Wireless SportThe importance of being able to connect wirelessly with the mobile smartphones and tablets of today’s sporting audience cannot be understated.
In the United States this week it has emerged that the interactive media arm of Major League Baseball has signed a multi-year technology agreement with Qualcomm Technologies.
The two parties will collaborate to survey, plan and optimise mobile network connectivity for fans at baseball stadia across the United States.
Qualcomm engineers have already begun reviewing the ways in which Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G access is delivered in stadia and at how it might be improved.
“Mobile data traffic is exploding, particularly in high-traffic areas such as sports stadia,” said Anand Chandrasekher, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer at Qualcomm.
“Qualcomm has been preparing for a 1,000-times increase in data demand, and we are leading the charge with baseball to provide fans with better and faster access to digital content, resulting in a better in-stadium experience.”
More data is accessed through Baseball’s online channels over mobile than desktop since 2010 and the same shift has occurred in other sports as well as services like betting that rely on sport to drive engagement.
Access to a strong signal is needed to share social media updates and photo’s that help enrich the sporting experience and are a valuable part of the ways in which sport and sponsors engage with fans.
It also enables greater knowledge and greater servicing of customer demands to get better value from each paying customer who enters the arena or whom subsequently engages with the team.
Last week we wrote about Liverpool FC’s decision to upgrade to faster Wi-Fi delivery at Anfield and fans experience in as well as outside the ground will be discussed at the next Sport for Business Members’ Round Table being hosted in the FAI Suite at the Aviva Stadium on April 23rd.
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