Martin said the invent of advanced LTE coverage could make something like WiFi at sports facilities obsoleteRICK OSTENTOSKI
StubHub Center in L.A. is reaping the benefits of its newly installed DAS system after Mobilitie installed the wireless network last year. Speaking on Day 1 of the '18 AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises conference in Detroit, StubHub Center GM Katie Pandolfo said the system has made the venue one of the most connected in the country. StubHub Center was constructed in ’03 and is seen as one of the top sports facilities in the U.S., but with the advent of the smart phone just a few years later, the L.A. venue fell behind. “We quickly learned we were outdated,” Pandolfo said. “We had more than two dozen pitches (for adding a wireless system), but they were all very invasive and involved breaking up over a mile of concrete. We didn’t want to do that.” Last May, the venue signed a deal with Mobilitie (brokered by AEG Global Partnerships) for the network to be installed ahead of the Chargers’ move there from San Diego. Construction was completed the first week of September. AEG Chief Information Officer Bill Martin said the advent of advanced LTE coverage, and even the future adaptation of 5G speeds, could make something like WiFi at sports facilities obsolete. “WiFi can still complement LTE and LTE advanced, but once 5G comes along ... WiFi can no longer be a complement to that network. The latency is too slow,” he said. “This is where the world is headed. It’s going to be interesting to see the interplay with business models that are based on WiFi versus cellular.”
SEEING THE RESULTS: Pandolfo said the results have been easy to see, from fans’ ability to post on social media to the impact on parking. “Just our fans who wanted to check in on Facebook or Snapchat, or their Twitter feed,” she said. “From that marketing perspective you have that instant update where people are checking in from the game.” Up until last year, StubHub’s parking operation was cash only, Pandolfo said. But with the new system from Mobilitie, credit cards can now be accepted up to a half mile from the venue. Mobilitie President & CEO Christos Karmis said, “It’s really about staying ahead. Part of the challenge is, everyone needs to understand, it’s not just to install a network and you’re good. Every year you’ve got to be improving.”
