Wi-Fi 6E: Revolutionizing Connectivity for Sports and Entertainment Venues

Cisco is powering the world’s most connected venues 

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the need for robust and reliable high-speed Wi-Fi in sports and entertainment venues. Wi-Fi networks offer numerous opportunities to enhance both the attendee experiences and drive operational efficiencies for venues, but they also present challenges. It is crucial to deploy a Wi-Fi network that can meet the growing expectations of fans while keeping the total cost of ownership in check.  

Here are some of the opportunities that Wi-Fi networks bring to sports and venues:  

Enhanced Guest Experience 

More than 82% of sports fans say they use their mobile phones in some way while at a live professional sporting event.  Keeping fans connected and engaged by delivering a more convenient and customized fan experience through technology is essential in today’s event experience. The in-venue experience needs to compete with an ever-more-attractive at-home viewing experience. Fans expect a seamless mobile ticketing entrance, the ability to check fantasy and sports betting applications in real-time, and an easy social media sharing experience. Furthermore, interactive services like ordering food, wayfinding maps, real-time replays, and merchandise promotions add a level of personalization that guests value and keeps them coming back.   

Operational efficiency and lower total cost of ownership

Innovative Wi-Fi networks bring significant benefits to venues by enhancing operational efficiency and reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO). With its improved data speeds, increased capacity, and lower latency, the technology’s ability to handle a higher density of devices ensures smooth operations during large events, minimizing downtime and improving customer experience. Additionally, energy-efficient designs reduce power consumption, helping stadiums lower operational costs in the long term. By providing faster troubleshooting, more seamless device management, and the ability to support a broader range of IoT devices, enhanced Wi-Fi networks enable stadiums to optimize their infrastructure and reduce maintenance expenses, while delivering a superior, modern experience for everyone. 

Increased revenue and business growth

Wi-Fi networks offer new opportunities for monetization, such as digital advertising and promotions based on user data. The NFL’s 32 teams generated an estimated $2.35 billion in sponsorship revenue last season which was up 15% YoY. As the game day experience continues to evolve with technology so do the opportunities for sponsorable assets and content.

Wi-Fi 6E

Our best-in-class portfolio has been supporting successful deployments in sports, media and entertainment for more than 15 years.  Beyond just wired and wireless networking, we offer collaboration tools, comprehensive cybersecurity, and management solutions that deliver enhanced insights and automation. This ensures a more secure, consistent, and scalable infrastructure that is easier to manage, more flexible, and more resilient than ever before. 

We just added to our portfolio a Wi-Fi 6E solution tailored for high-performance in sports and entertainment venues. Our access points leverage Wi-Fi 6E technology with versatile hardware options to suit various venue configurations. 

• Catalyst IW9167E-STA Heavy Duty Access Point: Equipped with a Wi-Fi 6E 75° wide beam outdoor directional panel antenna, perfect for handrails and short-distance overhead deployments. 
• Catalyst IW9167E-STA2 Heavy Duty Access Point: Features a Wi-Fi 6E 35° narrow beam outdoor directional panel antenna, ideal for mid to long-range deployments. 
• Catalyst IW9167I Heavy Duty Access Point: Comes with a Wi-Fi 6E omni-directional antenna, suitable for areas near seats or where overhead mounting is limited. 

The Denver Broncos have implemented our Wi-Fi 6E solutions stadium-wide, enabling faster internet for fans to follow games, share images, videos, and more during events. 

Learn more about our solution here.

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