: 82,500
Wi-Fi – Yes, 850 access points
DAS – Yes, over 600 antennas
Beaconing – No

The Super Bowl champions just three years ago, it appears their bunk mates’ play is rubbing off on the Giants. Like the cross-town Jets, the G-Men missed the playoffs for the second straight season last year. If it’s any consolation, the Giants still share one sports top venues in MetLife Stadium. AT&T and Verizon gave enough love and attention the stadium last year as host of Super Bowl XLVII. Over 600 DAS antennas, 850 Wi-Fi access points, Cisco StadiumVision with over 2,100 HD TVs around the concourse – that’s a recipe for a good time at a game, at least from a connectivity standpoint.

Philadelphia Eagles
Lincoln Financial Field
Seating Capacity: 69,176
Wi-Fi – Yes, 600+ access points
DAS-Yes
Beaconing – No

Lincoln Financial Field is one of the “greenest” stadiums in all of professional sports. And that’s not just because of the Eagles’ colors. All (100 percent) of the Eagles operations are powered by the sun and the wind. The stadium’s connectivity is something fans can get behind too. With over 600 Wi-Fi access points and a group of Extreme Networks’ “Wi-Fi coaches”, the Eagles are doing everything they can to make sure fans are connected at games.

Washington Redskins
FedEx Field
Seating Capacity: 85,000
Wi-Fi – Limited / club level only
DAS-Yes
Beaconing – No

A new coach, name controversy, and a $27 million dollar renovation underway at FedEx Field. It’s been an offseason full of distractions in the nation’s capital. The good news: The team just signed a deal with supplier Huawei to put Wi-Fi in the stadium, first in the club seats and then (hopefully) next year in the full seating bowl.

Filed Under: 4G LTE, AT&T, Cisco, Comcast, Dallas Cowboys, DAS, NFL, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi Tagged With: AT&T, AT&T Stadium, Cisco, Dallas Cowboys, DAS, Extreme Networks, Lincoln Financial Field, Mobile Sports Report, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, Paul Kapustka, Philadelphia Eagles, Stadium Wi-Fi, StadiumVision, Verizon Wireless, Washington Redskins, Wi-Fi