Learn How HN’s High Speed Internet Enables IoT in Football Stadiums
After decades of popularity, professional and collegiate football games keep drawing massive crowds. While football is a timeless sport, technological advances have slowly taken football to an even greater level.
Improvements in equipment have vastly improved health, safety, and longevity for players, and electronic technology has made keeping track of game scores far easier than ever before. Modern technology in football doesn’t just complement the sport: it transforms it for the better, making it more accessible to audiences at home and safer for players.
Even with so much progress, innovation in the world of football isn’t stopping any time soon. Recent advances in football stadium technology are revolutionizing football for the twenty-first century. Internet of Things (IoT) technology makes logistics a breeze, enabling real-time connectivity for coaches, players, referees, and fans.
Read on for a brief history of technology and football, an explanation on how IoT football tech enhances the game for everyone involved, and in-depth looks at specific tech solutions.
- The History of Technology in Football
- How IoT Technology Enhances Football
- Examples of IoT Technology in Football
The History of Technology in Football
Technology and football have always gone hand in hand. Beginning in the early twentieth century, engineers and designers developed better helmets and protective gear to curb player injuries. Meanwhile, the advent of film technology gave coaches and players a way to replay game footage.
The stadium experience has also been enhanced by better tech, thanks to the advent of engaging and lively electronic displays. With better stadium technology, fans could more easily keep track of the score. Meanwhile, live camera coverage enhanced the experience for fans located farther away from the field.
Even the at home viewing experience has improved thanks to technology. GPS tracking software realized a new-found depth in tracking how the game is played, leading to far more detailed broadcasts. Sportscasters, coaches, and scientists all began to track player performance, movement, and speed, incentivizing progress in training and tactics.
Altogether, technology has let football grow as a sport, transforming it for the better by making it safer and more enjoyable. Now, in the 2020s, smart technology and AI are taking football to even greater heights.
How IoT Technology Enhances Football
We’ve taken a look at the history of technology and football. Now, let’s explore some specific ways modern IoT technology enhances the football experience.
IoT in Football for Coaches, Players, & Teams
Teams (coaches, players, staff, owners) benefit immensely from football stadium technology. A lot of work goes into running a team — from recruiting and drafting new players each season to keeping everyone healthy and performing their best, handling each player’s well-being requires time and effort.
IoT in football technology creates efficiencies for the team’s staff by leveraging technology such as wearable data collectors, teams can analyze training and performance during and after the game. Making changes to team tactics, rosters, and training can improve overall results for the franchise.
Real-time digital cameras also provide coaches and trainers with instant feedback play-by-play. If a play doesn’t work well, coaches can rewind and rewatch it to learn from their mistakes — from both the sidelines and play-calling booths. From there, coaches can analyze footage and communicate over a wireless headset to communicate adapted solutions to players.
Modern IoT technology also benefits doctors and other medical professionals tasked with preventing and treating injuries. High-tech databases contain electronic medical records that staff can access at a moment’s notice. Advanced medical equipment, much of which is portable and quick to use, can also provide on-site treatment that helps players rest and recuperate following injuries.
IoT in Football for Fans & Stadium Attendees
Fan engagement at football games also benefits significantly from modern football stadium technology. Football stadium apps offer intuitive hubs for fans to access diverse parts of the stadium experience — making it easy for fans to participate in sweepstakes, share their stadium experience via social media, and checking other scores around their favorite leagues.
Purchasing concessions such as food items, drinks, and merchandise is also far easier via IoT technology. Via concession stand apps, fans can order items from the comfort of their seats, before they have to wait in long lines. Meanwhile, vendors can keep track of their wares with electronic storage systems, streamlining inventory management and reducing stress in employees.
Examples of IoT Technology in Football
IoT football technology is an interconnected web of related technologies. While we’ve explored some of these systems already, let’s dive into some specifics of key technology powering the football experience.
Real-Time Camera Connectivity
Highly beneficial to teams and fans alike, real-time camera connectivity is one of the most adaptable technologies used in modern stadiums. By connecting multiple cameras to one reliable internet network, stadiums can enable swift distribution and use of in-game footage.
Coaches can use IoT cameras to tweak and adjust player tactics on the fly. Depending on changes in the weather or other variables, coaches can also completely change gears and try new approaches to a play — allowing for comprehensive play-calling and extremely intentional, informed strategy. Meanwhile, once the game is over, IoT trackers and film cameras allow for more complex post-game analysis from broadcasters, leading to more informed and entertained fans.
Real-time cameras and accessible screens can even enhance the refereeing process. Instead of relying solely on eyesight and intuition, referees can access detailed, comprehensive footage of plays. Coaches, players, and fans can watch these replays and put controversies to rest before they spiral out of control.
GPS-Enabled Ball Trackers
IoT trackers built into each football provide a wealth of statistical data. Tracking the ball in real-time as teams throw, run, and kick provides informative data that analysts can use to significant effect. Coaches can also utilize this data to compare players head-to-head when making additional personnel decisions throughout the season.
Additionally, stadiums can connect information from ball trackers into stadium apps to give fans an even deeper look at the game they’re attending. For highlight plays, fans can confirm how dazzling what they just saw was down to ball velocity and play success probability, sharing with friends the spectacle they witnessed at your stadium.
Hospitality Network’s Connectivity Supports Allegiant Stadium, Host of One of The Biggest Games of the Year
Hospitality Network, in partnership with Cox Business, is proud to provide seamless internet connectivity to power IoT football stadium technology at Allegiant Stadium, the host of one of the biggest games of the year. This modern venue requires a robust network solution to support lightning-fast HSIA and reliable stadium-wide connectivity for fans, teams, vendors, and event organizers.
To support IoT football stadium technology for one of the biggest game days of the year, Hospitality Network created this connected and immersive environment with Cox Fiber, providing Allegiant Stadium with:
- 1,800 WiFi access points
- 75,000 feet of digital billboards
- 227 miles of fiber optic cables
- 2,400 video screens
Hospitality Network’s integrated and seamless solutions, custom-designed to meet the specific needs of fans, teams, and staff, holistically blend into Allegiant Stadium’s ecosystem to enable IoT football stadium technology throughout the arena and enhance the stadium experience.
From the hosts of the season’s biggest games to local sporting venues, Hospitality Network provides scalable and personalized solutions to stadiums and arenas of all sizes.
Hospitality Network Offers Seamless Internet Connectivity to Power Stadium IoT Technology
IoT technology takes football to the next level, but only with the support of consistent, high-speed internet. Without reliable internet access throughout a stadium, fans, teams, and staff alike can’t take advantage of IoT-enabled football tools.
Thankfully, expert providers such as Hospitality Network can get the job done. Our experts use only the finest telecommunications equipment capable of handling vast quantities of data. We routinely partner with stadiums and arenas to provide meaningful and memorable experiences. We don’t compromise on performance, and we can tailor our custom WiFi networks to any client’s specific needs.
Our IoT football stadium technology can support TV services, IoT tech for teams, WiFi monetization for vendors, and countless other Internet-driven services. We provide integrated and seamless solutions that effortlessly blend into a stadium’s ecosystem without being intrusive or placing excess strain on a facility’s power supply.
IoT football technology is becoming the norm; don’t wait to take advantage of it. Contact us today and learn how you can prepare your stadium for connected technology.